Defect-Detector Boxes

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well Im sure we all know of the Defect-Detector boxes that all class 1 railroads use. I have always wondered about the mileage placement. Are these boxes placed by set miles, every 10? 15? etc.

Thanks.

 

[Amfleet]

I think it is around every 60-70 miles.

 

[railohio]

Depends on the railroad, traffic, and track.

In the east on NS and CSX they are placed about every 15 to 20 miles apart. On the ex-B&O across northern Ohio they are located at mileposts 90.3, 73.3, 52.2, and 31.1; on the ex-B&O Toledo Sub they are at 178.8, 160.6, and 140.3.

Railroads with concrete ties tend to put them closer together, as dragging equipment will do more monetary damage to concrete ties than wood ones.

Also, out west a number of detectors on the BNSF, and maybe UP too, are set to talk on defect only. It's this way around the busy terminals of Chicago as well. The ones in the east talk on all trains (and sometimes multiple times for each train).

 

[battalion51]

In the east they are every 15-25 miles as railohio said. Most DD's will give you a greeting, shortly after actuating the DD with an anouncement similar to this: "CSX Equipment Defect Detector Milepost 295.6 Track 1" (track number only stated when DD's are on mulitple tracks). Following a reading on the train the DD will come back with the greeting plus the statement of whether there were any defects (if a defect is found it is usually announced twice. Some DD's (not all) will give additional information such as length of train, total axle, current speed, current temperature, etc. The crew (Conductor and Head End) are supposed to acknowledge the DD, although they don't in some areas.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Yeah, I had noticed that the NS detectors on the Crescents route, atleast in the part south of ATL, seem to be very frequent compared to other parts of the US.

 

[tp49]

Out here in CA they seem to be every 15-20 miles or so depending upon the line. On the lines I ride they are about every 15 or so usually saying "UP detector mile post xx.x no defects total axels xxx train speed xxmph." There is one in the Roseville area that gives the temp but not all of them do.

 

[railohio]

Different detectors on the same line are programmed to say different things. Some will give trainspeed, axles, train lenght, etc. Some will even give a special message "Have a safe day." All the CSX ones say "End of transmission." When they are all done. At first I found this odd, but I've seen some on CSX give the final report up to three times before saying this. Where I come from, the detectors only give the final report once.

The subject of calling a detector is confusing, at best. Conrail detectors said "Over" at the end of their transmissions for crews to call the detector, as they would a signal. After the Conrail split, Norfolk Southern eliminated this while CSX kept it. No NS crews (that I've heard) call detectors while CSX crews on ex-Conrail lines do. None of the old CSX lines (C&O, B&O, etc.) ever seem to call the detecors, even if it's an ex-Conrail crew.

 

[battalion51]

All the CSX ones say "End of transmission."

Not necessarily. CSX has a new breed of detector that's been installed in three locations to my knowledge (A295.6, A651.9 on the A line from Richmond to Tampa and SX952.1 on the SX line from Auburndale to Miami). These detectors have a new voice (one [now retired] Conductor even said "It sounds like an idiot") that end with "Detector out." I have several mp3's of the DD's (I have way too much time on my hands) if anyone would like to hear a few different varities.

 

[tp49]

The UP ones I've heard say "detector out" at the end of the transmission.

 

[Viewliner]

Battalion, could you e-mail them to me. I prefer the old voice as well, and I agree the other one almost sounds like an idiot.