New Funny - Whats a FROG?

[DennyDay]

During my time of instructing Firefighters how to work safely while responding to a train derailment, I have discovered that there is a language barrier between railroaders and Firefighters, and understanding what the other guy is talking about when he goes into a quick explanation of what is or has happened. You can see it in the firefighters eyes - - Kinda' like a deer in the headlights look!



I heard this story in Alabama a number of years ago, and I think y'all will enjoy it too.



The Southern Railroad had a large shop in Birmingham, Alabama where they built and re-built track a assembly called a FROG. For those of you that don't know what a frog is, its any place that a rail crosses a rail, and looking down at the assembly, looks like a road kill frog.



One evening a welder was injured at work when a piece of steel he was burning with a torch fell off, and down in his boot, burning him badly. His foreman immediately took him to the hospital emergency room for treatment. After the guy was settled down in the ER, the nurse grabbed the foreman and asked him to help her complete the paper work. When she got to the part about what caused the accident, the foreman simply stated “He was burning the nuts off a frog with a blow torch and - - - - - - -



I'll let y'all figure the nurses reaction





Denny

 

[SHobbs]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/12/18424786_8b2744f188.jpg?v=0





http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2469980016_aa47b35f67.jpg?v=0





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The third picture is the newest generation "frogs", movable point. These are much smoother.



I have seen a few derailments due to bad "frogs". If not maintained correctly they can be extremely rough and the bolts that hold the rails to them can become loose causing all kinds of trouble.



Other phrases for you

rat killin = switching boxcars from track to track

making a joint = connecting railcars together

kicking cars or "kick it" as we say = letting a car roll into a track under its own momentum usually around 4 mph.



Hand signals are another thing that will confuse you. The older guys "oldheads" have a totally different set than us younger guys. The older folks relied on them more than we do since the advent of portable radios.

 

[nickleinonen]

Hand signals are another thing that will confuse you. The older guys "oldheads" have a totally different set than us younger guys. The older folks relied on them more than we do since the advent of portable radios.

i prefer the hand signals over radio if i have line of sight to my mate. i never do use the brakes apply or brakes release hand signals, but for forward/backwards/slow/stop i use them all the time when i am working as a hostler.

 

[SHobbs]

Nick,



I try to use hand signals or lantern signals all the time for movement or air tests. We have so many managers out testing us to see if we use "proper" radio communication. If you don't say things just right they want to discipline you for a rule violation. We don't get to use hand or lantern signals very often now that the remote control technology is in use and engineers in yard service are getting few and far between.

 

[nickleinonen]

i've been dinged a few times for improper radio procedures. on the shop and yard channels i don't worry at all, but if i am out somewhere and i have to talk to someone on a main line AAR channel, then i very much try and do the proper radio procedures.

i don't get to do much work on the locomotives anymore with the new position i have keeping the diesel shop from falling apart. i miss doing the engine repairs