Steam & Excursion > Torpedoes & the Durango & Silverton Photo Special

As has been chronicled on this board, on 15 February, the Durango and Silverton operated a photo special from Durango to just north of the Cascade Canyon wye. We did 21 photo runs over the course of the trip that ran from about 0800 to 1700. The weather was unseasonably warm, but no matter to this fan who made the 1,000 mile trek from Northeast Missouri. On this run (as on every run that day), the train led by D&S 473 backed up clean out of sight before making itself available to us. What made this special on this particular runby is that one of the train's crew placed torpedoes on the track in advance of the locomotive's passage. We asked him why and the reply was that they thought we might like to hear what it sounded like. Listen for the "pop" at 1:57 and 2:02 in the video.

Worked for me.

Regards,
Burlington John

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Did indeed hear the torpedoes. Great video and thanks for sharing!

Tom

Heard and saw them. Would the engineer have to immediately stop when hitting torpedoes, or slow down and prepare to stop short of any obstruction on the tracks?

Thanks...

Jim Montague
IRVINE, CA
Train and Nature photo Art

I believe the rule was to acknowledge by whistle and run at restricted speed for 2 miles, which isn't too hard to comply with in this scenario. Torpedoes typically aren't used anymore.

Posted from iPhone

I got a bang outta that. Sweet video.

That crewman had the right idea-- a little variety to a photo runby never hurts-- and setting out those "guns" was pretty cool. Made for a neat video, too!
I've only run over them a couple of times over the years (they're no longer used now) and that was to protect a track gang that didn't have time to get their written Form B protection out so we complied w/ restricted speed and got stopped for their red flag protecting their work limits.
Besides their obviously dangerous nature w/ the small explosive powder charge, they also were hard to hear on the new "quiet" cab locos, but you could still smell the powder smoke! I remember that's what confirmed it for us one time since we barely heard the blasts go off.

I got tested with torpedoes back in 1993 Westbound on Cima hill coming back from Las Vegas one morning. Had one of those awful Genisis units and it sounded like someone hit the side of the engine with a baseball bat. The UP road foreman in LV had a habit of doing that to us.

Brings back some great memories of hearing them in my childhood, John. Hmm, "torpedo" might be a bad word to a BB crewman.

Actually, if you run over only one torpedo, you stop. If you run over a 2nd one you can run at restricted speed. This is like some aspects of color signals, in that if you missed the second pop which is less restrictive, the more restrictive first pop will be the safest course.

D&SNGRR Operating Rule 12:

12. The explosion of two torpedoes is a signal to proceed at reduced speed [10mph], looking out for flagman, for a distance of one-half mile, and is to be acknowledged by two short whistle blasts , as prescribed by rule 14(g). The explosion of one torpedo will indicate the same as two, but the use of two is required. Torpedoes must be placed on the right hand rail in the direction the train is moving, approximately 1000 feet apart (about 3 rail lengths).

12-A. Torpedoes must not be placed near station buildings or road crossings or where persons are liable to be injured by them.

12-B. During extremely cold weather or when torpedoes may be covered with snow, a duplicate set must be placed on the opposite rail to explode simultaneously.

12-C. Torpedoes exploded or displaced by other than trains must be immediately replaced.

Torpedoes are still an important part of protecting movements on the D&SNGRR. No train movement commences without at least 6 torpedoes in the flagging kit. Flagging and protection is still done the old fashioned way, not just for show and tourism, but because radio communication cannot be trusted in the far reaches of the Animas Canyon. When the railroad has more than one train operating, torpedoes are used whenever trains need to protect themselves from the rear due to unscheduled delays, etc.

About 20 years ago, a newly-promoted Amtrak engineer that I knew was efficiency tested with a torpedo and kept on going, because he had never heard one go off.

>Torpedoes are still an important part of protecting movements on the D&SNGRR.

I find it curious that D&S still uses traditional Rule 99 flagging methods. Don't they use radio dispatching and some variation of track warrants? Breaking the RR into TW blocks should obviate the need for Rule 99 protection, or do the Feds still require it in dark territory when passenger trains are involved?

EO
What I don't know fills libraries.

I would have never noticed if you had not mentioned it.