Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
trucks fitted with flanged steel wheels that keep them on the rails
while being propelled by normal rubber-tired wheels.
head-end power (HEP):
This refers to electricity being provided to the
entire train by a special generator located either in the locomotive
or in an additional unit immediately behind it.
helper:
An additional locomotive, usually unstaffed and controlled
remotely from the lead unit. Helpers provide extra power for
long trains or for those going over steep grades.
highball:
A signal or verbal instruction that authorizes the train to
proceed at the maximum legal speed. For example, if Amtrak's
train 5, the California Zephyr, is loaded and ready to leave Grand
Junction, Colorado, the conductor may call the engineer on the
two-way radio and say, “Highball Grand Junction, number five.”
The term originated from the old practice of hoisting a colored
ball to the top of a signal pole to indicate a clear track ahead.
hopper car:
These differ from gondola cars by having sloped sides
and ends, permitting the contents to be dumped out of trap doors
in the car's bottom. Hopper cars carry bulk cargo such as grain
(in which case they're covered) or coal (in which case they're
not).
hot box:
An overheated journal bearing. If it's undetected for long,
a hot box can mean serious problems, up to and including failure
of the wheel, axle, or both.
hot-box detector:
These are the devices, simply referred to as “detec-
tors,” that put the cabooses out of business. They're sensitive to
heat and are placed at various intervals along the main tracks.
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