I believe airlines use it to refer to crew who are travelling on a flight but not operating it, such as a pilot who's on a passenger on the flight from A to B because his next job is to fly from B to C.
Before colorlight and semaphore signals became widespread, "highball" originally meant "full speed ahead" or "proceed at maximum allowed speed", because signalman used large balls that were winched above poles to indicate track speed or signal indication.
LOL!! Also called a "game boy", it is a small computer that local conductors update their set offs and pick ups. It beams via satellite to customer service to show cars arrival times. Its really called the "on board work report", but game boy sounds more fun.
Nice work. There was a story one time about a wife in Chicagoland who called a local yard office to find out when her husband would be off duty and the clerk told her, "Oh, he's dead over at Clearing Yard." WHAT??? "No, he's not dead dead, he just can't work anymore." WHY?? "Because he's dead". The employee in question was told to call home immediately. Of course, "Deadhead" to a rock-n-roll fan has an entirely different meaning! (Grateful Dead fan to you younger folks reading this.)
Sidewinder: an efficiency test performed by a company officer usually on a curve where he lights a fusee (flare) and swings down the moving train after the head end goes by him to see if anyone in the cab is watching the curves.
I'm doing my pre employment physical for NS tomorrow. I've been applying to NS, CSX, and UP since I graduated high school. This is the first offer I've gotten in almost 10 years of applying. I've wanted to be on the railroad since I was a toddler and have always had a fascination with trains. However I did make sure not to mention that during my interview as pretty much all the old heads, including my late uncle who worked at csx for 30 years all told me that would be a huge turn off for a manager. I'm guessing its because the job is very demanding in many ways, and someone's whose only motivation to be there is because they get to work with trains likely won't stick it out when things get tough. I basically told them I wanted the job because I wanted to get to travel, like having a varying schedule, and that I was looking for a long term career after dealing with nothing but poor paying dead end jobs since I've been out of high school.
I'm a commercial pilot. "We" all love airplanes for the most part. Even have conventions consisting mostly of pilots and no one thinks twice about it. I know an engineer (CN) who's the same way....doesn't like trains and I told him I didn't get it. He mumbled something about how the RR treats them leads to the animosity which again didn't make sense but different strokes I guess. I personally love trains, planes and automobiles(sorry). Growing up in Cheyenne Wy I used to love going to watch them power up and over Sherman Hill and through the tunnel back in the mid 70's.
Great video. I worked for Conrail 76-82, as a Car Knocker and Hostler Helper. Things have changed. We still had Firemen and Brakemen when I was there. I am lucky to say that I have piloted, Covered Wagons, Goats, SD40's and GP-7/9's, and more. Thank you for what you do. I knew most of the lingo and it brought back great memories. CIAO!
I’d add “stretch it”. Pull ahead to test the coupling after connecting cars. Also “roll by”. Visual inspection of train for dragging equipment, dragging brake shoes or other defects. Usually a radio callout “good roll-by” meaning no defects.
I've always thought a FOAMER was a rail fan that was over the top and annoyed train crews. A good example was what a friend of mine told me when he was a commuter train conductor in MA. He was collecting tickets and came upon a young guy (looked like he was in his early teens) that had a conductors uniform on, including the hat. Bill asked him what line he worked for and the kid said "oh, I don't work right now but I know a lot about your job and I'll be on standby to assist you". Bill thanked him but told him the facts of life and not to get in the way. LOL
Hey DJ I enjoy your video's I worked out of Newcastle Jct. and was a road Engineer and retired in 2009 but it is nice to hear you talk about how the railroad is today by the way you used the term foamers we used to call them railroad nerds but I say that in a very good way because I liked them all !
Thanks for the video, DJ. Happy New Year, I always liked the term "highball the main" which was when we had cabooses and tail-end brakemen meant that another crew wasin position to line the main track switch back to normal position for us when leaving a yard or siding...great help when handling a long train. Keep up the informative videos DJ. : )
Way to own the foamer tag, bro! I'm a rail and am ambivalent about trains but I do like the history of rail as I'm a huge history nerd, and I am a bit of an aviation foamer which works out well seeing as how I work in Seattle.
Some other little terms. Remote: A locomotive that can be operated from outside the cab. Used for switching or hump yards. Beltpack: Its the 'Operator Control Unit' (OCU). Basically its the controller for the remote locomotive. Derail: A device locked directly to the rail to prevent a rail vehicle from going where it isn't supposed to go. On the Ground: Can mean two things. The conductor is off the train. Or the train is off the rails. Swing: A helper locomotive in the middle of the train. Typically used in mountainous territory to help manage slack in the train. Run Around: A maneuver where the crew detaches the locomotive from the train and switches tracks to tie onto the other end so they don't have to shove their train backwards.
Wow and Way cool, Thanks DJ this was amazing, Yes I am a true Foamer lol I never knew that. This was an amazing Logic and Infomation, thanks again and Happy Birthday or Belated Birthday and Peace will come 🙂.
Another great informative video brother. I almost fell out of my chair laughing when you explained the "FOAMER" definition. I'm sure there are others that you're not at liberty to discuss on such a public forum. Keep up the good work and Happy Birthday.
I'm digging trains. Not quite foamer status yet. This sub-culture is all new to me. Went railfanning one time to HSC and Stayed overnight at the Station Inn in Cresson, Pa. Had a blast watching all that heavy metal in motion. Looking forward to returning to Cresson soon.
I dismantled my steel mill layout last year, but saved most of the buildings. I then started on a generic layout, that my daughter and I can play with (her side has horses, houses, and farms. Mine is city). However, I have started building a new one with a simpler track plan, but with more focus on recreating a specific time and place, and scratch building all structures. What you see in this video is the first section, but will be adding as the weather warms, and I can get in the garage.
On the UPRR the 707 is called a Form B. Engineering forces put up yellow/red boards a mile or two before the start of the Form B and at the limits of the Form B they will put a red board. Train can't pass red board without clearance from the MOW foreman in charge of the Form B. Form Bs may run concurrently at or near a particular milepost and have more than one line, perhaps more than one foreman in charge.
Some phrases and words are regional specific too. Like here in Illinois we call stacks cars tubs. I know in at least Long Beach California they call stack cars bays.
Hey DJ I have a couple more for you. "Shifter" - usually a switcher type engine (SW1500, MP15) used to move cars or locomotives around the shop complex. "Break that knuckle" - uncouple from the car or locomotive. "Give me some slack" - Everything is stretched, making it impossible to lift the cut lever. We call the Head end Box the HOTD or Head Of Train Device and the ones that are painted red are naturally called "Red Hot's". You have two types, either a "Red Hot" or it's "In the Screen".
Yes, the glad hands on trucks are the same as the glad hands on locomotives and railroad cars. The only difference being the ones used on the railroad are a little bigger and the hoses are a lot thicker than the hoses used on trucks.
they are held with what we call "glad hands". They lock like a asprin bottle top, kinda. They have a tight seal on a quarter turn. That is why you see conductors bend down, bend the house, and fasten them. When they are pulled apart, they align to where the opening is, which allows them to separate. I can't film on property, so maybe I can find an example at a museum or abandoned cars.
Hey, thanks for clearing a lot of this up. I've had a scanner for a long time, but didn't listen to the trains because I had no idea what they were talking about. Now where's that frequency book..........
Here in this part of Europe about one-quarter of railway people are "foamers" too, and they are highly appreciated for their thoroughness, knowledge, and often by the marketing departments, for them having photos of everything. It is a big plus being enthusiastic about your job and I have never heard of any problems caused by their interest. Of course, a lot of things are highly automated or electrically supervised.
In your account of a 707, it describes a "Form B" pretty similarly on the rails out West. Has CSX adopted the Form B yet? I know they've gone to track warrants now though I believe they are issued through an EC-1 form? I know they did away with disabling the Field generator during 3-step now. The term "highball" originated from a signal used at drawbridges where a 12 inch wooden ball was placed on a flagpole sort of device. As the bridge lowered and locked into place, the rope on the flagpole was pulled lifting the wooden ball to the top, signaling to the crew that the bridge was down and locked. Since then it has implied a clear signal or a green light from whomever has authority to release a train.
i've heard "deadhead" used both in reference to crews getting a ride back to where they came from in the next train going that way but also to trailing locomotives that're being delivered without being used as power. & how about "hot box" for "overheated journal"!
I can't tell you frequencies, but we use 1 for road, 1 for dispatcher, and 1 for yard. Dispatcher cover about 100 miles, so sometimes we have to deal with a 2nd dispatcher channel.
"deadhead" on the railroad can be good or bad as far as PAY depending on when you hired on... on the chicago and northwestern i hired on in 1993 and only got "time consumed" when deadheading from my away terminal to my home terminal (which btw hardly never happens)... but guys who hired on BEFORE 1985 got a "days pay"... that sucked
C'mon man let's give them the real juicy stuff like What's a "Stick", a "Green Board", a "Red Board", "Beans", "Bust the air", "Save the air", "Pump ' em up", "Draw 'em down" , "That'll do", " We're dead", "Double the track", "Swing the track", "Tie it down", and learn who are "Ringmasters", "Brainmasters", "Carknockers", and "Weed Weasels". And of course legendary terms, like " "Line the switch", "Throw the switch", "Guard the switch", and "Bust the Switch". Master these terms, and you'll find yourself held in higher esteem than a "Cub". 😊
Outlaw used to be called the Hog Law. Engineers were called hoggers. As for the 3-step rule, conductors had air gauges in the caboose, letting them know the air pressure in the train at all times. A valve was provided to be pulled in case of emergency, and that would dump the air from the train. MofW workers would have blue flag protection, and you probably had slow orders in advance before coming to the work area.
Cornfield meet: On single track territory when a train blows its meet order and is headed for an opposing train, the crew of the trains jump into the corn field to escape death or injury from an imminent collision.
Truckers use "deadhead" too. For us, it's miles driven with an empty trailer, usually from a dropoff or drop yard to a pickup. My longest deadhead ever was four hundred miles across Alberta and Saskatchewan.
3-point protection is not the same as 3-step protection in the US and I'm pretty sure CP Rail uses our 3-point protection as well. 3-points of contact means with two arms and one foot or two feet and one arm at all times. They don't want people trying to do balancing acts on standing or moving equipment. But you still need to hold on to the side of a car while shoving and have your lantern in hand and talk on the radio and do not let your brake stick loose where it could fall or get tangled in the equipment... Good luck figuring that one out, ha!
upsd402 I know this is late, but when copying track warrants on the BNSF there was a box next to each number of the line of the track warrant (about 15 total boxes). When the dispatcher told you to fill out a line, they'd say something like "X in box 2," and you'd physically mark an X in the box for line 2 (and any other items he or she read out). The most common one to fill out was box 2, which looked like "PROCEED FROM _________ TO _________." The person copying the warrant would both have to say "X in box 2, proceed from [Limit 1] to [Limit 2]" during the read back. We'd inevitably end up shortening it to "X box 2" when saying it over the radio. Not sure if that's what you meant, but that's how it was for us.
I Know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd add: in the northeast, that's considered line 2 on a form D (a form D is basically a track warrant) and it's said like this: "clear to operate (east, west, both, etc.) direction on the (number one, single, etc.) track between (location) and (location). sorry if the formatting on this comment is a little weird.
Here I am thinking that high ball was a cocktail and a Deadhead was a follower of the band the Grateful Dead! I also heard that high ball meant to move fast to get to point B as quickly and as safely as possible.
An you still hear RR chatter anymore? I used to be able to, but thought that changed. I used to have a radio and could hear KCS by my house and other lines when traveling.
Dj, i dont know if you have made a video on your layout? But i sure would like you to do a walkaround on your layout, Im very interested with your layout, if you could run over some of the structures/features that would be a great next video...hint.hint
Interesting. 707s mean something else in aviation. I suppose, like the airlines, RRs consider deadhead time as duty time. In the airlines DH (dead head) crews are paid the same as if they were working the flight. Flight attendants often loved DH flights, pilots always hated them.
ILMAO out of all the lingo that you guys us I only knew 1, FOAMER 😂😂 now I wanna get a can of shave cream, stand along side a track and wait, thanks for the education
Cool video! E.O.T. sounds like another term for a F.R.E.D. (Federal Required End of train Device). Somebody at a train club I belong to told me about them. Although he just told me that they were a flashing light to signal the end of a train.
+volksdude1970 FRED is "flashing rear end device". We have used a simple red light on the locals, which is good enough for that type of train, but the EOTs on all freight trains tell us the air pressure and have a motion detector that lets us know when the last car is moving.
At least you didn’t put down foamers people video all kinds of things for their fun I video trains and I don’t foam I rode in my first locomotive in 1955 I sat on my uncles lap and actually drove the locomotive anyway nice informative video
Only a few terms are around today. If you want to have some fun, look up all the lingo that was used back in time on the railroads-----hundreds of terms back then.
I've been on the railroad 43 years some of these terms I've never heard of before maybe each railroads got its own terms that's a possibility each railroad is a world of its own
If you have a locomotive as a DPU at the rear of the train, will it have a FRED attached? Or will it be able to provide the head locomotive with the same information? I have seen your video about what DPUs do.
Some railroads call it trainorders and some College warrants I've been away from railroading retired for 15 years a lot of things have changed I'm sure and some call it meat orders usually on singletrack's
varies. I have seen situations where they left EOT on, and when the helper came back to tie on, the knuckles weren't lined up right, and the the loco's knuckle smashed the EOT. Some conductors remove it and place it on helper engine. Regardless, the train air is attached to the helpers air, that way if something happens, they both go into emergency. Helper link is different. Helper link is a couple heavy metal boxes chained to the front of the helper, that hook up to the helper's knuckle and air, not the train its shoving. It works like wifi, between the trains EOT and the helper's LINK. When at top of hill, the helper engineer activates it from in the cab, and the link machine pulls the chain that is on knuckle pin which opens the knuckle. Then he slows his engine and the train continues downhill without needing to stop. Problem is it is unreliable 70% of time so the brakeman on helper has to pull pin anyway, lol.
I heard that the reason railroads don't want to hire railfans is that they are worried that said railfan is at risk of becoming distracted by, for example, some rare or esoteric locomotive on another track, which might cause them to forget what they are doing in the now. I don't know how true this is.
I can see that I've heard at the interview not to mention you're into trains but railfans are the best ones to hire because they actually wanna do the job unlike some people that end up doing the job you wanna do a than they bitch about how demanding the work is lol.
Rail fans that go to work on a real railroad oftentimes End up distracted because their mind is not on the task at hand and anyone that has been on the road for a little while realizes you have to be paying attention all the time. There are times when I worked on the railroad that I knew people that really should not have been there because they were fomers and they ended up causing some major problems.
Well its definitely a good thing to keep your mind on what your doing. I don't know anybody that don't take notice e when the steam engine comes around . All that metal working back and forth all that steam flying the whistle is actually a whistle. If I wanted to look I'd just stop the movement and go look . Everybody else on the crew wanted to see also . but when your busy you definitely need to keep your head on a swivel .I've never seen a fellow employee crushed maimed crippled or killed. But have seen people that run the crossing killed . its not a pleasant experience for anybody . Although I have seen a 40 mph head on . And by the grace of God nobody was killed. But it sure makes one hell of a mess.
I have always understood it to be that railroad companies do not like rail fans as employees because they may be more interested in the trains or a rare passing locomotive and not have there full attention on there work. It actually comes down to a safety state of mind. Here is a scenario that will put it into focus, Mr. X an engineer who is also a rail fan is running his train along but he noticed a steam locomotive on an adjacent right of way. Being that he has rail fanning in the blood he will spend a bit more time admiring the steam locomotive then someone who is not a rail fan. In that time Mr. X was watching the steam locomotive he did not notice the red signal go by. While that’s an extreme case it is the point of view of the big railroad company.
I think I know the type people you are talking about. I also know for a fact not one of them would hesitate to put the brake on get off and go look. I see nothing wrong with that ..
In trucking "deadhead" means running empty (no cargo).
I believe airlines use it to refer to crew who are travelling on a flight but not operating it, such as a pilot who's on a passenger on the flight from A to B because his next job is to fly from B to C.
Before colorlight and semaphore signals became widespread, "highball" originally meant "full speed ahead" or "proceed at maximum allowed speed", because signalman used large balls that were winched above poles to indicate track speed or signal indication.
LOL!! Also called a "game boy", it is a small computer that local conductors update their set offs and pick ups. It beams via satellite to customer service to show cars arrival times. Its really called the "on board work report", but game boy sounds more fun.
Nice work. There was a story one time about a wife in Chicagoland who called a local yard office to find out when her husband would be off duty and the clerk told her, "Oh, he's dead over at Clearing Yard." WHAT??? "No, he's not dead dead, he just can't work anymore." WHY?? "Because he's dead". The employee in question was told to call home immediately.
Of course, "Deadhead" to a rock-n-roll fan has an entirely different meaning! (Grateful Dead fan to you younger folks reading this.)
Sidewinder: an efficiency test performed by a company officer usually on a curve where he lights a fusee (flare) and swings down the moving train after the head end goes by him to see if anyone in the cab is watching the curves.
I'm doing my pre employment physical for NS tomorrow. I've been applying to NS, CSX, and UP since I graduated high school. This is the first offer I've gotten in almost 10 years of applying. I've wanted to be on the railroad since I was a toddler and have always had a fascination with trains. However I did make sure not to mention that during my interview as pretty much all the old heads, including my late uncle who worked at csx for 30 years all told me that would be a huge turn off for a manager. I'm guessing its because the job is very demanding in many ways, and someone's whose only motivation to be there is because they get to work with trains likely won't stick it out when things get tough. I basically told them I wanted the job because I wanted to get to travel, like having a varying schedule, and that I was looking for a long term career after dealing with nothing but poor paying dead end jobs since I've been out of high school.
Dinky: on some roads, referring to a passenger train, usually a commuter train. On the CNW we called them scoots.
I'm a commercial pilot. "We" all love airplanes for the most part. Even have conventions consisting mostly of pilots and no one thinks twice about it. I know an engineer (CN) who's the same way....doesn't like trains and I told him I didn't get it. He mumbled something about how the RR treats them leads to the animosity which again didn't make sense but different strokes I guess. I personally love trains, planes and automobiles(sorry). Growing up in Cheyenne Wy I used to love going to watch them power up and over Sherman Hill and through the tunnel back in the mid 70's.
Makes sense to me
Great video. I worked for Conrail 76-82, as a Car Knocker and Hostler Helper. Things have changed. We still had Firemen and Brakemen when I was there. I am lucky to say that I have piloted, Covered Wagons, Goats, SD40's and GP-7/9's, and more. Thank you for what you do. I knew most of the lingo and it brought back great memories. CIAO!
Thanks for sharing. great time period!
I’d add “stretch it”. Pull ahead to test the coupling after connecting cars.
Also “roll by”. Visual inspection of train for dragging equipment, dragging brake shoes or other defects. Usually a radio callout “good roll-by” meaning no defects.
I've always thought a FOAMER was a rail fan that was over the top and annoyed train crews. A good example was what a friend of mine told me when he was a commuter train conductor in MA. He was collecting tickets and came upon a young guy (looked like he was in his early teens) that had a conductors uniform on, including the hat. Bill asked him what line he worked for and the kid said "oh, I don't work right now but I know a lot about your job and I'll be on standby to assist you". Bill thanked him but told him the facts of life and not to get in the way. LOL
Hey DJ I enjoy your video's I worked out of Newcastle Jct. and was a road Engineer and retired in 2009 but it is nice to hear you talk about how the railroad is today by the way you used the term foamers we used to call them railroad nerds but I say that in a very good way because I liked them all !
Thanks for the video, DJ. Happy New Year, I always liked the term "highball the main" which was when we had cabooses and tail-end brakemen meant that another crew wasin position to line the main track switch back to normal position for us when leaving a yard or siding...great help when handling a long train. Keep up the informative videos DJ. : )
I always learn something new on this channel. Thanks DJ!!
Thanks for posting DJ, learned something new today👍🏼
Thanks for the info dj look forward to your next vid.
Everything pretty much translates to “I’m exhausted, and my supervisors are children with zero railway experience”.
Correct
Nice job with describing the words we hear on the radio. Thanks! 👍
Way to own the foamer tag, bro! I'm a rail and am ambivalent about trains but I do like the history of rail as I'm a huge history nerd, and I am a bit of an aviation foamer which works out well seeing as how I work in Seattle.
Some other little terms.
Remote: A locomotive that can be operated from outside the cab. Used for switching or hump yards.
Beltpack: Its the 'Operator Control Unit' (OCU). Basically its the controller for the remote locomotive.
Derail: A device locked directly to the rail to prevent a rail vehicle from going where it isn't supposed to go.
On the Ground: Can mean two things. The conductor is off the train. Or the train is off the rails.
Swing: A helper locomotive in the middle of the train. Typically used in mountainous territory to help manage slack in the train.
Run Around: A maneuver where the crew detaches the locomotive from the train and switches tracks to tie onto the other end so they don't have to shove their train backwards.
yes, on our EC-1 (track warrant), we have to circle line 1a and then fill in word for word what they instruct us.
Stayed down on the farm too long: Not enough seniority to prevent a furlough or hold a choice assignment.
Wow and Way cool, Thanks DJ this was amazing, Yes I am a true Foamer lol I never knew that. This was an amazing Logic and Infomation, thanks again and Happy Birthday or Belated Birthday and Peace will come 🙂.
New subscriber here! Will be busy watching the old videos. Thank you and take care. Paul.
yes. I just brought in the q299 the other night. I worked my first 9 years up there.
Another great informative video brother. I almost fell out of my chair laughing when you explained the "FOAMER" definition. I'm sure there are others that you're not at liberty to discuss on such a public forum. Keep up the good work and Happy Birthday.
Hoglaw is what makes you an outlaw. Applied to the rest period required to rest and water the livestock.. Oh and the crew (sometimes) got a break.
Great stuff! I'd love more like this!
You got it!
Highball: get going!
I'm digging trains. Not quite foamer status yet. This sub-culture is all new to me. Went railfanning one time to HSC and Stayed overnight at the Station Inn in Cresson, Pa. Had a blast watching all that heavy metal in motion. Looking forward to returning to Cresson soon.
always info we don't elsewhere. thx1
Thanks for the info.
Maybe do a video on the types of signals you encounter, and some basic types and colors of signals to put on the layout.
Awesome video!!! Thanks!
I liked your B&O Pgh depot model.
I dismantled my steel mill layout last year, but saved most of the buildings. I then started on a generic layout, that my daughter and I can play with (her side has horses, houses, and farms. Mine is city). However, I have started building a new one with a simpler track plan, but with more focus on recreating a specific time and place, and scratch building all structures. What you see in this video is the first section, but will be adding as the weather warms, and I can get in the garage.
On the UPRR the 707 is called a Form B. Engineering forces put up yellow/red boards a mile or two before the start of the Form B and at the limits of the Form B they will put a red board. Train can't pass red board without clearance from the MOW foreman in charge of the Form B. Form Bs may run concurrently at or near a particular milepost and have more than one line, perhaps more than one foreman in charge.
For the railroad, literally all you have to do is say you hate the railroad with all your heart and they’ll bring you in in a millisecond
Some phrases and words are regional specific too. Like here in Illinois we call stacks cars tubs. I know in at least Long Beach California they call stack cars bays.
Hey DJ I have a couple more for you. "Shifter" - usually a switcher type engine (SW1500, MP15) used to move cars or locomotives around the shop complex. "Break that knuckle" - uncouple from the car or locomotive. "Give me some slack" - Everything is stretched, making it impossible to lift the cut lever. We call the Head end Box the HOTD or Head Of Train Device and the ones that are painted red are naturally called "Red Hot's". You have two types, either a "Red Hot" or it's "In the Screen".
High iron: main track
Great video. Very informative.
Glad it was helpful!
A... That West bound look good with da Blink Blink on the rear. Ya'll have a good day.
Yes, the glad hands on trucks are the same as the glad hands on locomotives and railroad cars. The only difference being the ones used on the railroad are a little bigger and the hoses are a lot thicker than the hoses used on trucks.
they are held with what we call "glad hands". They lock like a asprin bottle top, kinda. They have a tight seal on a quarter turn. That is why you see conductors bend down, bend the house, and fasten them. When they are pulled apart, they align to where the opening is, which allows them to separate. I can't film on property, so maybe I can find an example at a museum or abandoned cars.
Hey, thanks for clearing a lot of this up. I've had a scanner for a long time, but didn't listen to the trains because I had no idea what they were talking about. Now where's that frequency book..........
No one at the railroad knows what they are talking about either.
Here in this part of Europe about one-quarter of railway people are "foamers" too, and they are highly appreciated for their thoroughness, knowledge, and often by the marketing departments, for them having photos of everything. It is a big plus being enthusiastic about your job and I have never heard of any problems caused by their interest. Of course, a lot of things are highly automated or electrically supervised.
In your account of a 707, it describes a "Form B" pretty similarly on the rails out West. Has CSX adopted the Form B yet? I know they've gone to track warrants now though I believe they are issued through an EC-1 form?
I know they did away with disabling the Field generator during 3-step now.
The term "highball" originated from a signal used at drawbridges where a 12 inch wooden ball was placed on a flagpole sort of device. As the bridge lowered and locked into place, the rope on the flagpole was pulled lifting the wooden ball to the top, signaling to the crew that the bridge was down and locked. Since then it has implied a clear signal or a green light from whomever has authority to release a train.
we haven't used a form B in my area yet.
i've heard "deadhead" used both in reference to crews getting a ride back to where they came from in the next train going that way but also to trailing locomotives that're being delivered without being used as power.
& how about "hot box" for "overheated journal"!
correct
In my time we had brakeman/fireman watch the bug, feather beding and for some of those old brakeman Rule G...
I can't tell you frequencies, but we use 1 for road, 1 for dispatcher, and 1 for yard. Dispatcher cover about 100 miles, so sometimes we have to deal with a 2nd dispatcher channel.
"deadhead" on the railroad can be good or bad as far as PAY depending on when you hired on... on the chicago and northwestern i hired on in 1993 and only got "time consumed" when deadheading from my away terminal to my home terminal (which btw hardly never happens)... but guys who hired on BEFORE 1985 got a "days pay"... that sucked
100%
Taking "the quit": knocking off early from work if your work is all done.
Dynamiter: defective air brakes on rolling stock that will not initiate a service reduction but goes directly into emergency.
Haha
@@djstrains also called a kicker.
I’d love to learn more about the engines.
707 in my area is referred to as a "form B restriction". Don't ask me why.
Nice, I think I've fueled that before.
Never have heard 707 on the radio over the past 15 years
C'mon man let's give them the real juicy stuff like What's a "Stick", a "Green Board", a "Red Board", "Beans", "Bust the air", "Save the air", "Pump ' em up", "Draw 'em down" , "That'll do", " We're dead", "Double the track", "Swing the track", "Tie it down", and learn who are "Ringmasters", "Brainmasters", "Carknockers", and "Weed Weasels". And of course legendary terms, like " "Line the switch", "Throw the switch", "Guard the switch", and "Bust the Switch".
Master these terms, and you'll find yourself held in higher esteem than a "Cub". 😊
Outlaw used to be called the Hog Law. Engineers were called hoggers. As for the 3-step rule, conductors had air gauges in the caboose, letting them know the air pressure in the train at all times. A valve was provided to be pulled in case of emergency, and that would dump the air from the train. MofW workers would have blue flag protection, and you probably had slow orders in advance before coming to the work area.
The caboose went bye bye .
Cornfield meet: On single track territory when a train blows its meet order and is headed for an opposing train, the crew of the trains jump into the corn field to escape death or injury from an imminent collision.
Truckers use "deadhead" too. For us, it's miles driven with an empty trailer, usually from a dropoff or drop yard to a pickup.
My longest deadhead ever was four hundred miles across Alberta and Saskatchewan.
yikes
Wow,wtf
Outlaw is used to LOL
UP and BNSF call a "707" a "Track Bulletin Form B" in accordance with GCOR.
Waycar: caboose. also called a gorilla cage. Also called a "crumby" which is short for crumb box.
My father always called the caboose a cab. All the other ones I knew said that too.
down south the 707 is an EC1
In Canada we call "The 3 Step Protection" a "3 Point Protection", good video!
sicilian12345 out west we just call it going in or in between
Set and centred.
3-point protection is not the same as 3-step protection in the US and I'm pretty sure CP Rail uses our 3-point protection as well.
3-points of contact means with two arms and one foot or two feet and one arm at all times. They don't want people trying to do balancing acts on standing or moving equipment. But you still need to hold on to the side of a car while shoving and have your lantern in hand and talk on the radio and do not let your brake stick loose where it could fall or get tangled in the equipment... Good luck figuring that one out, ha!
What about "circle line...something" I believe its referring to track warrants usually
upsd402 I know this is late, but when copying track warrants on the BNSF there was a box next to each number of the line of the track warrant (about 15 total boxes). When the dispatcher told you to fill out a line, they'd say something like "X in box 2," and you'd physically mark an X in the box for line 2 (and any other items he or she read out). The most common one to fill out was box 2, which looked like "PROCEED FROM _________ TO _________." The person copying the warrant would both have to say "X in box 2, proceed from [Limit 1] to [Limit 2]" during the read back. We'd inevitably end up shortening it to "X box 2" when saying it over the radio. Not sure if that's what you meant, but that's how it was for us.
ours is "circle line 5...."
xbox 2....sounds like a new video system, lol.
I Know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd add: in the northeast, that's considered line 2 on a form D (a form D is basically a track warrant) and it's said like this: "clear to operate (east, west, both, etc.) direction on the (number one, single, etc.) track between (location) and (location). sorry if the formatting on this comment is a little weird.
Here I am thinking that high ball was a cocktail and a Deadhead was a follower of the band the Grateful Dead! I also heard that high ball meant to move fast to get to point B as quickly and as safely as possible.
You are actually correct on all, lol.
This video will be great for young men who want a career to be railroad conductors or engineers
Only for DJ’s particular railroad because almost half of the terminology he used is different for BNSF and UP
"Highball" Ok to proceed at track speed.
An you still hear RR chatter anymore? I used to be able to, but thought that changed. I used to have a radio and could hear KCS by my house and other lines when traveling.
Dj, i dont know if you have made a video on your layout? But i sure would like you to do a walkaround on your layout, Im very interested with your layout, if you could run over some of the structures/features that would be a great next video...hint.hint
Interesting. 707s mean something else in aviation. I suppose, like the airlines, RRs consider deadhead time as duty time. In the airlines DH (dead head) crews are paid the same as if they were working the flight. Flight attendants often loved DH flights, pilots always hated them.
ILMAO out of all the lingo that you guys us I only knew 1, FOAMER 😂😂 now I wanna get a can of shave cream, stand along side a track and wait, thanks for the education
hahaha
Cool video!
E.O.T. sounds like another term for a F.R.E.D. (Federal Required End of train Device). Somebody at a train club I belong to told me about them. Although he just told me that they were a flashing light to signal the end of a train.
+volksdude1970 FRED is "flashing rear end device". We have used a simple red light on the locals, which is good enough for that type of train, but the EOTs on all freight trains tell us the air pressure and have a motion detector that lets us know when the last car is moving.
I've heard another word instead of "flashing."
I guess from those who have to mount and replace them.
And from those whose jobs were replaced by them ;-)
djstrains for us out west we call the head end device Marys
That is the Fucking Rear End Device.
At least you didn’t put down foamers people video all kinds of things for their fun I video trains and I don’t foam I rode in my first locomotive in 1955 I sat on my uncles lap and actually drove the locomotive anyway nice informative video
ok. I plan to signal my layout so that will be a good idea.
LOL, you have been spying on us, haven't you?! LOL. There is only ONE guy who says that every time, LOL.
Only a few terms are around today. If you want to have some fun, look up all the lingo that was used back in time on the railroads-----hundreds of terms back then.
*Starts foaming* REEEEE GEVO GEVO GEVO
Definitely a Foamer. Lol.
hmmm, not answering that one...LOL.
I've been on the railroad 43 years some of these terms I've never heard of before maybe each railroads got its own terms that's a possibility each railroad is a world of its own
I've heard the crews ask for a track authority between a and b then the dispatcher says work between a and b with a check box one box track authority
their paperwork must look different from ours. Every railroad has its own forms. Ours are EC-1s
Do you go to new castle yard? I work up there.
In the ditch: a derailment. Usually a bad one.
KCS used "on the ground" was used for derails... I'm a retired KCS conductor in Texas...
Gandy dancer: MOW or engineering dept. worker.
Only used by framers.
Fred…. Fucking rear end device. Lol
Federal Rear-End Device
yes, you are spying, LOL!!!
If you have a locomotive as a DPU at the rear of the train, will it have a FRED attached? Or will it be able to provide the head locomotive with the same information? I have seen your video about what DPUs do.
No Fred needed because engine becomes the fred for the lead.
Wabash: colliding with a car or engine, usually unexpectedly.
Some railroads call it trainorders and some College warrants I've been away from railroading retired for 15 years a lot of things have changed I'm sure and some call it meat orders usually on singletrack's
hahahahaha! awesome!
At least you got a van trucking companies don’t give a damn about us when we run out of hours
Could be worse you could be driving a tractor trailer most of us don’t have pensions and are treated like shit by companies !
DJ. Question. When a helper hooks onto the eot, does the helper conductor pull the eot device, or does it stay hooked up?
varies. I have seen situations where they left EOT on, and when the helper came back to tie on, the knuckles weren't lined up right, and the the loco's knuckle smashed the EOT. Some conductors remove it and place it on helper engine. Regardless, the train air is attached to the helpers air, that way if something happens, they both go into emergency.
Helper link is different.
Helper link is a couple heavy metal boxes chained to the front of the helper, that hook up to the helper's knuckle and air, not the train its shoving. It works like wifi, between the trains EOT and the helper's LINK.
When at top of hill, the helper engineer activates it from in the cab, and the link machine pulls the chain that is on knuckle pin which opens the knuckle. Then he slows his engine and the train continues downhill without needing to stop.
Problem is it is unreliable 70% of time so the brakeman on helper has to pull pin anyway, lol.
I heard that the reason railroads don't want to hire railfans is that they are worried that said railfan is at risk of becoming distracted by, for example, some rare or esoteric locomotive on another track, which might cause them to forget what they are doing in the now. I don't know how true this is.
I can see that I've heard at the interview not to mention you're into trains but railfans are the best ones to hire because they actually wanna do the job unlike some people that end up doing the job you wanna do a than they bitch about how demanding the work is lol.
Rail fans that go to work on a real railroad oftentimes End up distracted because their mind is not on the task at hand and anyone that has been on the road for a little while realizes you have to be paying attention all the time. There are times when I worked on the railroad that I knew people that really should not have been there because they were fomers and they ended up causing some major problems.
Well its definitely a good thing to keep your mind on what your doing. I don't know anybody that don't take notice e when the steam engine comes around . All that metal working back and forth all that steam flying the whistle is actually a whistle. If I wanted to look I'd just stop the movement and go look . Everybody else on the crew wanted to see also . but when your busy you definitely need to keep your head on a swivel .I've never seen a fellow employee crushed maimed crippled or killed. But have seen people that run the crossing killed . its not a pleasant experience for anybody . Although I have seen a 40 mph head on . And by the grace of God nobody was killed. But it sure makes one hell of a mess.
Are you now retired from being an engineer with the CSX? I see your also into the model railroad club
Thanx for explaining that stuff to this foamer.
Glad you like
I have always understood it to be that railroad companies do not like rail fans as employees because they may be more interested in the trains or a rare passing locomotive and not have there full attention on there work. It actually comes down to a safety state of mind. Here is a scenario that will put it into focus, Mr. X an engineer who is also a rail fan is running his train along but he noticed a steam locomotive on an adjacent right of way. Being that he has rail fanning in the blood he will spend a bit more time admiring the steam locomotive then someone who is not a rail fan. In that time Mr. X was watching the steam locomotive he did not notice the red signal go by. While that’s an extreme case it is the point of view of the big railroad company.
I think I know the type people you are talking about. I also know for a fact not one of them would hesitate to put the brake on get off and go look. I see nothing wrong with that ..
@@rc391995 DJ, has said it him self, if you are applying to get employed on a railroad make no mention of being a railfan.
You forgot the two most important BEANS and EARLY QUIT !!!🤣
We don't say outlaw more like we're dead on hours or expired I'm a CP eng btw :)