10-30 Sevier Yard Sightings

[ssmith1627]

Please do tell me if I shouldn't be doing this.  After reading some of the Knoxville "frograil" tour info, I went with my wife and son and parked behind the division office buliding at the sevier yard.  This was about 6:30 tonight.   We stayed in the car and out of the way and didn't take pictures.   Hopefully just sitting and watching isn't a huge no-no.

Great spot even from inside the car.   #'s 9850, 9871 and 9494 arrived with a mixed train from the west.   They uncoupled and took the lower tracks that bypass the classification yard so they passed right in front and below us.   

The guys on the yard quickly moved to dividing up the train into 1-2 car units that rolled over the hump and down into the yard.  Is this stuff automated ?  Something reads the car # and controls the switching ?   Just wondering how automated / manual this whole thing is.  They moved along pretty fast.  The train was cut up within 30 minutes of arrival I'd say.

After the three locomotives listed above passed by, another group of four came along being pushed by 9063.   These were 7891, 8823, 917 & 940.   These last two are slugs but I still don't know what slugs even are  ! haha

2359 and 5005 were parked (tied down?) just to the left of the hump.   

As a side note.....I can hear from my back yard the braking mechanism the cars go through as they pass over the hump.   Nice to see the whole thing up close.

Steve

[Michael Knight]

Steve,

I see you're learning quickly!

I wouldn't consider Frograil's information as entirely factual.  Much of the information was compiled by people who were traveling through, rather than people who are familiar with the respective areas covered. Please use extreme caution near any railroad facilities.

For more information about railroad operations, I recommend this book. http://www.amazon.com/Norfolk-Southern-Railway-Railroad-History/dp/0760332495

Tied-down is indeed the correct term that's used to describe parked engines or cars, like the 2359 & 5005 set that you saw.

It sounds like the engines that passed you, which took the route that bypassed the hump, were on the "Highline Incline," as it's often called.

The hump is an fairly automated system. Currently, an engineer operates the hump locomotives, and  trainmen on the hump communicate with him regarding when to stop and proceed, the speed of the train, etc.  A trainman stands at the hump's crest and uncouples the cars based on their destinations. The cuts of cars that stay coupled together are going to the same track in the class yard and will typically depart the yard on the same train.

In the hump tower, a Central Retarder Operator (CRO) selects the position of switches on the east side of the hump based on the destination of each car or cut of cars.  The CRO also controls the speed of each car using retarders, which are basically hydraulic pistons that extend upward, at an angle, directly adjacent to the top each rail.  The retarders control speed by making contact with the wheels of the cars that pass over them. The sound that you hear from your back yard is from the retarders making contact with the wheel flanges.

The east side of the hump is the Class yard. The sorted cars from the hump accumulate here, and they are coupled together into longer cuts and (typically) moved to River Yard for departure. The trains that work in the Class yard are called "Pullbacks," and the locomotives are operated by remote control. There is no engineer on these jobs; the movements are made by a trainman with a belt-pack controlling device.

[ssmith1627]

I was surprised how fast the loco's unhooked and moved on after the train pulled into the yard.   I guess it makes sense.  They want to get it cut up as quickly as they can.  The hump locomotive, as you said, was pushing the train from the other end within a few minutes.   We were driving when we saw the train so we followed it toward the yard and then parked just in time to see all the rest.   Was a lot of fun.

Is saw that NS book the other day.   I'll get that.  And at some point, I'll pull the trigger on the scanner. 

Thanks for all the other insight.  It really is helpful.  Sometimes you have to hear something said different ways before it really sinks in so this does help put the pieces together.    Hopefully you guys don't tire of the posts of a newbie.   

Steve

[Ns Railfan]

Be careful sitting behind the Div. offices.  People who park there are know to have been contacted by the authorities and have their activities questioned.  Good luck!

[ssmith1627]

Thank you.   That's half of why I posted -- to see if that was ok or a no-no.   I certainly didn't take pics.    But I'll stay away from the area.

Steve

[billworsham]

In case you didn't know, the little building in front of the Division Office IS the NS Police Department.  I have went in there from time to time to ask permission to sit behind the division office, giving them my driver's license info and vehicle/license plate info, and they allowed me to sit there.  So I guess it depends on who you talk to.