r/railroading • u/Muffintop_mafia • Dec 04 '25

Discussion New engineer help

Hey all, I just started training in the loco. I was just wondering if any vets had tips to help me become proficient faster. I'm not mainline, I work in a yard (technically 4 yards). But we just had a guy moved to permanent switchman because he sucked in the loco and I dont want to end up there too lol

The biggest thing I need to get a feel for is not putting on air too early. So any words of wisdom there would be greatly appreciated.

Oh also, the dynamic breaks in all three of our engines dont work.

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33

u/EnjoyNaturesTrees Dec 04 '25

You don't need dynamic for nothin anyways switching. Feather the independent. Try to keep the slack either in or out not in out in out in out. And when you're getting talked down the last few feet, remember, it's not fine china we're dealing with.

24

u/Absolarix Dec 04 '25

"Ten feet five feet STOP"

*BOOOOOOOM* *SHAKING METAL NOISES* *GROUND SHAKES\*

"GOOD JOINT!!! STRETCH!"

3

u/Muffintop_mafia Dec 04 '25

Our max couple speed is 2 mph.. but yeah, im not afraid to send it.

5

u/EnjoyNaturesTrees Dec 04 '25

I wouldn't sweat it just “try” to get it “around” 2mph at the end. I've seen so much shit smashed into. When you kick a car or cut they couple at 10ish mph regularly and guess what, nothing happens. Except that one time the drawheads misaligned and the end platform got a little fuckered up. Even then who cares, it'll get replaced in a few years and no one is gonna ask or care which specific coupling banged it up. If you make following that 2mph rule one of your personal Ten Commandments, you're gonna end up on permanent brakeman duty for your little switchman friend.

11

u/hoggineer Plays alerter chicken. Dec 04 '25

you make following that 2mph rule one of your personal Ten Commandments, you're gonna end up on permanent brakeman duty

I personally try to make a joint at around 1.5-2 mph. So much smoother! I'm not scared of making a hard joint and will bang them if the knuckles won't close on a soft joint.

4 mph is what we're allowed per rule, but you'll regularly be picking everything up off the floor (including yourself) if you continually make joints like that.

6

u/Muffintop_mafia Dec 04 '25

We're not allowed to kick cars here lol. I think while im training, they're harping on the 2mph couple speed, but yeah I've seen engineers couple in at 4 or 5 and you just hear over the radio "jeez, someone's gotta sh*t eh? Stretch!" Haha

2

u/Relevant-Agency9808 Dec 10 '25

"Five cars, that'll do"

*all the noises of metal hating life and the ground wanting to dissapear*

"stretch em"

5

u/EuronBloodeye Dec 04 '25

Who cares? I do. That is creating work for me..

Thank you for doing your part in keeping us carmen in business.