Flag stop notification

[jdcnosse]

How long in advance does the conductor need to know to ensure the train stops at a flag stop?

For instance, buying tickets now for tomorrow's Sunset Limited at Deming, NM.

 

[Seaboard92]

On VIA it's at the last crew change. And the standard rule is to be visible on the platform when it comes. So be outside. Wave. Something to get attention

 

[KmH]

Does sticking your thumb out (hitch hiking) work for getting attention?

 

[chakk]

Amtrak alerts the incoming crew of the passenger manifest with a list of the number of expected boards and detrains for each stop in their crew service territory.. So in most cases for LD trains, 12 hours in advance of your boarding will alert the conductor. But you still want to be visible at the station when the train approaches.

 

[Acela150]

Keep in mind that with the eTicketing that conductors see the manifest on their iPhone Scanners. AFAIK it's updated rather frequently. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[jdcnosse]

Yeah we told them to be visible just to make sure. Deming has a little shack that doesn't even have windows for their "station."

 

[TinCan782]

They usually slow down "just-in-case"

 

[Railroad Bill]

My railfan friends & I were taking photos at Tyrone, Pa on the Pennsylvanian route one year and as the train approached the engineer or conductor must have seen us on the platform and stopped the train. There was no one getting on or off but conductor thought we might be waiting to be picked up at this flag stop.. we apologized for stopping his train and he laughed it off and gave the engineer the go sign and off they went toward Harrisburg.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

One of my old ATSF History Books has a short photo essay of an elderly woman who frequently boarded at her local Flag Stop. A Flag was kept in a holder on the platform and as the train approached she took it, wandered to the center of the tracks and waved it like hell to make sure the Engineer saw her. Then she happily boarded and was on her way.

Of course that would not work today as it involves Trespassing on the tracks. The TSA would likely have Kittens. And be sure the Flag would quickly be stolen!

 

[BCL]

One of my old ATSF History Books has a short photo essay of an elderly woman who frequently boarded at her local Flag Stop. A Flag was kept in a holder on the platform and as the train approached she took it, wandered to the center of the tracks and waved it like hell to make sure the Engineer saw her. Then she happily boarded and was on her way.

Of course that would not work today as it involves Trespassing on the tracks. The TSA would likely have Kittens. And be sure the Flag would quickly be stolen!

I'm wondering how accurate this image is:

 

[FriskyFL]

There's always that red cord that you could pull to request a stop...

 

[fairviewroad]

There's always that red cord that you could pull to request a stop...

Yeah, I believe that pulling that cord also arranges for a free shuttle to the local jail.

 

[BCL]

There's always that red cord that you could pull to request a stop...

You kind of have to be in the train, and in any case wouldn't said passenger getting off at the stop be known to the conductor?

That would be a neat trick when someone is trying to board.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

Keep in mind that with the eTicketing that conductors see the manifest on their iPhone Scanners. AFAIK it's updated rather frequently. I wouldn't worry about it.

The devices update pretty much in real time as long as there is a signal. It is really, really fast. However, only ticketed reservations will appear. Reservations simply holding space do not show, so some one with a protected reservation to pay cash onboard will only show on a paper manifest, not in the eTicketing device.

There's always that red cord that you could pull to request a stop...

Oh, that big red handle way up high in the corner labeled DANGER that is used to open the sliding door at each end of the car? Yeah... Passenger legitimately thought that was the handle to open the door. You can't make this stuff up.

 

[xyzzy]

NS rule 12(g), "any object waved violently by anyone on or near the track" = stop. Or I suppose you could do it the authentic way with a flag or white light per rule 12(a), "swung horizontally at right angle to the track".

 

[Acela150]

NS rule 12(g), "any object waved violently by anyone on or near the track" = stop. Or I suppose you could do it the authentic way with a flag or white light per rule 12(a), "swung horizontally at right angle to the track".

Now ask me if that "object" is a shotgun if we'd stop..

 

[Carolina Special]

Or cough up three red shirts. Like Bill Grogan's goat.

 

[BCL]

NS rule 12(g), "any object waved violently by anyone on or near the track" = stop. Or I suppose you could do it the authentic way with a flag or white light per rule 12(a), "swung horizontally at right angle to the track".

What rule is that? I can find it referenced in books like this 100 year old manual on military railways.

https://books.google.com/books?id=A7YmAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA108&lpg=PA108&dq=%22any+object+waved+violently+by+anyone+on+or+near+the+track%22&source=bl&ots=-7MDDBfQsw&sig=au00E_JnXvAGpKJ3f7nOkxAyap0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiTq-GHvKrJAhVBpIgKHVy8BEMQ6AEIJDAC#v=onepage&q=%22any%20object%20waved%20violently%20by%20anyone%20on%20or%20near%20the%20track%22&f=false

Here's a Norfolk Southern train smacking into a limo that got stuck after bottoming out at a crossing. The tracks were on a berm and the crossing had a hump. Someone was madly waving something red, but the engineer couldn't stop in time. The engineer got out and said he saw it but couldn't stop with "10,000 tons behind me".



I can't see any reference to it in a modern (2009) railroad safety manual.

http://0924.utu.org/Files/[4037]NS_Safety_General_Conduct_Rules_010109.pdf

 

[Grandpa D]

Or cough up three red shirts. Like Bill Grogan's goat.

I haven't heard that song in 60 years!!! And now I can't get it out of my head. :giggle:

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Limo held up fairly well

 

[StriderGDM]

NS rule 12(g), "any object waved violently by anyone on or near the track" = stop. Or I suppose you could do it the authentic way with a flag or white light per rule 12(a), "swung horizontally at right angle to the track".

What rule is that? I can find it referenced in books like this 100 year old manual on military railways.

https://books.google.com/books?id=A7YmAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA108&lpg=PA108&dq=%22any+object+waved+violently+by+anyone+on+or+near+the+track%22&source=bl&ots=-7MDDBfQsw&sig=au00E_JnXvAGpKJ3f7nOkxAyap0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiTq-GHvKrJAhVBpIgKHVy8BEMQ6AEIJDAC#v=onepage&q=%22any%20object%20waved%20violently%20by%20anyone%20on%20or%20near%20the%20track%22&f=false

Here's a Norfolk Southern train smacking into a limo that got stuck after bottoming out at a crossing. The tracks were on a berm and the crossing had a hump. Someone was madly waving something red, but the engineer couldn't stop in time. The engineer got out and said he saw it but couldn't stop with "10,000 tons behind me".

Guessing NS = Norfolk Southern and a quick google does in fact show

http://0924.utu.org/Files/[4035]NS_Operating_Rules_050108.pdf

Page 32.

 

[BCL]

NS rule 12(g), "any object waved violently by anyone on or near the track" = stop. Or I suppose you could do it the authentic way with a flag or white light per rule 12(a), "swung horizontally at right angle to the track".

What rule is that? I can find it referenced in books like this 100 year old manual on military railways.

https://books.google.com/books?id=A7YmAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA108&lpg=PA108&dq=%22any+object+waved+violently+by+anyone+on+or+near+the+track%22&source=bl&ots=-7MDDBfQsw&sig=au00E_JnXvAGpKJ3f7nOkxAyap0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiTq-GHvKrJAhVBpIgKHVy8BEMQ6AEIJDAC#v=onepage&q=%22any%20object%20waved%20violently%20by%20anyone%20on%20or%20near%20the%20track%22&f=false

Here's a Norfolk Southern train smacking into a limo that got stuck after bottoming out at a crossing. The tracks were on a berm and the crossing had a hump. Someone was madly waving something red, but the engineer couldn't stop in time. The engineer got out and said he saw it but couldn't stop with "10,000 tons behind me".

OK - so it wasn't in the safety manual. And apparently in that case in Indiana it didn't work.

 

[fairviewroad]

Limo held up fairly well

Ha, that was my thought too! The crossing signal, not so much.

OK - so it wasn't in the safety manual. And apparently in that case in Indiana it didn't work.

Well, I think the takeaway there is that you need to run a little further up the track if you want to notify the engineer in time to stop. Perhaps in this case there wasn't enough time, but you get the sense from the video that the person standing 100 feet or so from the crossing probably thought he was far enough away to serve the purpose.

Obviously it's different in the case of passenger train flag stops, since the engineer is (or should be) on the lookout for a possible reason to stop.

 

[ehbowen]

Police officer once told me that if you are ever disabled blocking the tracks, first step is to try calling the railroad at the 800 number which is often posted at or near the signals. But if no number is posted, you are justified dialing 9-1-1.

ETA: Obviously, if you are disabled and you see a train is coming, get clear of your car!

 

[BCL]

Police officer once told me that if you are ever disabled blocking the tracks, first step is to try calling the railroad at the 800 number which is often posted at or near the signals. But if no number is posted, you are justified dialing 9-1-1.

ETA: Obviously, if you are disabled and you see a train is coming, get clear of your car!

I remember a commercial for a car battery (might have been Die Hard?) where someone stopped to avoid an animal and ended up stalling on train tracks. He then starts his car and gets off the tracks just in time to avoid an oncoming train. I suppose it was trying to state how reliable the battery was.

The disclaimer on the screen was that in an actual event, abandon the car.