Which type is really prefered out there? I grew up with the old standard 26l brake and control stand but now use almost always the desk style controls. To me I prefer the desk style, I don't know if it's just being a creature of habit or what. It is so much easier to be able to have my orders out a jug of water and not worry about them vibrating off into my lap like it used to be.
Personally, I hate the desktops. It always seems that I cannot get close enough to the controls (I wind up leaning forward which makes my back sore) and my knees bang on the underside of the desk. Best layout I have seen so far is the "hybrid" stand used on CN's C44-9W's and SD75M's. Situated like a normal stand, but with new brake equipment mounted traditional fashion. Has plenty of legroom and the seat adjusts nice and high for a great view. Oh yeah, the microwave ovens and hotplates are a bonus, too... ------------------ The Unofficial Wisconsin Central Eastern Division Homepage http://wcleastdiv.railfan.net/index.html "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."
I have only had the honor of working on Amtraks desk top models. I guess I've never had a problem getting to close, probable because I extend way to far over my belt line. I had heard rumor of these nice Canadian cabs with all their added options. I wonder how many different hybrid cab designs there are out there? When I was in frieght service before Amtrak there were no desk tops except on the electrics back east.
OK I'm only a sleepy conductor but every so often the driver gets a bell on trailing unit, so I get to sit down and stop the train if needed or blow the horn while he sorts out the bell. Seesm to me I can take either desktop or sidesaddle stand. But I can tell the sidesaddles are better when you have lots of backing up to do. My turn at engine school is coming up soon, I suppose I'll have a real opinion before long.
Corrjng, Yeah you are so right about switching with a desk top. I only run into this when I happen to work the yard goat and happen to have to make some kind of switching move. It would make a lot sense to use the old style for switching or have a real good mirror.
I agree, I like the old style for switching and desk style for the road. I like the visability of looking over the desk and gages ect. in the desk. Seeing out the entire window without having to stand up. But in switching I like being able to sit sidways and see whats behind me. I just like to see.
I have to agree with the guys who like the older style "wrap-around" control stand. These are indeed more comfortable than the desktop controls, and they feel more sensitive when using the independent brakes. The wrap-around controls are also a lot more comfortable because you can put your feet up on the heater, and still have good visibility. They have very good visibility in all directions. Despite the fact that the newer cabs are warmer in winter, I'll still take a standard cab and dress warmer for the benefits they have over the desktops. I still use the standard arrangement...I can say I hate it every time I get a desktop because I am not used to them!
I would like to know who coined the term "comfort cab". the SP Ac4400"s stink,the seats are too far back,have to stand up to turn on headlights or talk on radio(Hand sets are scarce)Then if your stuck riding in the rear seat behind the conductor Hope you're small. Luckily I'm working a local job where I get to run SD-40-2's and SD-45's. ------------------
Like I said before I haven't been on the frieght versions of the North American Cab. But now I've read a couple of posts from guys who have problems with seats not going very far forward. On our Amtrak units we have a slide that we can move the seats forward and back don't they have these on the different frieght units?
Throttle Jack, Yes they do but the problem was that they were mounted to the floor of the cab to far back. Plus the seat backs are shorter and the seat it self is shorter than the newer UP style seats.
DRGWEngr- I remember reading somewhere that the term "comfort cab" was coined by one of the Canadian roads (CN I think) because they were the ones who started making that kind of cab a feature on their locomotives. -NSBrakeman
i prefer the old stands just for the point that im on a 7 day local and for some reason all i here that conductor say is back em up and that'll do. its much easier to do this with the stand than desktop. also for some reason the ns still thinks that we like to run those things bassackwards or something.. we wont know what to do when the new 70m's get here since they are gonna be desks and actually maybe air conditioned, yeah right. but the stands give you alot more feel of what that train is doing when it comes to grabbin air and indy brake.
I like the new cab stands that are forward when used in road service. I have tried CN's Whisper Cabs controls stands, WC/Algoma Central Rail's SD45 traditional stands and now being employed with CPRail, there new GM and GE AC4400's I have to say I like em. The GE's could've put strip heater's back on the floor though...abit cold in the winter on the legs under the desk! The air ride seats are a bonus aswell on the CP units (good move).
Desk tops are not very comfortable for me . No leg room to strecth out ect... Basically the only locomotives at CN that have desktop locomotives are the 5400 series units , the 5500's , 2400's , and the 2500 thru the 2524 I believe , could be the 2525 . I like the control stands that are next to me . Gives me a better feel for controling the train as well ( throttle , brakes , dynamic brakes , and over-all comfort )
For the road, anything will do although I prefer a desk that has room to spread out the important stuff like coffee cups and sandwiches while maintaining a spot for your paperwork. The seat is usually more important than the stand for comfort and everybody seems to be buying the cheap ones these days. I'd kill for a seat that didn't half cripple me by the time I make it in. I must be an oddball since I actually like desktops for spotting industries. I'm 'vertically challenged' so the legroom doesn't bother me and with the desks, I can work the controls and still look right down at the ground without having to twist around much. I was happy to see the new NS 70M's with round guages and my favorite short-throw brake handles and throttle but haven't had a chance to take one out for a spin yet. Too bad we're getting ever more of the Dash 9s with the computer screens that pull the eyeballs out of your head and stands that were not designed for human use. For a yard job, nothing beats a conventional stand since you have to be able to see all around and you're working in both directions all day. Having the radio and controls right in front of you makes life a lot easier if you have to spend 12 hours rowing the handles.
Desktops are OK for most uses and going forward. Most of the METRA cabs are now desktop but there are a few "sidewinders" left. The "standard" controls are better for switching and for running sdrawkcab. Most of the switch engines have the "standard" control stands, its just the road power (except for the SD40-2s)that have the desktop control stands. When backing(or shoving)a commuter train into the yard, the desktops are a bit more difficult to work with than the sidewinders since most of us commuter engineers will be hanging/leaning out of the cab window when shoving into the yard. We always have a trainman on the tailhose controlling the shove,but their peripheral vision is limited from their vantage position, and the leads into Hill Yard in Aurora are on curves. I do like those Canadian loco cabs with the hot plate and microwave. All of the ones I've worked on had a swivel seat in the center of the cab for the switchman/brakeman and it was real convenient for them to get in/out of the cab although not comfortable enough for catching some "spot time". CT
Oh for God's sake Charlie.... Not comfortable enough....?????....!!!! Ive caught zzzzzzzzzzzzzz spot time... in the truck on the truck leaning against the truck just about every machine there is some there aint leaning up against buildings and childishly hiding out in a gon' half full of sacks of anchors Ive had everything permanantly pressed into my forehead from kershaw to fairmont to GMC even that fake wood grain stuff I even wandered the streets of Chicago like a zombie once with a perfect mirror image of "EMPLOYEES MUST WASH HANDS AFTER USING TOILET" and to this day no clue whatsoever how that happined. I always knew you guy's on the transportation side had it easy.
Hmmmmmm.... well, I guess you've never seen that seat. If one was to fall asleep in that seat, they would very likely fall forward or sideways which would most surely cause them to fall down the entry stairs in the center nose of the cab. This would result in a very rude,not to mention dangerous, awakening! Sayyyy.......!!! You weren't that MOW guy we almost "greased" at Robinson Spur a few years back,were you? Seems this MOW guy, who was "supposed" to be the flagman for his track gang, although his attention was diverted, whether due to fatigue or not,I dont know. At any rate this is when I was still a trainman and I had caught a "pool turn" from the extra board. I was the conductor on an EB stack train LaCrosse WI - Chicago. Our crew was a student engineer along with an extra board hogger as the engineer/mentor and myself. The student was running the train. We had a Form B in the area of Robinson Spur. We contacted the foreman in charge of the Form B and had gotten permission and instructions for passing his work location. As we were approaching the work area,at proper track speed,whistling as per rule, we noticed this "flagman" standing in the foul of our track(MT 2-the normal EB track). The student continued his whistling but the flagman failed to acknowledge us or move out of the foul of our track. I called to the engineer and student that the flagman was not moving and I noticed that the flagman appeared to be chatting with the operator of a track machine on MT 1. We also heard radio chatter with the crew yelling over the radio at the flagman to clear our track. I was reaching for the emergency brake valve, but the student engineer realized the situation and placed his ABV into emergency. We were about 1 car length from the flagman when he looked up and dove to safety. I then heard the foreman calling on his radio wanting to know what was happening at that location since he was further upline removing some track flags. His crew answered him saying that nothing was going on,everything was under control. We called the dispatcher and told him that our train was in emergency and that a trespasser had stepped in front of our train and fled. We didn't want to get that flagman or foreman in trouble although the flagman certainly deserved punishment. Neither our train or the flagman suffered any injury and we resumed our trip as soon as our air was restored and we were sure of the integrity of our train. I was later to learn, from the extra board engineer, that he had had a conversation with that track gang foreman. The foreman put 2 + 2 together and came up with a picture of what happened. He told the engineer that he had administered serious "counsel" to that flagman. I certainly hope that flagman changed his underwear before he went home that night! Moral of story... Get your proper rest, and you will maintain attentiveness and wont need "spot time". CT
After welding barges for a living just about anything is comfortable to me, although I do like CSX's new ES44DC's and the SD70ACe control stands and seats.
