Gauge Repair On A Locomotive: Three Things That Could Go Wrong If You Don't
Most people who have never been in the engine of a modern train do not realize that there are a ton of gauges. Every gauge monitors something different; the speed of the train, the temperature of the engine, the level of water present to keep engine parts cool, etc. Without these gauges, the engineer would not know that the engine he or she drives has a problem. If you are in charge of engine maintenance for a train company, you know that you need to engage a gauge repair services company to keep these gauges going. Not doing so means that all of the following could go wrong.
Engines Choke and Stall on the Tracks
Water, oil, and fuel are all monitored by gauges in a train engine cab. When the gauges are off or not working at all, the engine runs out of these three necessary components. Then the train chokes and stalls out on the tracks. That is not the worst part. The worst part is that it takes time to get help, and during that time, other trains are trying to use the same tracks to get to their destinations as well. They either have to be rerouted to avoid a collision or end up stuck behind the stalled engine.
Delayed Shipments and Added Expense
Important shipments that have to be transported overnight or are given a specific shipping deadline for delivery are delayed while repairs are made away from the train depot/roundhouse. That costs the railroad company extra money because the shipments were promised and paid for. It is even more complicated because then another engine has to arrive at the scene in reverse, attach the stream of cars to its back end, uncouple them from the engine that needs repair, and then leave going away from that area to another set of tracks that will put the shipments back on track.
Collisions and Derailments
You do not want to imagine the worst when it comes to trains, but collisions and derailments are the worst. This could happen to your trains if one of them has faulty gauges that do not register the correct speed. Incorrect speed means that the engineer might attempt to speed up in order to be at the "correct" speed. This puts the engine and its cars on a collision course with other trains that will (and should be) crossing the tracks up ahead and ahead of the train with the faulty gauges.
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