Emergency Cord

[trainfan]

I have seen several movies lately which involved trains and some how the plot always got around the

the emergency pull cord!!! to stop the train or not stop it as in "Silver Streak"

Do Amtrak cars have them because I dont remember seeing them??? If they do where are they??

Trainfan

 

[battalion51]

There is an emergency brake handle in each car, typically near the end door. These are only to be used in EXTREME Emergency. If an ordinary passenger were to use it, even if they were justified, they'd still be answering a lot of questions in the process. Silver Streak did use a little artistic liberty with the whole separation of the cars thing. When the connection is broken between two cars, the train dumps unless the angle **** is closed. In the movie only the rear end dumped after using the cord. The movie took a lot of liberties, but only people who really know trains would notice them.

 

[Shawn]

Oh and don't forget Runaway from the 70's. When there was a supposed "ice clog" in the air line and the conductor was able to "pull" the brake on from a secret compartment in the coach, and then push it off and then pull it on again, and only affect the one coach. I enjoyed the movie, but most of it was very made up.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

There is an emergency brake handle in each car, typically near the end door. These are only to be used in EXTREME Emergency

Let me also point out that the RED EMERGENCY EXIT HANDLES on windows are not curtain pulls. On a recent southbound Surfliner some female twit was bothered by the sun, said "Let's lower the curtain," and yanked on the RED EMERGENCY EXIT HANDLE.

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to run loose.

 

[battalion51]

Remember, when in doubt, read.

 

[Shawn]

Remember, when in doubt, read.

Um, I think you are asking too much. People don't do that well.

 

[GG-1]

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to run loose.

That must include us as we run in "Gatherings" or "Fests" :lol: :lol:

Aloha

BTW found coat now to loose more weight so I can Button it.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to run loose.

That must include us as we run in "Gatherings" or "Fests" :lol: :lol:

Aloha

BTW found coat now to loose more weight so I can Button it.

fascinate.

i got 9 buttons on this coat and i can only fascinate(fasten eight)

 

[battalion51]

It's more better that way. :lol:

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

How fast would the average Amtrak train take to stop using that cord?

And what are logical reasons to pull it anyway?

 

[PetalumaLoco]

My mother used to tell me of her brother, decades ago, who missed his stop. So he pulled the cord. Needless to say, they made sure he got off the train.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

How fast would the average Amtrak train take to stop using that cord?
And what are logical reasons to pull it anyway?

It depends on how fast the train is traveling at the time....

I saw a conductor pull it one time to stop the train in a station when the train started rolling a little while it was stopped in the station and we had started boarding passengers.

OBS gone freight...

 

[GG-1]

Oh I think when I was 6 or 7 I use to think that cord when all the way to the engine and was attached to the break peddle, always wondered what the engineer would think if he felt the peddle move

Aloha

 

[WhoozOn1st]

How fast would the average Amtrak train take to stop using that cord?
And what are logical reasons to pull it anyway?

Clearly the stop distance depends on the speed when the cord is pulled, and the weight of the train. I've been on two trains that went into emergency. The first was a Surfliner, to avoid a collision at a grade crossing. Collision avoided, but had to sit for a few minutes while the train was inspected. Second was on the return to L.A. during the Santa Fe 3751 steam excursion last June. That was chalked up to an air dump of "unspecified cause." Again an inspection wait before proceeding. In neither case was a cord pulled, but an emergency stop is an emergency stop.

A train in emergency is not like a car slamming on the brakes, but you definitely feel the unusually rapid deceleration. On the Surfliner, riding alone, I thought "Bet that was an emergency stop." Hadn't experienced one before, but it was pretty obvious. Then an attendant came on the PA and said, "For those of you who were wondering, yes, that was an emergency stop. We didn't hit anything." Major relief, cuz I was on my way to the airport; a collision woulda screwed me.

On the excursion a number of us were talking when we went into emergency. Everybody's eyebrows went up, we all looked at each other, and several of us said, almost in unison, "This isn't good." Upon learning that it was an air dump, and all was well, we launched into a discussion of the history of train braking.

As for a logical reason to pull the cord, one leaps to mind: A murderous wacko shooting passengers, as happened on the Long Island Rail Road a few years back.

 

[the Other Mike]

There is an emergency brake handle in each car, typically near the end door. These are only to be used in EXTREME Emergency

Let me also point out that the RED EMERGENCY EXIT HANDLES on windows are not curtain pulls. On a recent southbound Surfliner some female twit was bothered by the sun, said "Let's lower the curtain," and yanked on the RED EMERGENCY EXIT HANDLE.

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to run loose.

A blond ?

 

[AlanB]

As for a logical reason to pull the cord, one leaps to mind: A murderous wacko shooting passengers, as happened on the Long Island Rail Road a few years back.

Actually even that's not a good reason to pull the cord. Better to let the train continue into the station where police and fire can reach people faster and more easily. Pulling the cord isn't going to stop the guy with the gun from shooting anyone, and it's far more likely to injure people either with the abrupt stop or when they start jumping out of the car.

You should only pull the cord if someone is caught in the door and being dragged.

You don't pull it for a medical emergency (find a conductor), you don't pull if for a fire (you move to another car), and you don't pull it becuase you missed your stop.

 

[battalion51]

Well said Alan.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

As for a logical reason to pull the cord, one leaps to mind: A murderous wacko shooting passengers, as happened on the Long Island Rail Road a few years back.

Actually even that's not a good reason to pull the cord. Better to let the train continue into the station where police and fire can reach people faster and more easily. Pulling the cord isn't going to stop the guy with the gun from shooting anyone, and it's far more likely to injure people either with the abrupt stop or when they start jumping out of the car.

In an urban area you're probably right, Alan. But if something like that broke out on, say, the CZ out in middle of the Nevada nowhere I'd pull the cord and take my chances on the ground.

 

[AlanB]

As for a logical reason to pull the cord, one leaps to mind: A murderous wacko shooting passengers, as happened on the Long Island Rail Road a few years back.

Actually even that's not a good reason to pull the cord. Better to let the train continue into the station where police and fire can reach people faster and more easily. Pulling the cord isn't going to stop the guy with the gun from shooting anyone, and it's far more likely to injure people either with the abrupt stop or when they start jumping out of the car.

In an urban area you're probably right, Alan. But if something like that broke out on, say, the CZ out in middle of the Nevada nowhere I'd pull the cord and take my chances on the ground.

And if you did that and caused a delay in medical services reaching the train because the nearest road was 20 miles away, you'd now be liable should the victims decide to sue.

Again, run to another car. Try to tackle the person with the gun, throw food at him, whatever. But pulling the cord is not the best option.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

There is an emergency brake handle in each car, typically near the end door. These are only to be used in EXTREME Emergency

Let me also point out that the RED EMERGENCY EXIT HANDLES on windows are not curtain pulls. On a recent southbound Surfliner some female twit was bothered by the sun, said "Let's lower the curtain," and yanked on the RED EMERGENCY EXIT HANDLE.

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to run loose.

A blond ?

A brunette in shades, part of a twit Gang of Four.

Gang of Four

Curtain Pull

 

[sechs]

A train in emergency is not like a car slamming on the brakes, but you definitely feel the unusually rapid deceleration. On the Surfliner, riding alone, I thought "Bet that was an emergency stop." Hadn't experienced one before, but it was pretty obvious.

In my experience, the first thing that pops in my head when my train goes into emergency is either, "Why are we stopping?" or "What just flew by us?"

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

You should only pull the cord if someone is caught in the door and being dragged.
You don't pull it for a medical emergency (find a conductor), you don't pull if for a fire (you move to another car), and you don't pull it becuase you missed your stop.

The Eschede train disaster probably could have been prevented if the emergency cord had been pulled.

 

[GG-1]

You should only pull the cord if someone is caught in the door and being dragged.
You don't pull it for a medical emergency (find a conductor), you don't pull if for a fire (you move to another car), and you don't pull it because you missed your stop.

A lot of us had some fun with this Myself included. After Alan's comment It bothered me as a safety officer in my union that I made lite of the Emergency Cord by remembering thoughts from my youth, I shouldn't have, People die when we forget safety. Alan is correct and I repeat his quote.

You should only pull the cord if someone is caught in the door and being dragged.
You don't pull it for a medical emergency (find a conductor), you don't pull if for a fire (you move to another car), and you don't pull it because you missed your stop.

Mahalo Alan

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

There is an emergency brake handle in each car, typically near the end door. These are only to be used in EXTREME Emergency. If an ordinary passenger were to use it, even if they were justified, they'd still be answering a lot of questions in the process. Silver Streak did use a little artistic liberty with the whole separation of the cars thing. When the connection is broken between two cars, the train dumps unless the angle **** is closed. In the movie only the rear end dumped after using the cord. The movie took a lot of liberties, but only people who really know trains would notice them.

In real life, do the traction motors keep trying to drag the train forward if the cars are uncoupled in the fashion depicted in Silver Streak, which in real life causes the air brake line at the locomotive to lose pressure?

 

[WhoozOn1st]

My emergency chord is B flat minor.