CSX Emergency Call?

[Torpedo423]

So, I was out railfanning tonight at St. Denis, when I hear a train call heading my way. I set up the camera, and wait. Not to long after the train appears pulling the unpleastent load of good 'ol smelly trash, but as it was approaching, about 30 seconds after I started the camera, I get this call over the scanner. "CSX 8247 Operator B down! (x3) ---- Man down! CSX 8247 Operator A down! (x3)" What does this mean? Im assuming its some kind of emergency call. Not exactly sure though.

Here is the first 30 seconds from that video, in which you can clearly hear the call http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oi2-FJ-kqA

 

[magickmaker]

CSX 8247 ex-B&O: SD40-2.

There weren't any derailments in that area, far as I can tell, involving that particular locomotive; but a friend of mine said that he heard a similar call a few years back when the cranes using to lift a locomotive that had been derailed rolled over during the pull. So it could be that Hulcher or something was working on 8247, and dropped it or rolled the crane over injuring the operators.

Other than that, I'm not sure. I'm just guessing here.

 

[whistlehead]

Sounds to my untrained ears as if the man calling is attempting to alert a ground crew of some sort (Station, signalbox) that two operators in the cab are unable to perform their duties.

 

[backyard]

bump...

 

[UPRails834]

So, I was out railfanning tonight at St. Denis, when I hear a train call heading my way. I set up the camera, and wait. Not to long after the train appears pulling the unpleastent load of good 'ol smelly trash, but as it was approaching, about 30 seconds after I started the camera, I get this call over the scanner. "CSX 8247 Operator B down! (x3) ---- Man down! CSX 8247 Operator A down! (x3)" What does this mean? Im assuming its some kind of emergency call. Not exactly sure though.

Here is the first 30 seconds from that video, in which you can clearly hear the call http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oi2-FJ-kqA

What you heard was a remote control crew testing their man down function on their remote control box. When a remote control crew is going on duty after they link their RC boxes with the RC locomotive they must test the man down function. Trainmen wear the RC control box on their chest hooked to their safety vest. The RC box has a tilt safety feature where if the Trainman falls down while wearing the box since the box is no longer upright the locomotive that the RC box is linked to will automatically send out a radio message with the "man down" transmission repeated 3 times. This would be to signal that something has happened to that crew member and the other crew member (if there is one) or the Dispatcher or Yardmaster would then try to contact the crew member and determine if everything is OK. By rule Trainmen in RC service must check that the man down function is working before performing duties.

Now the question is did you hear on your scanner "man down test complete" after you heard that transmission? That transmission is required by rule after the test is complete. If you didn't hear the "test complete" transmission afterwards then quite possibly it was an actual man down situation. Do note though that you first hear "Operator B down" then "Operator A Down" which sounds like a test since in two man RC operations one man (or RC box) is designated as primary (A box) and the other man/box is designated as secondary (B box).

This is how it works on the Union Pacific Railroad. I would assume that things are fairly similar on CSX.

Todd
Union Pacific Engineer

 

[Torpedo423]

I did not hear them say the check was complete, It could be the fact that Im just missing that channel though.

Thanks everyone for shedding some light on the topic