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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: Some of my freight cars have a small black square with a yellow dot in the middle. I don’t see those on freight cars now. What does it mean? A: The stencils were used in the late 1970s. The Southern Wheel Company had produced a run of wheels suspected of failing in service and causing serious derailments. Starting on March 31, 1978, the FRA required railroads to inspect all cars of 70 tons or less which used 33” wheels. Cars that had the suspect wheels were stenciled with a 12” square black panel with a 6” centered white dot. Cars with approved wheels had a yellow dot in the same size panel.
Joe Brugger photos
Cars carrying white dots could not be used in trains carrying hazardous materials and after Dec. 31, 1978, the wheel sets had to be removed and replaced with a safe set. Cars built between March and December of 1978 had the dots applied by the makers. The inspection routine wasn’t perfect and it wasn’t unusual to see yellow dots on all sorts of cars. The yellow dots could still be seen on equipment through the 1980s and later. See figure 1. — Joe Brugger Q: My hobby dealer wants to sell me a DCC decoder he says will simulate Rule 17 operations. What is Rule 17 and why should I care?
Page 27 • Issue 10 • Nov/Dec 2010 • MRH Questions, Answers and Tips, page 1
A: The MRH research staff looked in three rule books -- Union Pacific’s 1954 and 1972 editions, and the Uniform Code of Operating Rules from June 2, 1968, and Rule 17 governs when and how locomotive headlights are to be used. There are a couple exceptions and much explanation, but in a nutshell, the rule requires leading engines to display a bright headlight both day and night. It must be extinguished when a train has stopped clear of a main track to meet a train or is standing to meet a train at the end of double track or a junction. Rule S-17 (which the UP doesn’t apply in ABS or CTC territory) says when the
Figure 1: The yellow dot on the 12” black square signifies this gondola has approved wheels. headlight on a train in a siding is burning, an opposing train must approach prepared to stop before passing headlight, and if the head end of train is clear of main track, may proceed at restricted speed to the point where main track may be obstructed. Rule 17-B, in part, requires dimming headlights in yards where yard engines are being used or in stations where switching is being done; when standing on the main track close behind another train; when standing on the main track awaiting the arrival of
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