Re: Trolley buses...and a Muni TAN
Peter D. Ehrlich
Sunday, February 24, 2002 3:26 PM
In a message dated 24 Feb 2002 @ 0348 PST "IS Edit"
<[email protected]> wrote:
It is true that working the trolley coaches makes you a better operator.
You have to constantly be focused on your position with regard to the wires
and turnouts and breakers--the way to set up the coaches for turns is
different from that on a diesel.
In 1983, I was assigned to Muni's Kirkland Division, a diesel bus barn. One
signup, I decided to sign on the Floating Extra Board, in which the operator
could be assigned to any rubber-tired barn, diesel or trolley. I did this
specifically to get qualified on trolley coaches and increase my experience
and awareness for trolley coach-specific problems. Yet, there were certain
maneuvers which I could just not get down no matter how I tried. 95% of
dewirements on Muni are caused by operator error--not setting the coach up
for a turn, going too fast over a crossing, etc. There was one turn on the
3-Jackson and 4-Sutter lines which gave me fits--and this was with the main
move, which was to make the left onto Kearny Street crossing the 30-Stockton
wire, but there was a switch positioned at the beginning of the intersection
of Post and Kearny to allow short turn coaches to return to Sutter right
away. For some reason, I had problems setting the coach up, and the poles
would--natch!--follow the wrong wire, than Ka-Bam! There went the poles.
One time, a pole dislodged, and there I sat for an eternity in the middle of
a busy street...Nowadays, most--but not all--of the switches have been
converted to communications-based technology.
OTOH, there were intersections which gave other--more seasoned--operators
fits, which I was able to do perfectly. And I was able to trouble-shoot a
Flyer trolley well. And yes, I had one notable "out from under the wires"
incident--as a matter of fact, this was right down the street from R.T.'s
grandparents house! One night, I was on the 1-California and got to 32nd &
Clement. For some reason, I thought I was a 2-Clement (similar-looking
buses, plenty of 2-Clement diesel driving experience), and went straight
instead of turning left--with predictable results. Fortunately, there was a
shop truck stationed at 33rd & Geary. Well, I radioed Central to have the
shop truck come and push me all the way over to 31st & California to rewire
Actually, I lost very little schedule time despite this major faux pas.
Being a trolley coach operator was never my forté. However, I do consider
myself a natural-born streetcar motorman...
Milantram
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<[email protected]> wrote:
I worked for three public transport undertakings. Every one
made you train on a route before you operated it in
service.
Trolley bus operators are as aware of their overhead as
tram motormen are of the track ahead of them-and the
overhead. When I was driving trolley buses, I tried to keep
the ropes vertical in the rear windows on turns and other
trolley bus line crossings as that maximised the chances of
the poles staying on the wire (no lateral force). You
develop a consciousness. And if you blow it, you've got to
get out and put the poles back up. If you've run out from
under the wires, the bus has got to be pushed back to
them. You wouldn't make a habit out of it.
If you were on a heavy trolley bus line, your follower would
be onto you before you got going again and you'd be
doing his work for most of the rest of the trip. It wasn't a
matter of idiocy but of paying the penalty if you blew it. It
kept you motivated and focused.
There was no physical mechanism to keep trolley buses
under the wires. Other than the driver who is supposed to
have his vehicle under control at all times.
Bob Murphy
It is true that working the trolley coaches makes you a better operator.
You have to constantly be focused on your position with regard to the wires
and turnouts and breakers--the way to set up the coaches for turns is
different from that on a diesel.
In 1983, I was assigned to Muni's Kirkland Division, a diesel bus barn. One
signup, I decided to sign on the Floating Extra Board, in which the operator
could be assigned to any rubber-tired barn, diesel or trolley. I did this
specifically to get qualified on trolley coaches and increase my experience
and awareness for trolley coach-specific problems. Yet, there were certain
maneuvers which I could just not get down no matter how I tried. 95% of
dewirements on Muni are caused by operator error--not setting the coach up
for a turn, going too fast over a crossing, etc. There was one turn on the
3-Jackson and 4-Sutter lines which gave me fits--and this was with the main
move, which was to make the left onto Kearny Street crossing the 30-Stockton
wire, but there was a switch positioned at the beginning of the intersection
of Post and Kearny to allow short turn coaches to return to Sutter right
away. For some reason, I had problems setting the coach up, and the poles
would--natch!--follow the wrong wire, than Ka-Bam! There went the poles.
One time, a pole dislodged, and there I sat for an eternity in the middle of
a busy street...Nowadays, most--but not all--of the switches have been
converted to communications-based technology.
OTOH, there were intersections which gave other--more seasoned--operators
fits, which I was able to do perfectly. And I was able to trouble-shoot a
Flyer trolley well. And yes, I had one notable "out from under the wires"
incident--as a matter of fact, this was right down the street from R.T.'s
grandparents house! One night, I was on the 1-California and got to 32nd &
Clement. For some reason, I thought I was a 2-Clement (similar-looking
buses, plenty of 2-Clement diesel driving experience), and went straight
instead of turning left--with predictable results. Fortunately, there was a
shop truck stationed at 33rd & Geary. Well, I radioed Central to have the
shop truck come and push me all the way over to 31st & California to rewire
Actually, I lost very little schedule time despite this major faux pas.
Being a trolley coach operator was never my forté. However, I do consider
myself a natural-born streetcar motorman...
Milantram
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Stock for $4.
No Minimums.
FREE Money 2002.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/BgmYkB/VovDAA/ySSFAA/DiTxlB/TM
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Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/