Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:33:21 +0000UTCSundaypm3133vUTC
Quoted from the Train Mountain Safety Rules:
6. SAFETY CHAINS OR DRAWBARS REQUIRED BETWEEN ALL CARS. Some grades are more than a mile long. This rule prevents runaway cars.
One of the recurring themes at every meet is the issue of safety chains. The TM rules simply state that chains are required. There have been no standards enforced but there have alweays been generalized guidelines. We want everyone to have a safe visit and we want to make sure that if there is some way we can prevent an injury that we pursue that course.
Over the years every possible combination of 'doggie chains', plastic shower hooks, little cup hook eyelets have been seen. The whole idea of a safety chain is to keep your train connected together in case the coupler becomes uncoupled. Therefore the safety device needs to be at least as strong a connection as was the coupling. The current TM cars have safety cables that are a steel cable swedged into two loops. One loop is bolted to the car and the other end has a 'quick link' looped through it. The quick link is the kind that needs to be threaded on, not clicked on like a key chain clip. Others use regular heavier duty chain that is also held on by the quick links. One of the areas of concern is where the safety device is mounted on the cars. Many folks use a heavy duty eyelet which is good except they use the open loop kind. The safest kind would be the welded loop kind.
This is what would be ideal. If you need help in making your rolling stock safer, or have questions regarding your rolling stock please contact us upon your arrival at TM and we will make every effort to assist you in making it happen.
The bottomline is to have a very safe visit and to have fun.
Triennial Committee
6. SAFETY CHAINS OR DRAWBARS REQUIRED BETWEEN ALL CARS. Some grades are more than a mile long. This rule prevents runaway cars.
One of the recurring themes at every meet is the issue of safety chains. The TM rules simply state that chains are required. There have been no standards enforced but there have alweays been generalized guidelines. We want everyone to have a safe visit and we want to make sure that if there is some way we can prevent an injury that we pursue that course.
Over the years every possible combination of 'doggie chains', plastic shower hooks, little cup hook eyelets have been seen. The whole idea of a safety chain is to keep your train connected together in case the coupler becomes uncoupled. Therefore the safety device needs to be at least as strong a connection as was the coupling. The current TM cars have safety cables that are a steel cable swedged into two loops. One loop is bolted to the car and the other end has a 'quick link' looped through it. The quick link is the kind that needs to be threaded on, not clicked on like a key chain clip. Others use regular heavier duty chain that is also held on by the quick links. One of the areas of concern is where the safety device is mounted on the cars. Many folks use a heavy duty eyelet which is good except they use the open loop kind. The safest kind would be the welded loop kind.
This is what would be ideal. If you need help in making your rolling stock safer, or have questions regarding your rolling stock please contact us upon your arrival at TM and we will make every effort to assist you in making it happen.
The bottomline is to have a very safe visit and to have fun.
Triennial Committee