06-11-2010, 08:17 AM
Gary S Wrote:Oh... forgot this... I would guess that when making a trailing point setout, the fewer cars between the engine and setout, the better? As examples, if the setout was right behind the engine, then we would cut off the rest of the train before the turnout, pull forward and then shove the setout into the turnout. The engineer could easily see what was being done because he is right there at the spur.
On the other hand, If that setout was at the end of the train, then we would do the same thing as above, but the engine would be several (or many) cars away from the setout/spur so it would not be as easy to see what was going on, plus all the slack in the couplers, plus having to move all the cars forward, then in reverse, then forward again, then revers again.
sound right?
Depending on the era, I think you might not even need a run-around. You can draw on such questionable-safety moves as poling, or the flying switch.
Andrew