PTC horn soundings

I can see David the engineer try to override the system and the PTC says:  DAVE, I can not allow you to do that.

(CF:  2001 movie)

God knows I’m not an expert on PTC but; this preprogrammed sounding of locomotive horns at grade crossings does not sound like any element of PTC I have heard discussed in industry meetings or about which I’ve read.

PTC’s primary function is to prevent trains from running into each other as a result of engineers ignoring signal indications or improperly lined switches. It is also intended to prevent over speed violations.

I honestly can’t imagine any railroad finding a benefit in having a horn automatically sound at every grade crossing.

Given that last Sunday was April Fools day; I have to wonder if the post you read was intended as a joke.

Curt

PTC will be programmed along with Trip Optimizer on PTC territories to initiate the  blowing of  the horn. It will blow the crossing sequence if the Engineer fails to.

On the Pocahontas Division. T.O. already works from Bluefield WV to Williamson WV. 

The NS has already replaced the shunting devises out of certain crossing to work with the system to initiate the horn. Not sure if they have here on the Pokey since I no longer work in that pool.

That IS interesting!  Thanks Collin!  I reckon a hearty helping of crow will be on my breakfast plate this morning.

Curt

mackb4 posted:

PTC will be programmed along with Trip Optimizer on PTC territories to initiate the  blowing of  the horn.

Mack,
Now I am really glad that I am GONE!

BTW, I'm not in agreement that the NS consolidated & renamed the Virginia Div. into the Pocahontas Div. But, then again, I wasn't very happy when we lost the Shenandoah Div. either!

Next we will have Engineers HAL and Watson!

Or Colossus and Guardian, courtesy Dr. Forbin.

Or Skynet, brought to you by Cyberdine systems!

The General Code of Operating Rules requires the sounding of the whistle when approaching and passing over public crossings.  We specifically instructed Engineers not to routinely sound the whistle when approaching private crossings, except when there was men or machinery near or approaching the crossing.  In order to have a private crossing, the owner of the private roadway must sign an agreement to be responsible for giving right of way to rail traffic, and holding the railroad harmless if men or equipment are struck on the crossing.

The exposure of railroads to opportunistic lawsuits is enormous.  If the whistle is routinely sounded for all private crossings it becomes normal practice and then the railroad can be held culpable in court.

A little late to this thread, but yes...where PTC is active here on CSX, it will automatically start blowing the horn if the engineer doesn't start in time. It takes away any discretion from the engineer as to instances where the horn may start blowing under an overpass, or right next to someone's ear. But even more so, it does start honking at every dirt road, farm road, and everywhere else. It's incredibly annoying, especially at 3am when it just starts WAHHHHHHHH-WAHHHHH-WAH-WAHHHHHHHH. As you know, engines no longer have a manual valve with air going through it, it's just an electric solenoid that gives the full volume of air straight from the main res to the horn.

What's even more annoying is that PTC has crossings programed into it where there is no crossing at all...there's a few random spots in the middle of nowhere where the horn will start blowing, and the screen shows a grade crossing.

Last time our exRFE, now trainmaster road with us, I asked he wanted us to continue the horn sequence when PTC initiates one, even when it's for a private crossing or where there is no crossing. His response was yes, if PTC wants you to blow the horn, it is your duty to do a full grade crossing sequence, even if there is no crossing there. Yikes.

It makes me grateful that PTC fails on me 50% of the time and it has to be cut out. It's a hindrance.

Jeffrey Sessa posted:

Last time our exRFE, now trainmaster road with us, I asked he wanted us to continue the horn sequence when PTC initiates one, even when it's for a private crossing or where there is no crossing. His response was yes, if PTC wants you to blow the horn, it is your duty to do a full grade crossing sequence, even if there is no crossing there. Yikes.

It makes me grateful that PTC fails on me 50% of the time and it has to be cut out. It's a hindrance.

Does the PTC display (assume(?) there is one) alert you that a crossing is coming up to allow you to initiate sounding, or does PTC just start blat-blatting on its own?

Maybe the railroads should squeeze as much functionality out of this feature as possible.  

NS should program PTC on their Pittsburgh line so that engines on trains rounding Horseshoe Curve can automatically sound a series of “toot toot’s” to spectators standing in the park.  😉  

Curt

Makes you wonder who comes up with this horse hockey!

rrman posted:

Does the PTC display (assume(?) there is one) alert you that a crossing is coming up to allow you to initiate sounding, or does PTC just start blat-blatting on its own?

Yes, there's a small line across the tracks that shows crossing at grade (even for where there isn't one). A lot of times, the PTC will start sounding the horn earlier than an engineer would, especially in the circumstance of "private farmer's crossing at 2am", and since the PTC screen is on my left, I'm not looking at it most of the time...it's out of the normal line of sight (straight, through windshield)

Happily, my last round trip before working a local this week, PTC had to be cut out on the trip up because it decided the green intermediate signal I was passing was an absolute red as I was passing it at 50 mph, and then the engine for the trip back had already been cut out for some communication failure a few subdivisions earlier.

YIKES! Did they throw out the the rule book with PTC? Not to mention common sense!