Western Railroad Discussion > Tacoma Rail Hill Job - In DPU Mode

Tacoma Rail's regular Sunday trip up the Gulch to Frederickson, got off to a slow start and eventually the train was tied down on the High Line, to await a crew on Monday.

Monday's crew had the luxury of a train pretty much ready to go, with 35 cars and the SD70Ace-P4's already setup in DPU mode, 7002 leading.   The conductor decided that the tonnage was too much and they took 8 cars up to Midland with the 7002 and came back for the remaining 28 cars, with the 7001 pushing.   At the steepest part of the grade they were doing only 5 mph and they probably would have stalled with the full 35 cars.

A little background:  Tacoma Rail's two units represent the latest in EMD motive power.  Former EMD SD70ACe-P4 demonstrators 1211 & 1212 have been renumbered 7001 & 7002 and painted in Tacoma Rail’s attractive paint scheme.  Acquired on a five year lease, the units are intended to work the Fredrickson job without the need to double the “Gulch” with its 3.35% grade.   The trestle the train is crossing is the former Milwaukee Road mainline, used by Tacoma Rail and Sound Transit, it is due to be replaced in the next two years, with a double track concrete trestle.

Enjoy the video!

 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

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Nice! amazing how many loads they need to haul up to Fredrickson these days.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Nice video!!

Nice video and I like the information about the trip doubling the hill and power info as well.
Brian Stevens

DelMonteX Wrote:
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> Tacoma Rail's regular Sunday trip up the Gulch to
> Frederickson, got off to a slow start

Since I live just a couple of hours to the South, What is the time of day this usually happens?  As great as your video is, it would still be fun to see in person!

Thanks,

Rob

GREAT videos....and thanks for the nice view of the historic trestle.   Arlen

SilvertonRR100 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Since I live just a couple of hours to the South,
> What is the time of day this usually happens?  As
> great as your video is, it would still be fun to
> see in person!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Rob

Rob: 
Gee, I wish I could give you an accurate answer.   The schedule is Wednesdays and Sundays.     If the schedule held up, I wouldn't have wasted lots of hours waiting for this train.  Even with well placed information, I frequently have to give up and go make a living.   Wednesdays, if they actually make the hill, they have to do it around the Sounder Schedules.  I.e. After the morning commute, before the afternoon commute, or in the evening.   Sundays, the crew is typically called fairly early, 6:30 or so.  They can take an hour or more to put the train together, they can get delayed by traffic coming in and out of muni, or by UP, or by BNSF (dispatches the portion across the trestle and through the Sounder station).  And then none of the delays can happen and the whole plan changes and they go the next day (like what happened this past Sunday).   Be prepared to be there early and stay late.

 

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/15 14:39 by DelMonteX.

One has to wonder if 6 powered axle locomotive would go up the hill with out doubling.

Posted from Android

Any idea why the put the S curve in the trestle there?  That seems to be an unnecessary complication that could have been avoided at some point.  If the curve was necessary to minimize the grade you think they could have solved that some other way.

Milwaukee Wrote:
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> Any idea why the put the S curve in the trestle
> there?  That seems to be an unnecessary
> complication that could have been avoided at some
> point.  If the curve was necessary to minimize
> the grade you think they could have solved that
> some other way.

I believe it's because there are two roughly parallel tangents that needed to be connected, as well as the terrain and existing parcels.   Maybe the attached aerial helps.
That said, Sound Transit is in a position to straighten the new trestle out a bit.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

---

Ditto!
Ron W

 Rob: 
> Gee, I wish I could give you an accurate
> answer.   The schedule is Wednesdays and
> Sundays.     If the schedule held up, I
> wouldn't have wasted lots of hours waiting for
> this train.  Even with well placed information, I
> frequently have to give up and go make a
> living.   Wednesdays, if they actually make the
> hill, they have to do it around the Sounder
> Schedules.  I.e. After the morning commute,
> before the afternoon commute, or in the
> evening.   Sundays, the crew is typically called
> fairly early, 6:30 or so.  They can take an hour
> or more to put the train together, they can get
> delayed by traffic coming in and out of muni, or
> by UP, or by BNSF (dispatches the portion across
> the trestle and through the Sounder station). 
> And then none of the delays can happen and the
> whole plan changes and they go the next day (like
> what happened this past Sunday).   Be prepared
> to be there early and stay late.


I will just have to try it someday!  Any excuse to go out chasing for a day!

Rob
>
>  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/15 12:35 by SilvertonRR100.

How far up the line do they take the first segment?  To the siding that starts at 65th street?  I don't know the name, nor have a timetable handy.

Thanks,

Rob

Great video, grades in an urban setting are so neat.

SilvertonRR100 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How far up the line do they take the first
> segment?  To the siding that starts at 65th
> street?  I don't know the name, nor have a
> timetable handy.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Rob

To the siding that ends at 85th St.  They pull past, and back the first cut in to the siding.

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/15 08:52 by DelMonteX.

Superb editing. Thanx!
...Lorenzo

Thanks for all the nice comments!

Steve Carter
Gig Harbor, WA
My Photography

I rode 14 into Seattle last year and saw 2 Tacoma rail switch jobs being very busy, so I take it Tacoma Rail is a very busy railroad! Nice video too!