Talk:End-of-train device

FRED and Wilma
Ha ha! I hadn't heard that one before, and I had to think about it for a bit until I realized that the HOT (Wilma) works with the FRED. I think we could improve the wording a bit to make the pun a little more clear to the reader. Slambo (Speak) 11:14, 15 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Feel free to make the association clearer. I can't think of a clever way to put it at the moment, but that's maybe because I'm exhausted from working on Railway signalling and Direct Traffic Control...(sorry, I just had to throw those in...they need work, but I'm proud of what I started...) cluth 04:11, 17 August 2006 (UTC)


 * A few days ago, I reworded the FRED/Wilma association. Also, I'm posting a picture of a Wilma. Clearer? cluth 09:54, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

I have NEVER heard of the HEU/HOT being called a Wilma. Never in my 12 years of working as first a conductor and now an Engineer on the UPRR. Never. Nt by my co-workers. t by the Carmen ad locomotive department personnel that service them. It sounds like a railfan only name for the equipment. B4Ctom1 (talk) 22:59, 1 May 2010 (UTC)

Camera on FRED
As a kid playing around on the RR tracks, we always used to hide after the train went past in order to avoid being seen by the camera on the flashing end of train device. After reading this article, I feel duped by an urban legend. It doesn't sound like there's any camera that's used to record mischievious little kids.

None of the FREDs I know of are equipped with cameras, but that doesn't mean the locomotive's event recorder isn't. Bearda 19:47, 9 May 2007 (UTC)

FRED/EOT are NOT equipped with cameras as of 2009, however many new locomotives (and many older locomotives are being retrofitted) with a camera in the operating cab. These cameras are for liability protection in the event of a train/motor vehicle grade crossing incident. They are also used to monitor the activities of train crews when outside the locomotive. - HarveyHenkelmann (talk) 14:53, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

Another meaning for FRED
It's my understanding that the "F" in Flashing is sometimes explained as referring to another common English word that begins with that letter. 4.243.206.78 00:27, 26 January 2007 (UTC)


 * That's likely a backronym definition. All of the resource material that I've seen uses "flashing". Slambo (Speak)  11:45, 26 January 2007 (UTC)


 * Of course the source material would say that it was flashing. But for people working the trains, its commonly called the f***ing rear end device.  Part of the reason this name got picked up is because the FRED made the caboose obsolete and took away jobs from people.  So of course they got a little sore.  If someone wants to put this in the article, feel free.  But a source would be recommended. Alyeska 04:54, 3 October 2007 (UTC)


 * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqPsuAivUQg   [~11:38]   Heavenlyblue (talk) 08:50, 6 April 2023 (UTC)

Propose name change to End of Train Device (ETD)
FRED is a term only used sporadically by rail fan magazines, never by rail companies. The main reference attached to this article calls it an ETD with the FRED as a alternative among a whole list of other names. Also propose losing the slang nickname "Wilma" as it is also a railfan only term. --Daffydavid (talk) 21:58, 25 July 2013 (UTC)

In the industry, do they use ETD or EOT? It seems the latter may be more common, even EOTD seems more common than ETD. But wikipedants know better I suppose. 72.16.17.161 (talk) 20:35, 17 August 2014 (UTC) Oooo, just noticed the page was recently moved! Edit war!! Pass the popcorn, I'll be keeping an eye on this argument. Fun fun fun.


 * When I moved the page from FRED the common usage seemed to be predominantly ETD, since that time I have reviewed the literature and it appears EOT (not EOTD as the drive-by editor changed it to) has become the government and industry standard. Page should probably move to simply "End of Train Device" with the industry short form "EOT" indicated in the article itself only.--Daffydavid (talk) 00:20, 19 August 2014 (UTC)

Globalise tag
This article takes an overly North American view of this topic, previously jumping in at 1969 when the origin of this equipment is prior to 1840 in the UK. I've made a start by adding a section on Tail Lamps, but I would be interested to hear others views before considering rewriting the introduction and possible renaming the article. Ian3055 (talk) 20:51, 25 June 2022 (UTC)