I recently took a train from Port Huron to Flint . Upon arriving at Flint we had 22 loaded tri-levels to take to the CSX . The CN main-line has a interchange with the CSX . I was not qualified to go to CSX's Magrue Yard in Flint so I had a CSX Engineer pilot me to the yard . We went to the CSX end to end radio channel and one thing I noticed was that other trains in the area were calling out the signals that they had on the radio . Is this standard practice on the CSX ? Do they even have to call out clear intermediate signals ? On the CN we don't call out anything The Engineer & Conductor are supposed to tell eachother every signal , but that interferes with other activities I better not say no more Anyways , can anyone answer my CSX questions ? Davecn5623 Out
Hello Dave...Someone else may be able to answer your question more thoroughly. (I'm not an employee of any particular road). From what I've heard on my scanner, I gather that the CSX crews are required to call out their train designaiton number, signal indication, and signal name (i.e. West Plane, East Plane, etc). I believe that I've also read that on www.bullsheet.com, that's a good source for CSX info.
Yes, I have also heard this on a scanner, but only on occasion. A lot of the area I fan is cab-signalled, and they are not required to call those signals, as far as I can tell. Interlockings are a different story. The reason being is for a redundancy, so the Disp knows that the train is following the correct route and the signal is operating. That way if something isn't working, they can fix it ASAP and also stop the train, if needs by, through radio communication.
I see . On the CN if we have a signal out or not working we go to a different channel , and call the Train Dispatcher and inform him of the defect .
Dave, The CSXT is one of the railroads that require the crew to "call out" the signal indication on the radio (most class 1's tape record radio transmissions). Here in the Detroit area the NS crews do the same, we tried it on Conrail but quickly discarded it as there was just too much on the radio already! In my railfanning trips across the USA I've heard it done before but for the life of me, I can't recall what western roads did it. (Old age)
Over here they call out something like this: "CSX eighty-one-fifty-four,...clear block three-sixty-one..JCM(dispatcher in graftons' initials)" then the dispatch says"ok eighty-one-fifty-four...over" they don't go too fast and only do it every 2 blocks or so.
