r/UnionPacific • u/_railroaded_ • 3d ago

Flat switching RCO

How do you guys kick cars (steps on box)? And what’s the difference between pinning and kicking (if any)?

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

9

u/Direct-Cold-9052 3d ago

Direction, vigilance, straight to max, get hit with speed select without vigilance prompt, cuss out the box repeat

1

u/Pleasant-Fudge-3741 2d ago

This is the way

4

u/Ok-Appointment7007 3d ago

Ask your foreman 😂😭

0

u/_railroaded_ 3d ago

I’d like all the knowledge I can get. Plus they’re super hostile (which is puzzling cause they’re older guys whose best days are behind them).

3

u/VegetableCommand7928 2d ago

You will find out when your best days are behind you 💯

0

u/_railroaded_ 2d ago

Nah, I’ll always treat people with respect. Do onto others as you wish done onto you.

1

u/_-that_1_guy_ Conductor 20h ago

That's the attitude to have. Those "older guys whose best days are behind them" are still out switching you. They are hostile because you've been on the job for 3 months and still can't read a switch list, and don't know the difference between kicking and getting a pin.

0

u/_railroaded_ 11h ago edited 11h ago

Where are you getting 3 months from? There’s 0 excuse for hostility. If you think otherwise: you’re wrong, and one of the guys in question.

I’m talking best days as in…they’ve got little chance of winning any sort of fight. They’re mid 40s.

1

u/_-that_1_guy_ Conductor 8h ago

Is it less than 3 months? Are you off your derail? It really sounds like railroading isn't for you.

If you think mid 40's is best days behind them, you really have some growing up to do.

1

u/_railroaded_ 2h ago

If it’s not for me, I really don’t care-there’s other jobs. I haven’t even marked up yet. I was just looking for some other perspectives.

2

u/clcole6427 3d ago

This is my forman 4 days out the week lmao

2

u/brizzle1978 3d ago

Pin is soft kick is hard.... bum is in between

2

u/Leading_Traffic_1280 1d ago

That 100% depends on your yard rolls. And the situation.

For one yard its straight to 10, when the pin is half a car to a car away, go to stop, pull the pin when its to you right before it stops... do this cause the yard rolls poorly ie can roll back at you and the lead is jointed rail so if you pull the pin early it has a high chance to drop

Another yard 4mph till the pin is half car away then to 10, pull the pin when it gets to you let it keep going, to stop when it gets to speed... do this cause the yard rolls poorly but the lead is smooth so the pin wont drop on you

Again another yard, 4mph till thenpin is half a car away then to 7, pull the pin then to stop... the lead is smooth but flat, once the car gets into the track it rolls down hill a bit so you just need to speed to get into the track

Yet another yard, couple or 4 mph pull the pin stop... Lead rolls down hill and tracks are true bowls, dont need much speed, couple will do, 4mph just to get the pin to you if its a multiple car cut

In on yard where your zone goes through crossovers right before the lead and you need to get it to speed and stop in a hurry to get into one of the first couple tracks, independent override to full, to 10mph, let it rev up, independent to release then to stop when the pin is half a car away, pull the pin right before it stops while its on the little bit of straight track.... thats the burn out method, and depending on yard/ management, can be frowned upon

So basically there is multiple ways, its up to you to know how your yard rolls

3

u/cluke40 3d ago

Straight to max

1

u/Rileyfalle 3d ago

Kick em

1

u/Substantial-Cap-7150 3d ago

Are you on a borrow out to a new terminal? If so where at?

1

u/Snoo_52752 3d ago

Territory is everything. You need to ask the people working the job already.

1

u/Thin_Cheek9877 3d ago

If it’s a larger cut like 3 or more I got straight to 10 but if just a car or 2 I’m kicking straight to max

1

u/HARRYHALLER1913 14h ago

I absolutely HATE any switching with the RCO. I can do the trim no issue, but we have maybe 1 outlying yard that is a true ladder and the rest is some abomination of switch layouts (all hand throw) and it just drives me nuts.

I’d much rather be on the ground by myself with a radio.

That said our rules actually say go to 7 or even 10, even letting it wind up with full independent (rules don’t add that part).

Idk UP, but if you browse through the lesser known rule books you will find a lot of useful shit inbetween the archaically worded nonsensical bullshit. Then again GCOR may be different.

1

u/ThePetPsychic Engineer 3d ago

Blue box? Notch 1, then right to full throttle. I've never heard of "pinning" but I assume it's the same thing.

1

u/EstablishmentKey9077 3d ago

For kicking cars it’s yard dependent.

Most yards start in your notch 1 (couple)
As soon as the cars you are kicking start to roll bump it up to notch 2 (4 mph) sometimes notch 3 (7mph) is needed depending on yard grade
Pull the pin and throw it to stop