Locomotive Control Stands

T

TorenHynes

The Maple Leaf Forever
Hello everyone

Some of the people here are engineers right? So I am asking this question; in diesel locomotives, do you prefer the desk-style control console (featured in Trainz in the Dash 9-44CW) or the old-style "conventional console" (featured in Trainz in the EMD SD40-2) that features all controls to the side of you? From what I've heard the conventional console seems to be more popular with locomotive engineers.
 
I am a Probationnary member but I love doing my Switching with the Conventional. The Desk type is more for medium trips :P Since i am tall my legs cannot stretch well with the desk :P
 
What bugz me about the Trainz control stands is:

You need to Push forward, to pull back on the Throttle, on Desk type consoles, and vice versa ... where as on vertical control stands, they operate realisticly in Trainz (push/pull).
There is no Bell button.
And there is no ciggarette lighter. :hehe:
And the engineers seat always seems to get in the way of viewing in -freeintcam

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/Screen_005-10.jpg
Whats Wong' Wit' Dis' Picture ?
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/Screen_004-13.jpg

I would guess that both types of control stands take some time to master on the prototype.

Where as in Trainz you can use KB Commands.
 
Last edited:
cascaderailroad said:
What bugz me about the Trainz control stands is:

You need to Push forward, to pull back on the Throttle, on Desk type consoles, and vice versa ... where as on vertical control stands, they operate realisticly in Trainz (push/pull).
There is no Bell button.
And there is no ciggarette lighter. :hehe:
And the engineers seat always seems to get in the way of viewing in -freeintcam

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/Screen_005-10.jpg
Whats Wong' Wit' Dis' Picture ?
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/cascaderailroad/Screen_004-13.jpg

I would guess that both types of control stands take some time to master on the prototype.

Where as in Trainz you can use KB Commands.
Click to expand...

Where my SEAT?
 
I prefer the desk top controls, I also like the conventional stand on sd40-2's and yard engines. But I do not like the conventional stand on our ES44's. The automatic and independent brake handles are to far back on the stand, you have to reach behind you to operate them.
 
The conventional control stand allows you to stand up while driving doesn't it? And couldn't you just move the seat on the ES44's so that it's easier to operate the brake handles? Furthermore, most engineers say that the conventional control stand makes reverse operation easier.
 
Most engineers I have talked to hate Desktop stands. NS ES40DC and ES44AC units dont have the normal GE control stand and the brake handles are not as far back as the regular ones. It is also almost impossible to run a desktop long hood first unless you break your neck looking backwards. Thats why NS never took to the desktops like everyone else did, NS was still in a habit of running units LHF.


Paul
 
ptrainman said:
Most engineers I have talked to hate Desktop stands. NS ES40DC and ES44AC units dont have the normal GE control stand and the brake handles are not as far back as the regular ones. It is also almost impossible to run a desktop long hood first unless you break your neck looking backwards. Thats why NS never took to the desktops like everyone else did, NS was still in a habit of running units LHF.


Paul
Click to expand...
I see the point you're trying to make. If the desktop stand is so bothersome why did railroads come up with it in the first place?
 
cascaderailroad said:
Because the locomotive designers at GE & GM were sitting behind desktop PC's, in a cubicle ... and running Trainz via KB commands ... BrrrrrwRilliant Idear' !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DPKf7y1F-Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8Osz9RnvY&feature=relmfu
Click to expand...

^^What he said. Somebody with alot of education and very little common scence sitting behind a desk thought it looked good on paper and as usual everybody follows what that person says with out regard for wether or not it is really better than what they already have. You see desktops did not stay very long, maybe 10 years, compared to the 60 years normal stands have been around in one form or another.

Paul
 
I haven't tried a control stand as such, as none of the locos I've driven have one. I certainly like the control desk style though (the ones I've used are fairly comfortable) my only complaint being is that you have to consciously apply pressure to the deadmans as your foot won't sit naturally on it.

One of the locos has a sort of hybrid desk that you can stand or sit at and that is far better though standing does become a bit of a drag after a while. It also has an additional vigilance (deadmans) button on the cab side which allows you to lean out the window for shunting and not have to keep a foot on the deadmans.

Not too familiar with US locos but the locos I drive all have a secondman's driving position with the controls duplicated either side of the cab (one of the locos was actually built by GM). Not sure if this is peculiar to Irish diesels or not.
 
Most new US locomotives have a small desk on the conductors side. Some also have a computer screen with all the info the engineer sees. The only US locomotives that have 2 sets of controls are the Ex-Norfolk & Western EMD SD40-2s that had dual control stands to allow for better running short hood first or long hood first.


Paul
 
I am unsure how the deadman footplate is on Desktype control stands works, perhaps you need to hit a button every 30 seconds ? ... but it seems that the deadmans footplate did not stop CSX#8888, which had an old style control stand. :p

How many engineers actually drop dead in the cab anyway ? :hehe:
 
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Locomotives now dont have footplates, they have alerters that you have to press a button every so often to reset. Even ones with control stands. If you dont the alerter puts the train in emergency. But if the indepedent Brake is set up for Cut Out, the alerter does not work. The alerter only works if the independent brake is cut in. The train brake set up has no bearing on it. Pushers are often set up as Lead-Cutout so the alerter does not go off while the head end has control of the train brakes, but they have to bet set up as lead so you can bail the independent.


Paul
 
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