Automated message

Status
Not open for further replies.

scrotumola

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2001
Messages
325
Location
So. Texas
I recently took to railroad monitoring and heard a transmission that I thought was rather odd.

About 10 minutes ago, I heard an automated message that dialed 911 in DTMF and then stated 'mandown' this message repeated about 15 times over a 1 minute period. The channel that this came across is rather active, but I've heard no response or acknowledgement since the message sounded.

Can someone enlighten this novice rr monitor?

Thanks
 

burner50

The Third Variable
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Messages
2,231
Location
NC Iowa
That was an RCL Box


Remote control locomotive control boxes mounted on a guys chest do that if the operator falls down.


They are to test this feature before starting their shift, but you may not have heard them say they were doing the test.
 

scrotumola

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2001
Messages
325
Location
So. Texas
burner50 said:
That was an RCL Box


Remote control locomotive control boxes mounted on a guys chest do that if the operator falls down.


They are to test this feature before starting their shift, but you may not have heard them say they were doing the test.


Thanks for the info!!
 

icom1020

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
1,039
Is there a built in GPS in the RCL? If it DTMF's 911, does the yard operator make the call after hearing the message? Just wondering how anyone would know where a mandown was located?
 

burner50

The Third Variable
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Messages
2,231
Location
NC Iowa
nothing fancy like that AFAIK... I've never used the box so i'm not sure how it works or doesnt....
 

BigC801

Member
Joined
May 15, 2003
Messages
774
Location
Kansas City
No GPS, normaly the dispatcher or yardmaster will know who and where that box and crew are, most RCL's work in zones and if a man down message is heard they send help to the area where they should be. If the RCL is between yards on a transfer or somthing then the dispatcher whould know where they were by the block on the ctc. one more thing the box will transmit what loco number it is linked to, that is how they know who.
 

burner50

The Third Variable
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Messages
2,231
Location
NC Iowa
well with several people on a crew, any one of them could be anywhere with axles running over them, and people only know "sorta" where they are supposed to be...


More reasons to avoid RCL At all costs...
 

BigC801

Member
Joined
May 15, 2003
Messages
774
Location
Kansas City
That is very true, only hope is if the other guy on the crew knows where your at. I got pulled off the road to get rcl trained, did my 5 weeks and was back on the road, i hate every thing about rcl.

burner50 i love your sig line, i hate it when that happens. in 2005 i went a entire month where i couldnt go by a tdd with out setting out a coal car or two.
 

ffemt25

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
287
Location
Short Gap, WV
I wonder if CSX has the same thing. on the csx yard channel(161.16) in Cumberland MD I hear , CSX (then the engine number) operator A is down, operator A is down, operator A is down.

Is that the same?
 

BigC801

Member
Joined
May 15, 2003
Messages
774
Location
Kansas City
ya its the same, there is 2 brands of RCL control systems, the 2 sound a little diffrent but all do the same thing.
 

burner50

The Third Variable
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Messages
2,231
Location
NC Iowa
wbigcount said:
That is very true, only hope is if the other guy on the crew knows where your at. I got pulled off the road to get rcl trained, did my 5 weeks and was back on the road, i hate every thing about rcl.

burner50 i love your sig line, i hate it when that happens. in 2005 i went a entire month where i couldnt go by a tdd with out setting out a coal car or two.



I got this exact message one night about 3am on a HUGE coal train....

note the axles and temp = (


Crappy thing is that the autorack going by on track one throwing off sparks is the one that triggered the detector, and he got a highball....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top