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This topic comprises 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5
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Topic: Model Railroaders, anyone ?
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Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 01-03-2004 08:28 PM
The following is the U.P. maintenance schedule for the "Challenger" 4-6-6-4 type locomotives. This schedule can be found in "The Challenger Locomotives" by William Kratville 1980 pp 37-38.
"The early series 4-6-6-4s shoppings were scheduled for every 225,000 miles service for flues, the machinery overhaul was needed each 45,000 miles. The class shopping order was class 3-5-5-4-5-3 and five of the series were assigned to the shop each month." (Keep in mind that this is for the early series "Fetters". Between the early series and the later series "Jabelmanns', there were ventually 105 units on the U.P. roster.
STANDARD CLASSIFICATION OF REPAIRS TO LOCOMOTIVES AND TENDERS
Class 1: New boiler or new back end, flues new or reset. General repairs machinery and tender, including turning tires or new, which will place locomotives in condition to perform a full term of service in the district and class of service to which assigned.
Class 2: New firebox or one or more shell courses or roof sheets, flues new or reset and general rrepairs to machinery and tender including turning tires or new.
Class 3: General overhauling of machinery and tender, including turning tires or new, necessary repairs to firebox and boiler, flues new or reset (superheater flues may be excepted).
Class 4 Intermediate overhauling light repairs to boiler and firebox, including rewenall or resetting of part set of small flues, necessary repairs to machinery, including turning tires or new.
Class 5: Necessary repairs to boiler, machinery and tender, including tires turned or new and one or more pairs of driving wheel bearings refitted.
All above also to place locomotives in condition to perform in full term or service in the district and class to which assigned.
Drop Pit: Heavy running repairs or accident repairs requiring the locomotive to be shopped but which do not improve the general condition of the locomotive.
Running Repairs: All repairs not included in the foregoing classifications.
Suffix A to any class will indicate the repairs are required due to accident, B initial application of stoker, C initial application of superheater, D initial application of outside valve gear, E conversion from one compound to simple or from one type to another.
Classes 1, 2, and 3 will be known as "general", class 4 as "Heavy," class 5 as "Light." drop Pit and Running Repairs as "unclassified repairs."
Full term of service is the maximum milage of flues and or machinery which locomotives will accumulate between General Repairs, class 3 or better, in the district and class of service to which assigned.
Keep in mind that the driver counterwieghts were doing the same thing as a crankshaft harmmonic balancer on a internal combustion engine. But even with their use, locomotive frames, cylinder saddles, waist sheets, and in the case of articulated engines the articulation joint would take severe beatings. Major crack repairs of the frames were routinely needed.
During the restoration of famed S.P. Daylight 4449, "It must be noted here that at one point in the rebuilding process, serious cracks were discovered in the crownsheet and front flue sheet of the boiler. At first it appeared that these cracks would prevent the successful recertification of the boiler, and prevent the engine from operating again. But thanks to the skill and knowledge of Joseph H. Crumley, of Otter Rock, Oregon, a retired welding engineer and teacher, the cracks were repaired through a little used welding process performed by Mr. Crumley himself." from 4449 The Queen of Steam by Henry Breuckman and Jeffrey Moreau p. 30 Carbarn Press First Printing March 1984 Library of Congress 83-72151 I.S.B.N. 0-934406-01-4
Keep in mind that the chemical and mineral make-up of water varies from one locatioo to another. As such, water can and will have varing degrees of corrosion upon the boiler
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Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 01-04-2004 06:56 PM
I always wanted to be an Engineer.
In fact, a few years ago, not long after U.P aquired S.P., U.P. was hiring train crew in Tucson, and I went through the interview process.
First, let me say that the "needed qualifications" as specified by the "road" constantly change, and it is almost impossible to read them. One minute they require you to have a college degree as an application requirment, then they change their mind. One minute they want railroad enthusiasts, then the next minute they dont. One minute they want people with family ties to the road, next minute they dont. And on and on.
Back when I applied, U.P. started the hiring process via D.E.S. Job Service. Job Service posted the job, but did not actively advertise it. I applied, and was granted a spot at one of the U.P. day-long job seminars. For the most part, U.P. instructed Job Service to come up with 300 qualified applicants (Job Service conducted the initial screening).
U.P. then took over the interview process directly. They conducted 3 day-long job seminars with a max capicity of 150 people. What happened was Job Service contacted 300 of the most qualified people, and told us that we had to personally come into Job Service and sign up for the seminar...on a first come-first serve basis (with Armed Forces Veterans preferance).
At the seminar, U.P. stressed to people that the seminar was for train service only. Anyone who just wanted to get their foot into the door and cross-train to another field was not welcome...goodbye. Then they stressed goodbye to anyone who may have partook in illegal substance within the past 90 days...goodbye. Then they went into a long speil about the hard life of train crew personnel and said goodbye to those not interested. Then they administered an Engligh comprehension exam, based around railroad related topics (I aced this exam). Then they conducted a physical fitness exam, consisting of how many sit-ups within a given time period, how much weight you can curl, and the strength of your hand grip. (If you did not pass these exams, then you could not reapply for the position for 90 days). If ya passed, then you were granted a personal interview. Needless to say I passed and was granted a personal interview. I had credentials, my veterans status, educational background, one of the senior U.P. engineers out of Tucson was on my resume, plus my experience as a licensed streetcar operator, conductor and operations dispatcher.
For whatever reason, I was not hired on. But I did come to learn that I had qualified for subsequent interview appointments, and Job Service had my file screwd up and failed to notify me of my interview appointments!
Within the past few months, U.P. has once again been hiring train crew for Tucson, Phoenix and Yuma. Once again I was considering forgoeing my Arizon State University plans in lieu of U.P. One of the highest ranking Tucson engineers is an aquaintance, and I had a long talk with him. He encouraged my to forget U.P. and to press on with my college education. Right now the future of train crew job security and the excellent salary and benefits once associated with this job are now uncertain. The railroad is pushing to eliminate train crew through the increased use of radio control, and the once excellent salaries and benefits are being whittled away via arbitration.
This high senority engineer aquaintance of min is also perplexed about the U.P. and former S.P. hiring practices. He has told me that there have been several enthusiastic and qualified people that have applied, and the "road" has turned them away. Meanwhile, they go ahead and hire people who are walking disasters who have no business operating a train. He told me that if I only knew half of the shit that has gone down...
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Gary Crawford
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 200
From: Neptune NJ USA
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 01-06-2004 12:41 PM
Being in the museum/tourist line/fan trip end of things all these years, I would say we now have far more of the "romance" of railroading than the "real" railroaders did. I have met many an oldtimer who absolutely loved his job and was loyal to the railroad he worked for, but almost to the man they despised the higher-ups they dealt with. Dispatchers and road foremen and district supers and the like were power-mad dictators who tried to squeeze 110% out of everyone under them.
These hands-on workers, the engineers and conductors and brakemen, and others not in train service really did love what they did so long as they were far away from bosses.
What the romantics tell you isn't exactly what happened. Waiting for days and days to be called up on an extra list (don't even think about leaving the house for even a minute because they might call), getting EXACTLY eight hours off before you were scheduled to run again (I never could walk in the door and just crash into bed, no matter how tired I was), doing yard moves at night in the rain before radios, nursing along a locomotive that was known to be a lemon but they would not take it out of service and then catching hell because you ran late, etc. It was a very tough job.
It's no wonder there were so many craft unions in railroading. If it was such a gravy job there would be no need for them. It was, and still is, hard work. My hat is off to the people past and present who choose to make a living at it.
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