A status indicating that a locomotive is coupled into a train consist but is shut down and not providing tractive effort. It is simply rolling along as trailing tonnage. Locomotives are moved dead in the train when they suffer a mechanical failure on the road or are being transferred between maintenance facilities.
Heard on the job
The lead unit dropped a traction motor, so we shut it down and hauled it dead in the train back to the terminal.
Also heard as
- dead in tow