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-   -   Remote controlled shunters (https://www.railwayforum.net/showthread.php?t=15207)

boilersuit 7th September 2016 21:00

Remote controlled shunters
 
I've been reading on another website about remote-controlled class 08 shunters used in South Wales. I'm intrigued by this as I've never heard of any kind of remote control being used on a loco, and an Internet search has turned up no further info. Does anyone have any knowledge of these machines and how they operated?

pre65 7th September 2016 21:10

I know some steelworks used remote control locos, presumably for safety reasons.

And there were the class 13, which was two 08 coupled together with one minus cab and controlled by the other.

pre65 7th September 2016 21:12

How about this ?

http://www.hima-sella.co.uk/rail-sys...-radio-control

boilersuit 9th September 2016 09:04

Thanks Philip, it makes sense now. You learn something new every day, don't you? :)

Kasane 26th September 2017 04:03

It's in use all the time in yards here in North America. You can tell when an engineer is controlling a locomotive (or more) from a belt-pack (the term used for the control). The locomotive will have a flashing white light on top to signify this mode of operation.

Often, on a fine day, the engineer will choose to control the locomotive from the locomotive's external walkway rather than sit cramped up inside......

hereward 26th September 2017 16:37

Philip's link comes up 404 page not found. Even more confused now, why remote control from the cab? I had visions of movements being controlled from a tower above the yard!

boilersuit 27th September 2017 16:32

Earlier this year the Kent & East Sussex Railway acquired one of the remote-control fitted Class 08 diesels. It was 08888 (D4118) and had been fitted for remote control operation by DB Cargo while working in South Wales. One of the first jobs to be carried out when it arrived at the K&ESR was to remove the emergency stop buttons and the garish 'traffic lights' front and back.

Ploughman 27th September 2017 19:03

1 Attachment(s)
08495 now at the NYMR currently being used as the PW yard loco.
This was Remote control fitted and has various non standard lamp arrays fitted to either end.
I think it was radio fitted by DB Schenker for use at Eastliegh East yard.
It is no longer Radio control fitted.

Photo taken this month at Newbridge yard Pickering on the NYMR.

Kasane 27th October 2017 04:32

Following on from hereward's post, I found this photo of a loco with light above and associated signage :

http://www.railroadforums.com/photos...8/limit/recent

Typically, a yard crew will be despatched with a work list detailing which blocks of cars are to be moved from a consist on a specified track and moved to another (this is pullback switching). In larger yards there will be multiple tracks, storing different consists, the tracks coming together at each end (the high and the low end) where the tracks leave the yard.

All switching is done manually by the yard crew, the engineer being just part of the team. The benefit being that the engineer can see the switching operation better and can move independently in the yard as the locomotive picks up and drops off blocks between tracks. The other members are coupling/uncoupling cars and setting the switches.

The crew will often ride the block of cars although they are not supposed to.

My apologies for using North American terminology, I trust you can understand the terms.

hereward 27th October 2017 13:08

Thanks for that Kasane.


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