I have a very strange question that has bothered me since I was very little. Please dont laugh, but, where do the Engineer and Fireman go to the bathroom?
VERY odd question of mine
- Thread starter Kevinkrey
- Start date
On modern units the toilet is in the "nose" portion of the crew compartment. On older standard cab units the toilet was down in the nose, accessed from a door inside the cab. On some units, particularly older GEs the toilet was in the long hood directly behind the cab, and on switchers the toilet was also in the long hood, in front of the cab. I don't know about GP7/9/18 or F3/7/9 units, they were all long gone before I hired on the RR.
Incidentally these toilets can become very nasty and the odor can be intolerable when they are not being maintained properly, especially the standard cab units, and especially during summer. On these older units the toilet is in the nose, and there is no heat or AC so you either go down there and freeze your butt off or sweat your butt off. Also if you have to #2 you should go back to another unit or you'll stink up the cab!
On all types of units some of these toilets have a blue sanitizing liquid in them and when the train is moving it splashes all around, on the seat, the walls, the floor, oh yeah and you butt if you're sitting and your shoes if you're standing.
Usually you can find one clean toilet in a consist, if not you pray for a red board so you can take to the woods.:mrgreen:
Dave
Incidentally these toilets can become very nasty and the odor can be intolerable when they are not being maintained properly, especially the standard cab units, and especially during summer. On these older units the toilet is in the nose, and there is no heat or AC so you either go down there and freeze your butt off or sweat your butt off. Also if you have to #2 you should go back to another unit or you'll stink up the cab!
On all types of units some of these toilets have a blue sanitizing liquid in them and when the train is moving it splashes all around, on the seat, the walls, the floor, oh yeah and you butt if you're sitting and your shoes if you're standing.
Usually you can find one clean toilet in a consist, if not you pray for a red board so you can take to the woods.:mrgreen:
Dave
On modern units the toilet is in the "nose" portion of the crew compartment. On older standard cab units the toilet was down in the nose, accessed from a door inside the cab. On some units, particularly older GEs the toilet was in the long hood directly behind the cab, and on switchers the toilet was also in the long hood, in front of the cab. I don't know about GP7/9/18 or F3/7/9 units, they were all long gone before I hired on the RR.
Incidentally these toilets can become very nasty and the odor can be intolerable when they are not being maintained properly, especially the standard cab units, and especially during summer. On these older units the toilet is in the nose, and there is no heat or AC so you either go down there and freeze your butt off or sweat your butt off. Also if you have to #2 you should go back to another unit or you'll stink up the cab!
On all types of units some of these toilets have a blue sanitizing liquid in them and when the train is moving it splashes all around, on the seat, the walls, the floor, oh yeah and you butt if you're sitting and your shoes if you're standing.
Usually you can find one clean toilet in a consist, if not you pray for a red board so you can take to the woods.:mrgreen:
Dave
That doesnt sound fun to me
sign1Oh yeah, the waste is flushed into a holding tank which is later pumped out when the unit is serviced.
From what I have heard from the "old heads" the older cabooses and passenger equipment used to flush right to the roadbed, don't know if early diesels did this. Imagine having to service the running gear of a caboose after the conductor and rear brakeman had mexican food night.sign1
Also, I wouldn't know as it was WAAAYYY before my time but I hear that the toilet on steam locomotives was also known as a coal pile (in the tender bunker) I have no clue about oil fired steamers.
Dave
From what I have heard from the "old heads" the older cabooses and passenger equipment used to flush right to the roadbed, don't know if early diesels did this. Imagine having to service the running gear of a caboose after the conductor and rear brakeman had mexican food night.sign1
Also, I wouldn't know as it was WAAAYYY before my time but I hear that the toilet on steam locomotives was also known as a coal pile (in the tender bunker) I have no clue about oil fired steamers.
Dave
N
nachoman
Yep. On steamers one would whiz off the side of the gangway, hopefully in a rural area, and hopefully towards the outside of the curve (if on a passenger train - you see, the passengers can see the engine on the inside of the curve!) For a #2, as stated, either the coal pile or sandbox. The "waste" would then be disposed of in the firebox 
Kevin
Kevin
Yep. On steamers one would whiz off the side of the gangway, hopefully in a rural area, and hopefully towards the outside of the curve (if on a passenger train - you see, the passengers can see the engine on the inside of the curve!) For a #2, as stated, either the coal pile or sandbox. The "waste" would then be disposed of in the firebox
Kevin
Oh, no, don't give doctorwayne more ideas along this line, PLEASE!!!!
There's a line in the song "Ridin' on The City of New Orleans" that goes "passengers will please refrain.........." (from using the lavatory while the train is standing in the station) for obvious reasons. this was a standard call by the conductor in the old days before holding tanks.
Glad to see I got a good response, (thanks puddlejumper), and that I sparked a good conversation, well a good not so good conversation, or a, oh nevermind you get the idea!
One brakeman told the tale of taking advantage of a long blank wall on a factory to relieve himself. Then one day he went by and there were lights on behind the windows and office workers inside. ops:
ops:As late as 1980 they made the same call on at least two European (or you're-a-peein' in this case) roads. I don't remember which, but I do remember being surprised to see the ties flying by when I went to take a leak. I'm 90% certain one was Italian on the way from Milan to Rome, but I'm not sure about the other. I do remember an uncomfortable hour on one of them because I couldn't bring myself to tipple my coal onto the tracks.
T
Tim Crowe
Try working trackside when you see a train coming towards you with spray coming from the side! :cry:
Modern passenger trains still vent overboard if the tank is full :cry:
Just remember to keep your mouth closed and eyes shut :cry:
Modern passenger trains still vent overboard if the tank is full :cry:
Just remember to keep your mouth closed and eyes shut :cry:
I believe the Chinese bothered to put toilets in their later standard steam classes - did any other country?