Heritage Units-Brake Stick Holder

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Tue Jul 24 11:12:51 EDT 2012


Thanks, Ken.

Gordon Hamilton

----- Original Message -----
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 6:39 AM
Subject: Re: Heritage Units-Brake Stick Holder



> 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.

>

> ________________________________________

> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org

> To change your subscription go to

> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list

> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at

> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/

>

>

> -----

> No virus found in this message.

> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

> Version: 2012.0.2178 / Virus Database: 2437/5151 - Release Date: 07/24/12

>



More information about the NW-Mailing-List mailing list