# Shunting commands



## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

is there a set of specific commands that is used in actual train operation? What does "half a car" mean?

Mohammed
www.allaboutlgb.com


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

I can't give you a list what commands there are. I just know that railroads have used hand signals, whistle signals, different lamp signals and so on. I imagine each railroad has/had their own way of communicating. 

A really good source for this info is in The Operators section of Model Railroader magazine. The articles were written by the late Andy Sperandeo.

As for when you hear someone say "half a car" that is someone on the ground or riding on the side of a car communicating to the engineer that there is half a car length to go until cars are coupled, engineer needs to stop the train, so on.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh, you were looking for the hand signals, whistle signals, and other communication devices for railroad switching operations. Sorry, I thought you were referring to a computer program to mimic switching moves. Try to find a railroad operating rules book from 1920 to about 1950 online. It should have examples of the different signals. By the 1930s, railroads were trying to use the same signals universally to avoid operational mishaps. (Employees -sometimes referred to as "boomers" - still tended to hire out where the business was good, moving to different railroads whenever they thought their opportunities would be better.)

Hope this helps,
David Meashey

P.S. Distance when switching (especially via radio communications) is given in CARS (the typical car on N&W in 1978 was defined as a 50 foot hopper car). Half a car is understood to mean 25 feet. Sounding out the distance in car lengths is usually used when the locomotive (and perhaps several cars) is being backed into a siding to make a "tie." (Real railroaders do not couple and uncouple; they "tie" (couple) and "cut" (uncouple).


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## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

Thanks Eric, Thanks Dave. What I had in mind is the radio communication between the switcher and the engineer. 

What would the switcher say to sound out distances greater than half a car? "one car", "two cars", maybe.

Dave: would the switcher tell the engineer "tied" or "cut" once he is finished the coupling or uncoupling procedure?

Mohammed
www.allaboutlgb.com


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

I've heard things from "keep coming" to "Three cars", "Two cars", "One car", "Half car"

As for when they're tied what I've heard is "That's good"


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Another common term is "That'll do."

Before radios (and still being done today when radio chatter is overloading the system), a trainman riding the end car will raise and lower his arm 3 times to indicated 3 cars to go to a coupling, then twice for 2 cars to go, once for 1 car, and then raise his arm at half a car and slowly lower his arm as the distance reduces. When the coupling is about to occur, he will swing his arm in a circle (equivalent to 'That'll do.").


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

What Semper indicated is pretty accurate. When I did bowl switching during the 1978 strike, guys would indicate the number of cars to a tie, then count down the car lengths. If the tie was not made, the brakeman might say "Stretch it and bump again." If the tie was good, he would just say "Stretch 'em!"

You would also hear chatter on the yard channel like "Gimme some slack so I can make a cut."

Have fun,
David Meashey


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## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

Thank you all, extremely helpful. I am working on a sound project for a train yard.

Mohammed
www.allaboutlgb.com


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Just to add to the general knowledge...

"Stretch 'em" is a request to pull on the just coupled cars to prove that the coupling was totally successful before the brake(air) line is connected and the car is moved anywhere (don't want a car to suddenly start rolling or come loose during switching moves until it is desired to let it go).

"Gimme some slack" is a request for the engineer to let up on the throttle (if pushing or pulling on a string of cars) or to give a standing string of cars a gentle push, to let the couplers to not be pressed so hard together such that the yardman cannot pull on the release lever to uncouple them.

"That'll do" is an acknowledgement that the requested operation is successful and the engineer can stop the movement.


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

One car is 50'. "Ahead half car" means to move ahead 25'. When ever a movement is started by radio command, you must give the direction and distance that is is save to move. The engineer is supposed to confirm the instruction. Movement must stop in 1/2 the distance specified if no further instructions are given. Tha means that if I am told to move 20 cars, I must stop withing 10 cars unless I am given a new instruction. I hope this answers some of your questions.


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## cnengineer (Jan 2, 2008)

usually after a stretch "em" the yardman will ask for "3 point protection" before they go between the cars to connect the air bags.


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