Why were we moving backwards?

This morning, I was on the 8:22 from New Rochelle to GCT (which was 10 minutes late by the time it got to NRO). It was a train made up of older cars. I'm not a true railfan, so I can't identify the exact type, but from the pictures in Wikipedia, they looked like Shoreliners. Blue color scheme, names painted on the sides of the cars, square fronts. Some of the cars had doors at the ends, some in the middle of the cars.

Anyway, when we pulled into Mt. Vernon East, we stopped for a while with the doors closed. Then we started to creep backwards a bit. This went on for a while, alternating stopping and creeping backwards at very slow speed. We probably moved a total of a couple of car-lengths over the course of maybe 5 minutes. There was an announcement about attempting to "reset" something. Eventually, we got on our way.

Any idea what might have been going on?

Related question; what happens when a train goes backwards? Is there a second engineer in the back car?

for backup moves conductor goes back, to be eyes and ears , the engineer stays on front.
sounds like traction fault, betya you only moved back no more than a car length (85 feet).

roysmith wrote:This morning, I was on the 8:22 from New Rochelle to GCT (which was 10 minutes late by the time it got to NRO). It was a train made up of older cars. I'm not a true railfan, so I can't identify the exact type, but from the pictures in Wikipedia, they looked like Shoreliners. Blue color scheme, names painted on the sides of the cars, square fronts. Some of the cars had doors at the ends, some in the middle of the cars.

Anyway, when we pulled into Mt. Vernon East, we stopped for a while with the doors closed. Then we started to creep backwards a bit. This went on for a while, alternating stopping and creeping backwards at very slow speed. We probably moved a total of a couple of car-lengths over the course of maybe 5 minutes. There was an announcement about attempting to "reset" something. Eventually, we got on our way.

Any idea what might have been going on?

Related question; what happens when a train goes backwards? Is there a second engineer in the back car?

After looking at the timetable, there is no 8:22 from NRO to GCT. I believe you were on the 7:22 from NRO to GCT, train 1317, which was Shoreliner equipment as you describe. The train had mechanical problems at Mt. Vernon East, engine was reset, then train proceeded into GCT.

Thanks for the response. Yes, the 7:22. Sorry about the typo.

So, what does it mean for the engine to be reset, and how does backing up reset it?

roysmith wrote:Thanks for the response. Yes, the 7:22. Sorry about the typo.

So, what does it mean for the engine to be reset, and how does backing up reset it?

No worries about the typo. Engines being reset can be a number of things (Head End Power, Traction Motors, Braking Systems etc.) but on the particular trip you were on, I think there was an issue with the brakes and the air was slow to get back to normal pressures. You may have moved backwards for the crew to check and make sure the brakes were fully released on all cars. I've heard this called a "roll by inspection" at times. Hope that helps explain it a little better.

In most cases to reset the engine you have to reboot the computer.

Trains and cars are similar in the fact if you are stopped on a hill, release the brakes and give it gas but nothing happens, you roll in the downward direction of the hill.

breaks would be brakes for insiders, you need foreigner to correct you ?? WTF

DutchRailnut wrote:breaks would be brakes for insiders, you need foreigner to correct you ?? WTF

Yeah stupid iPhone corrections. Fixed it.

Interesting thread. I've experienced this as well a few times as well at Mt Vernon or Pelham, IIRC.