Heritage Units-Brake Stick Holder

[NW Mailing List]

On 7/23/2012 5:35 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:

> On 7/23/2012 5:12 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:

>> >From a guy who models steam and does not keep up with the newest 

>> equipment, what is a brake stick?

>>   Kurt S. Kramke

> Yeah, what he said...

> Ed


 From a guy who also models steam, but has to keep up with the newest 
equipment for professional reasons..
A brake stick is a telescoping handle with a head resembling a very 
small battle axe, designed to allow a hand brake wheel to be rotated 
from the ground.  The idea is to reduce or eliminate the need for 
conductors to climb cars to apply or release hand brakes.  Some 
conductors love them, others do not.  Personally, I have never cared for 
them, as I find it easier and faster to climb the cars.


> Pray tell.  What is an RCO--Remote Control Operator?  Would an RCO 

> accompany a remote control unit over the road?  If so why?

>  Gordon Hamilton


Yes, RCO stands for Remote Control Operator.  They would not normally 
operate over the road (yet, though it has happened, and it is a VERY 
sore point with most engineers), but there are rules in place which 
would allow a hybrid job where you could have people working as 
conductors and engineers, or engineers alone, over the road, and then as 
RCOs for switching at a yard or industry.  Also, it seems to be the 
carrier's strong desire to eliminate conductors from road trains, so if 
they could have a combination engineer/RCO, one man could do everything 
by himself - everything except stay awake, I suppose.  Finally, 
conductors also carry brake sticks - they are not specifically an RCO 
tool.  In fact, I think that all conductors on NS are supposed to have 
and use them, although not all do.

Ken Rickman

-- 
Kenneth Rickman
Salisbury, NC
Fundamentalism: from "Fund" : Give me money, and "Amentalism": No brain.