340:, in particular, used "swing helpers", which meant the helper locomotives were placed mid-train at a point where they were pushing and pulling an approximately equal amount of tonnage, said location being referred to as the train's "swing point". This was also done to balance out the "slack" in the train between the locomotives, the swing helpers, and the end train helpers just in front of the caboose. However, this arrangement requires splitting the train in order to add or remove the helper engine(s), which can be a time-consuming maneuver. However, on some American railroads it was necessary to an extent, because operating rules required end of train helpers to be added at the end of the train, but in front of the
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383:, in emergency situations, but in special cases trains are banked with uncoupled locomotives, which can be added or removed "in-flight." In the UK it was a usual practice for banking locomotives to follow and buffer-up to a slow-moving assisted freight train without coupling (as demonstrated in archive films of banking on the
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Pushers/helpers were commonly designed to provide extreme power for very short runs; as a result they could not push at full power for very far before steam pressure dropped. If it could push enough to get the train to the top of the grade, then it could build up pressure while coasting back down and
237:. A misunderstanding of signals by a pusher locomotive crew could result in a major wreck if the lead locomotive applied brakes while the bank engine was still applying power. The usual result was that the train would experience a violent run-in (an abrupt bunching of train slack), resulting in the
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Nowadays helpers/bankers are often controlled by coded radio signals from the locomotive at the head end of the train, allowing one engineer (driver) to simultaneously control the helper(s) and the train being helped. If radio operation is not possible, electrical control might be used, by way of
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were sometimes used in helper areas. Ordinary cabooses were built as lightly as practical and might be crushed by the helper/pusher's force, which could be as much as 90 tons. The heavy cabooses allowed crews to avoid the time-consuming procedure of splitting the train just ahead of the caboose.
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hose would not be coupled. When the train no longer required assistance, the helper/pusher would slow, then reverse and coast back down the grade to its siding at the bottom of the grade. This practice was outlawed in North
America after the end of the steam era.
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cables running the length of the train (especially in case of passenger trains). Alternatively, radio communication with the lead engine's driver facilitates manual operation, which is still the norm for bank engines at the end of freight trains in Europe.
387:) before applying more power, thus precluding the need for a standing start. Following an accident in 1969 this practice was discontinued. This procedure is not performed in North America, as it would violate Canadian and United States
325:), the limit is a train weight of 1400 tons; if a train is heavier, bank engines have to be added in the middle or to the end of the train in order not to exceed the maximum load for any coupler.
289:", "triple header", etc., depending on the number of helpers/bankers even when this lash-up of power was used for the entire run. These terms gradually fell out of general usage as
229:, each helper had to have a full crew on board. Careful coordination was required between engine crews to assure that all locomotives were operated in a consistent manner. Standard
150:'Big Bertha' providing banking at the rear of the train. In the present day, almost all trains can climb the incline unassisted, though heavier freight trains still require bankers.
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breaking away from the train and running back downhill. Also, in a pusher role, it was possible for the helper/banker to easily separate once the train had crested the
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Adding locomotives in the middle of the train has the distinct advantage of applying the helper power to only part of the train, thus limiting the maximum
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couplers are used, bank engines often cannot be added to the front of the train due to the limited strength of the couplers; In the case of standard
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492:"Report on the Collision that occurred on 18th May 1969 near Beattock in the Scottish Region British Railways :: The Railways Archive"
375:, they are usually added to the end of the train. Normally, they are coupled and the air hoses are connected, which is necessary for the
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on electric or diesel-electric locomotives, helpers/bankers can also be used to provide more braking force on long downhill gradients.
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In the UK, an engine that was temporarily attached to the front of a train to assist with the ascent of an incline was called a
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that powered the train to its destination. A train with one or more locomotives attached to the front may be described as a "
103:). Helpers/bankers are most commonly found in mountain divisions (called "helper districts" in the United States), where the
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Uncoupled banking service: BDe 4/4 multiple unit separating from the
Voralpenexpress after assisting on the 5 percent grade
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Bankers or helpers were historically positioned at the rear of the train, in which case they also protected against
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may demand the use of substantially greater motive power than that required for other grades within the division.
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To be able to add and remove helper locomotives quickly, which is especially important in Europe due to the high
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were employed to tell the helper crew when to apply power, drift or
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and get ready for the next train. A common practice with
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154:Helpers/bankers were most widely used during the
225:Since it was not possible to remotely control a
466:"Technical description by a Swiss train driver"
189:. Once separated, the banker would return to a
36:pushing a freight train on the grade between
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455:photo of reinforced outside braced caboose.
60:(United Kingdom/Australia) (colloquially a
451:NC&StL History & Steam Locomotives
201:was to remove the knuckle from the front
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338:Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
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356:Helper locomotives on the rear of a
313:couplers and a maximum grade of 28
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52:is leading the train. July 2007.
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522:Rail transport operations
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436:References
239:derailment
136:Black Five
81:locomotive
395:Accidents
377:air brake
301:Mid-train
293:replaced
207:air brake
516:Category
476:13 April
414:See also
215:cabooses
195:mainline
97:gradient
93:traction
46:Slovenia
342:caboose
203:coupler
183:coaches
78:railway
191:siding
179:wagons
62:banker
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334:gauge
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