Comments on: No HBD, no problem! There are a few new electronic Hot Box Detectors on the HBR’s subdivisions between The Pas and Churchill, but where they have yet to be installed, the hand-held laser gun method is deployed every 40 or so miles along the remote route. Seen here is VIA 692′s second engineer, who has climbed down from the left side of the locomotive cab at Munk, MB Mile 269.0 on HBR’s Thicket Sub. to use a laser temperature sensing device to check the axle bearings on each car in the trains consist. A slow roll-by of the entire length of the train from locomotive to the tail end sleeper, a stop, a crossover to the other side, then a slow reverse movement to check bearings on the opposite side is undertaken before reboarding the locomotive and continuing the journey. This procedure is done at predetermined, safe, and snow cleared locations along the way. It sure beats the old Tempilstik method! :-)

By: sdfourty

sdfourty — Tue, 19 May 2026 20:10:37 +0000

Nice!
As long as those laser gun batteries maintain their charge – in the cold!
Oh, and memories travelling The Canadian, on the CPR – the sixties ‘high tech’ way: at every crew change a foreman / trainman / switching crew (at Sudbury) would walk the train placing a hand on every journal bearing…
sdfourty

By: First954

First954 — Tue, 19 May 2026 19:12:06 +0000

How times have changed!!!!!