What rules govern Freight Locos in the states?
- Thread starter DominikB
- Start date
Blutorse4792
Now T:ANE I can get into
Grüezi, Salut, Ciao & Tgau...
1. What exactly do you mean? Are you asking about regulations and standards that a locomotive builder must adhere to?
2. Are you referring to in-game, or in real life?
1. What exactly do you mean? Are you asking about regulations and standards that a locomotive builder must adhere to?
2. Are you referring to in-game, or in real life?
Blutorse4792
Now T:ANE I can get into
Not sure about the stairs/ladders, I'm not too good with the technical stuff.
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that an F40PH could be used for freight, though it was specifically designed for passenger service.
Plus, switching is extremely difficult in cab-units like F40s. That's why the GP and SD series were invented.
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that an F40PH could be used for freight, though it was specifically designed for passenger service.
Plus, switching is extremely difficult in cab-units like F40s. That's why the GP and SD series were invented.
Blutorse4792
Now T:ANE I can get into
I believe that only applies to switching, and not road freights.
These guys were pulling freight up until the mid-1990s.
These guys were pulling freight up until the mid-1990s.
SPAD 13 had about 150 horsepower, but that was considered a lot at the time. Same with F units, in fact to replace a 4-6-2 Pacific steam loco required 2 F units, for a 4-8-4 Northern they needed 3. The advantage was lower operating and maintenance costs, plus the fact that they could be controlled by a single engineer in the lead loco. The switcher and "road switcher" design was primarily for that problem, the F units had very limited visibility out of the cab when trying to do switching (shunting). As for design rules for any kind of machinery it depends on what era you're talking about - workers were considered expendable 100 years ago, if one got killed on the job you hired a new one, and nobody gave a thought to toxic waste or pollution. Modern times require environmental protection standards and safety standards for all machines, so design regulations have been in a constant state of change for the last 50 years. many new laws have a "grandfather clause" where previously existing safety hazards are allowed to continue for a period of time depending on how dangerous they were before the new law, and how practical it would be to update to the new standard - for example if the loco is in the shop for a rebuild anyway the law might require it gets updated at the same time.
I've never looked into it, but I doubt if there are any except for general safety laws - for example if it HAS a walkway it must be a non slip surface, but it's not required to have a walkway. General laws would apply to the design of anything like that, for example if they made it with no doors or windows, just a hatch in the roof that required the crew to use mountain climbing techniques to get in and out of the cab, they would consider that a fire hazard since there's no quick way for the crew to escape in an emergency. Not to mention what a chore it would be to get in and out under normal conditions, and the obvious safety hazard of not being able to see where you're going with no windows.:hehe:
norfolksouthern37
what's a normal map?
when Amtrak had them, they loaned their F40s during times of locomotive shortages to freight railroads.
Yeah, I think what he's looking for here is how the FRA might regulate locomotive design. The FAA simply requires that an aircraft design be "airworthy", as in safe to fly, even though the standard design for many years had wings at the front and a horizontal and vertical stabilizer at the rear, odd designs which deviated from that standard;
Were not disqualified by the FAA as long as they could be proven airworthy. My guess is that the FRA works the same way as the FAA, there's no specific design criteria that says it has to have X number of stairs and a certain catwalk configuration, just that it be safe and "railworthy".
Were not disqualified by the FAA as long as they could be proven airworthy. My guess is that the FRA works the same way as the FAA, there's no specific design criteria that says it has to have X number of stairs and a certain catwalk configuration, just that it be safe and "railworthy".
There are only a few, here's some. (Most of these are assumed.)
Rail Gauge must be 4 Feet, 8 1/2 inches for interchange service.
Knuckles are required in interchange service. (You don't see M7's anywhere but Metro North except if they are on flatcars.)
All trucks must have Roller Bearings on all axles.
All locomotives must have grabs and/or handrails to access and repair the locomotive. Doors too.
There must be some barrier on the edge of the frame of the locomotive.
Rail Gauge must be 4 Feet, 8 1/2 inches for interchange service.
Knuckles are required in interchange service. (You don't see M7's anywhere but Metro North except if they are on flatcars.)
All trucks must have Roller Bearings on all axles.
All locomotives must have grabs and/or handrails to access and repair the locomotive. Doors too.
There must be some barrier on the edge of the frame of the locomotive.