Message Areas - "Question on commuter trains operations"

Train-Sim.Com Message Areas

"Question on commuter trains operations"

Email this topic to a friend
Printer-friendly version of this topic
Bookmark this topic (Registered users only)
Previous Topic | Next Topic Conferences General (Protected) Original message
akochan (136 posts)
Nov-30-01, 09:13 AM (EST) "Question on commuter trains operations" I live in Boston, MA and the MBTA runs a commuter rail to the suburbs in addition to subways and light rail. Generally, when they leave the main stations going outbound (from North and South Stations) the engine is on the front. On their return trips, rather than turn around, they run backwards at speeds over 60mph at some points. Do they remotely drive the train from a station in the "rear" passenger car? (When going in reverse it has headlights on it) or is the engineer still in the engine's cab and is just using the dispatcher, automated signaling systems, and maybe a spotter at the back (now the front) of the train?I only see them at night (especially this time of the year) and they pass me at around 60mph so I can't tell who's doing what where on the train. All I can tell is that if someone was sitting in the cab he'd see approximately nothing unless he has a status board of some sort...-Andy
akochan@crosswinds.net Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Table of Contents

Subject Author Message Date ID RE: Question on commuter trains ope... ge44tonner Nov-30-01 1 RE: Question on commuter trains ope... railnut Nov-30-01 3 RE: Question on commuter trains ope... gordonfan Nov-30-01 2 RE: Question on commuter trains ope... akochan Nov-30-01 4 RE: Question on commuter trains ope... railnut Nov-30-01 5 RE: Question on commuter trains ope... TrainTrak5000 Nov-30-01 6

Lobby | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic
Messages in this topic
ge44tonner (34 posts)
Nov-30-01, 09:37 AM (EST) 1. "RE: Question on commuter trains operations" Andy,
You seem to be describing what I would call a 'push-pull' train operation. I'm not familiar with the Boston MTA system, but the other ones I have seen (In Chicago and California) do in fact have an engineers station on the rearmost passenger car. Cars so equipped are called 'Control cars'. Those cars have a locomotive control stand, brake stand, air horns, communications radio and headlights. Cables, similar to those used between locomotives, are arranged to run the length of the train so the engineer can directly control the locomotive.
Hope this is what you were asking. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
railnut (110 posts)
Nov-30-01, 12:12 PM (EST) 3. "RE: Question on commuter trains operations" You are correct. I live on the South Shore in MBTA territory. The end car has a complete console. The motorman leaves the loco and runs the train from there on the backward leg of the trip.
Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
gordonfan (30 posts)
Nov-30-01, 11:47 AM (EST) 2. "RE: Question on commuter trains operations" LAST EDITED ON Nov-30-01 AT 11:50 AM (EST)The commuter trains in the Northeast usually do that. When they reach the last station or where they turn around they use the switch. They go in reverse it's easier and cheaper than making a loop from two lines. New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast line is "Partly" electified so they have to switch at the last station of electified lines. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
akochan (136 posts)
Nov-30-01, 12:30 PM (EST) 4. "RE: Question on commuter trains operations" I suspected that there was a cab in the last car (mostly due to the headlights and lack of signal automation on MBTA trains). Thanks for confirming this all.
I think someone was working on the MBTA commuter rail line Boston-Providence, but have not heard much from them for a while.
Maybe if I get bored with upstate NY routes I'll fake one up. Hopefully one day track plans will as open and free as DEM data is. Sadly that same day would be day that there was one national railroad with no competitors -Andy
akochan@crosswinds.net Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
railnut (110 posts)
Nov-30-01, 06:46 PM (EST) 5. "RE: Question on commuter trains operations" I am doing the Old Colony line South from South Station to New Haven, including the Middleboro, Plymouth and Greenbush branches. I know the rails from Boston South to Taunton and Attleboro so it should be close. I am hoping to ride the rails to New Haven to get a grip of what the track side looks like. I have been working on this for a while and it would be a lot easier if the route editor wasn't fist fighting with me all the time. I have the track laid form the Neponset River south to Providence with the branch lines done as well. Also, there is an excellent marker creator in the downloads that will layout markers for tracks if you didn't know it. It is really quite accurate. Someone else is doing the Boston to Providence run. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
TrainTrak5000 (144 posts)
Nov-30-01, 08:09 PM (EST) 6. "RE: Question on commuter trains operations" I wondered what the cab of a cab car looked like, but then I got on a commuter train (VRE)...

Mike Karlik
Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Lock | Archive | Remove

Lobby | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic