THANK YOU !!!

[rogertra]

What IS a train?

"A locomotive, or locomotives, coupled together, with or without cars, displaying markers"

That is a train.  Anything else is just locomotives or cars.

[rogertra]

Summertrainz

I'm really happy that you received excellent service from Bachmann and yes, we were a bit tough on you and I apologize if I personally upset you.

[Summertrainz]

  no it makes this board fun to come to
to see your comments
don't worry about it

[Conrail Quality]

What IS a train?

"A locomotive, or locomotives, coupled together, with or without cars, displaying markers"

That is a train.  Anything else is just locomotives or cars.

What about MU's?

[Guilford Guy]

#4 is only a locomotive but it may stiill be considered a train since the 2-6-6-6 is hauling he tender behind it.
A GP7 would be a better fit gene, but you are as steam guy.

[SteamGene]

Conrail - AFAIK, a consist is considered a locomotive. 

GG, the fact that the H8 is attached to its tender has no bearing on the problem.  If it didn't have its tender, it couldn't work.   Every day many locomotives move under their own power and are not a train.
Obviously a lesson needs to be taught.
Of the examples, one and only one is not a train or the picture of a train.   Which is it?
Gene

[Conrail Quality]

Conrail - AFAIK, a consist is considered a locomotive. 

I meant self-propelled cars, like the Pennsy MP-54's.

[SteamGene]

A self-propelled car may or may not be a train.  Hopefully if it is out on the main, it will be.
Gene

[ASIANLIFE]

Gene

I always believed a train consisted of a motive power unit plus either freight or passenger capacity. Therefore if the H8 is running light engine it is not a train. However in terms of scheduling, a loco moving light might be considered a train movement. Hmmmm....

And Summertrainz- take heart- even Gene spelt a word wrong on one post within this thread. However I must agree with other posts, the ability to communicate correctly, so that the message received is the same as the one transmitted, is fundamental. Or so my wife tells me.

Paul

[SteamGene]

Paul,
Your belief is not correct.  THe H8 running light is a train based on the description.  It could also not be a train if something didn't happen.  I THINK most of the helper locos that drifted back to Hinton were trains.  Some may have not been for various reasons.
Still waiting.
Gene

[Summertrainz]

seems like from my mis interpretation of my comment i've sparked a wild fire of questions about what is a "train"...

id love to see how it turns out

[Guilford Guy]

I am going to say #2.
All the other ones are said to be moving or hauling except #2.

[ASIANLIFE]

Gene

this is a definition I found

train= a series of railway carriages or wagons moved as a unit by a locomotive or by integral motors.

However, Wikipedia says the following-

In the United Kingdom Section 83(1) of the Railways Act 1993 defines "train" as follows:

a) two or more items of rolling stock coupled together, at least one of which is a locomotive; or
b) a locomotive not coupled to any other rolling stock.


Similarly, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's 1948 operating rules define a train as: "An engine or more than one engine coupled, with or without cars, displaying markers."[1]

So is it the markers that are key here ?

Paul

[rogertra]

What IS a train?

"A locomotive, or locomotives, coupled together, with or without cars, displaying markers"

That is a train.  Anything else is just locomotives or cars.

What about MU's?

As I wrote and as the rules, at least in North America dictate that a train is: -

"A locomotive, or locomotives, coupled together, with or without cars, displaying markers"

Therefore, to be a train an M.U. must display markers. 

To answer Gene's question.   A light engine is a train when it displays markers.  To occupy the mainline outside of yard limits the loco, say engine No. 1234,  must display markers in order to be a train and thus occupy the main outside yard limits as, for example "Extra 1234 East"

AIUI, an EOT these days counts as "markers".  A train is a train as long as it displays markers.  As soon as the markers are removed at a terminal, the train ceases to exists and just becomes a cut of cars.

[rogertra]

Similarly, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's 1948 operating rules define a train as: "An engine or more than one engine coupled, with or without cars, displaying markers."[1]

So is it the markers that are key here ?

Paul

Yes, it's the markers that make the train, nothing else.  The UK description is irelevant in North America.  In North America, no markers, then it's not a train and cannot occupy the mainline outside yard limits.