"Bottling the Air"

[NW Mailing List]

I dug into my archives last night and found an old timetable and slapped a
couple of pages on the scanner to add to the discussion.
To wit:

*Norfolk and Western Railway Company*
*Radford Division Timetable No. 1*
*Effective Sunday, March 1, 1981*

The first part of Rule 304 seems to indicate that I'm not losing my mind in
my old age, but that there at least in 1981 was ground air at the east end
of Bluefield Yard:

"304. Special Road Train Air Brake Test and Instructions Applicable to
Eastward Heavily Loaded Trains Dispatched from Eastbound Forwarding Yard.

When train has been pre-charged and pre-tested, inspectors shall inform
enginemen that the test has been made and the amount of brake pipe leakage
noted.

When train is not pre-charged and pre-tested from ground air supply,
enginemen shall perform all requirements of rules pertaining to Initial
Terminal Road Train Air Brake Tests, and after completion will follow all
instructions of Part No. 1 or Part No. 2, whichever is applicable to the
operation."

It still doesn't answer all the questions about just how this all worked,
but at least it documents that the process of readying a train for departure
by using a stationary yard compressor was a practice and may still be a
practice. Here is the whole section from the timetable on the yard and what
it took to get a train moving east onto the Radford Division, now the NS New
River Division.

Bruce in Blacksburg

-----------------------------------

*BLUEFIELD YARD*

300. The assigned direction of traffic on the Radford Division pull-in track
is westward. Trains receiving written instructions over signature of the
Asst. Superintendent Terminals to make an eastward movement on this track
may do so without their own flag protection. Yardmasters and others
receiving such instructions by telephone must repeat them to the person
issuing, and will then deliver one copy each to Conductor and Engineman,
preserving a copy. ln case of accident, party receiving instructions over
telephone will be held responsible, unless he holds copy of written
instructions.

301. The overhead bridges across Bluefield Yard will not clear a man
standing on top of cars. Trainmen and others riding on cars must keep a
sharp lookout for these bridges when moving through Bluefield Yard.

302(a). Westward Radford Division trains will not pass engine service house
without a proceed hand signal or instructions to proceed from the
switchtender on duty at Mercer Street, Bluefield. Radford Division trains
yarded in Grant Street Yard will not foul ladder at west end of this yard
without a proceed hand signal or instructions to proceed from the
switchtender on duty at Mercer Street. When instructions are given by radio,
positive identification must be made. During the hours of darkness, the
switchtender must use a green light to give a proceed hand signal.

(b) Speed is restricted to 10 miles per hour through crossover between
Radford Division pull-in and westward main track at Mercer Street.

(c) Radford Division trains yarded in Allen Street Yard will not foul the
ladder at the west end of this yard without a signal from set-over brakeman.


(d) All tracks in westbound forwarding yard are equipped with derails at
west end of tracks.

303. *HAND BRAKES TO BE APPLIED*

The following is the minimum number of hand brakes which must be applied at
the east end of cuts of cars or trains standing unattended:
Tracks in Eastbound   +100 cars or
Forwarding Yard            more             -35
      and                      + less than      -Hand brakes applied
Main Track east of        100 cars         on one-third of the cars
East Yard Office

+EXCEPTION: Cuts of grain of 100 cars or more must have 45 hand brakes
applied. Cuts of less than 100 cars must have hand brakes applied on
one-half the cars.

Tracks in Grant Street      100 cars or
Yard and                          more           -25
Main Track west of           Less than    -Hand brakes applied
East Yard Office              100 cars       on one-fourth of the cars

Cuts of cars or trains standing unattended in Allen Street Yard or in the
Westbound Forwarding Yard must have at least the following number of hand
brakes applied at the west end:

Tracks in Allen Street      100 cars or      -Empties-15
Yard and                         more                Loads or loads and
                                                             empties-20
Main Tracks at Allen        Less than       -Empties-One-sixth of the
Street Yard                     100 cars cars  -Loads or loads and empties
                                                             -One-fifth of
the cars

Tracks in Westbound       100 cars or     -Empties-20
Forwarding Yard               more             -Loads or loads and
     and                                                  empties-25
Main Tracks at West-       Less than      -Empties-One-fifth of the
bound Forwarding            100 cars          cars
Yard                                                    -Loads or loads and

empties-One-fourth of the cars

*Applicable to all tracks in Bluefield Yard*

Whenever a portion of the cars are removed from a track, it must be
determined that the required number of hand brakes are applied on the cars
left in the track. This may be determined from the Yardmaster on duty.

When the engine is to be detached from equipment to be left standing
unattended, the required number of hand brakes must be applied before:
The engine is cut off; or
The air brakes are released from the engine.

304. Special Road Train Air Brake Test and Instructions Applicable to
Eastward Heavily Loaded Trains Dispatched from Eastbound Forwarding Yard.

When train has been pre-charged and pre-tested, inspectors shall inform
enginemen that the test has been made and the amount of brake pipe leakage
noted.

When train is not pre-charged and pre-tested from ground air supply,
enginemen shall perform all requirements of rules pertaining to Initial
Terminal Road Train Air Brake Tests, and after completion will follow all
instructions of Part No. 1 or Part No. 2, whichever is applicable to the
operation.

If road locomotive clears yard track derail after coupling to pick-up or
main train, derail will be restored to derailing position until pick-up or
train is ready to move east.

If road locomotive does ot[sic] clear yard track derail, Dispatcher will
keep No. 17 derail in derailing position until train is ready to depart.

*Part No. 1*

*WHEN TRAIN IS ON ONE TRACK*

*Item One:*
35 anchor hand brakes will be applied at the east end of the train when
train is being assembled.

*Item Two:*
After road locomotive is coupled to train, rear trainmen will commence to
release all hand brakes, other than the 35 anchor brakes. If train consists
of more than 200 cars, rear trainmen will leave hand brakes set on eight
cars on rear of train.

*Item Three:*
When brake pipe pressure supply from road locomotive releases air brakes on
train and after proper signal is given, enginemen will make a full service
brake pipe reduction with automatic brake valve. When it is noted that the
full service reduction applies air brake on the rear car, release signal
will be given to the enginemen by the inspector.

*Item Four:*
After release signal is given and air brake has released on rear car, rear
end inspector will note brake pipe pressure on the caboose gauge. When
caboose gauge pressure rises to 55 pounds and remains 55 or higher for a
period of seven minutes by watch, inspector will signal enginemen to apply
holding brake. A holding brake is a service brake pipe reduction of 12
pounds.

Permission will be obtained from the dispatcher for train to depart, and
when route is lined, holding brake will be applied. After the route is lined
and holding brake applied, head brakeman will release hand brakes on the
head end of train and rear brakeman will release hand brakes on rear of
train. When all of the anchor brakes are released, train may depart.

*Item Five:*
If the train starts to roll out prematurely, enginemen will make a brake
pipe reduction necessary to stop the roll-out. Yardmaster must be notified
of the train's premature roll-out, and he will in turn notify all concerned.


After sufficient anchor hand brakes are re-applied, rear end inspector shall
be notified and all concerned will commence again with instructions of Item
Four, Part No. 1.

Any cases of roll-out must be reported to the Radford and Pocahontas
Division Superintendents and to the Master Mechanic at Bluefield.

*Part No. 2 *
*
*
*WHEN TRAIN IS ON MORE THAN ONE TRACK *
*
*
*Item One:*
35 anchor hand brakes will be applied at the east end of the main train when
the train is being assembled.

*Item Two:*
Required number of anchor hand brakes will be applied at the east end of the
pick-up when pick-up is being assembled.

*Item Three:*
After road locomotive is coupled to pick-up and brake pipe pressure supply
air from road locomotive releases air brake on the rear car of the pick-up,
and when proper signal is given, enginemen will make a full service
reduction with automatic brake valve.

When it is known that the full service reduction applies air brake on the
rear car of the pick-up, inspector will signal the enginemen to release air
brakes. After the air brake has released on rear car, inspector will wait
seven minutes and then signal enginemen to apply holding brake. For a
pick-up, a holding brake is a reduction of six pounds. After holding brake
is applied, permission will be obtained from the Christiansburg District
Dispatcher to double over. After permission to double over is obtained, hand
brakes will be released and the double over movement to the main train made.


After coupling to main train, instructions given in Items Two, Three, Four
and Five of Part No. 1 will apply.

305. The procedure as outlined in the proceeding rule will also apply for
eastward heavily loaded trains dispatched from Grant Street Yard, with the
following exceptions:

The number of anchor hand brakes required for the main train and for the
pick-up will be in accordance with Rule 303 in this timetable.

The holding brake may be applied and the anchor brakes released before the
route at the east end of Bluefield Yard is lined for the train to depart, if
the locomotive of the train is at least 75 car lengths west of the east end
of the yard.

306. Eastward two-position advance indicators are in service at east end of
tangent track west of Mile Post N-361 East Bluefield Forwarding Yard. These
indicators are installed on right side of track for which they give
indication. Aspects displayed by these indicators are as follows:

Aspect-Lunar White.
Indication-When track ahead is unoccupied, derails and switches in the route
are properly aligned and the eastward signal governing movement through the
interlocking at east end of Bluefield Yard is displaying a proceed
indication.

Aspect-Yellow-Proceed at Restricted Speed.
Indication-Track ahead may be occupied and/or derails, switches and
interlocking signal are not properly aligned.

The absence of a light on these advance indicators will have the same
meaning as if a yellow light were displayed.
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