Western Railroad Discussion > Manned Helpers at Helper, Utah, 13 May 2019

UP manned helpers at Helper Yard, Helper, Utah-Provo Subdivision.  Foreground UP 8316, SD70ACe, 4-unit manned helpers.  They were cut in mid-train to the westbound Savage Loadout coal load at Helper, Utah, 13 May 2019.  Single track engine house above UP 8316 no longer used.

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cozephyr Wrote:
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> UP manned helpers at Helper Yard, Helper,
> Utah-Provo Subdivision.  Foreground UP 8316,
> SD70ACe, 4-unit manned helpers.  They were cut in
> mid-train to the westbound Savage Loadout coal
> load at Helper, Utah, 13 May 2019.  Single track
> engine house above UP 8316 no longer used.

Interesting. There’s not much traffic left on the old Rio Grande though, right?

Sad sight. Neat old Golden West cars in storage. Boy, have they been around awhile.
JB

Usually the dirt train power is seen at Helper.Hopefully this isn't gone too.Bill Webb

spider1319 Wrote:
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> Usually the dirt train power is seen at
> Helper.Hopefully this isn't gone too.Bill Webb

Trust me, the dirty dirt traffic isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

In my experience, the Dirt Train power is usually parked out of the view of this shot, to the right and behind.

Dick Ebright
Roosevelt, Utah

One morning back when I was in Helper before the NRHS Convention I witnessed a 2 units on the point, six unit mid train helper and two DPUs on the rear end head west by the Riverside Motel in Helper.  After Amtrak train came through the mid train helpers came back through and we caught the westbound coal train west of Guilly heading west. Guess we got lucky!

Chris

Nice shot!!

Given recent articles on some RR's having a shortage of available boxcars for customers, I am really surprised to see UP storing their boxcars.  Why not work them??

3rdswitch Wrote:
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> Sad sight. Neat old Golden West cars in storage.
> Boy, have they been around awhile.
> JB

There are lots of them being stored in Pomona on the former Southern Pacific main that was taken out of service last year.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

webmaster Wrote:
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> 3rdswitch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sad sight. Neat old Golden West cars in
> storage.
> > Boy, have they been around awhile.
> > JB
>
> There are lots of them being stored in Pomona on
> the former Southern Pacific main that was taken
> out of service last year.

Those boxcars look like the type that are usually used for hauling food products (like canned food) out of central California.  Wonder if it's just off season (is there such a thing for canned food?) or business UP is loosing because of PSR's poor service and higher rates/charges?