Western Railroad Discussion > History or epic fail

This morning there will be a 248 car load assaulting the Palmer Divide.
Only 7 engines but will get a pusher........

City, state, railroad, direction, significance?

did this train load at the mine with 248 cars?  if not, where did they combine it?  

thanks for any info (symbol, etc.)...........

66

About what time?

Posted from Android

The Joint Line, Colorado, BNSF,southbound, significant because the previous longest coal load to head over the hill was like 130ish cars, 250 car coal loads on 1% grades has been pretty much unthinkable until recent years.

BNSF is trying these monster trains in different areas of the system. There’s rumors that they want to run a double coal load out of Hauser to Auburn or Vancouver BC also.

Pacific5th Wrote:
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> BNSF is trying these monster trains in different
> areas of the system. There’s rumors that they
> want to run a double coal load out of Hauser to
> Auburn or Vancouver BC also.

I'm not so familiar with that area. That rumor suggests they wouldn't (yet?) try it on whatever route through Montana, but would assemble it in Hauser and run it double to the ports? What would the ruling grade be on that segment?

Epic something... A buddy nitified me last night. I thought he might be joking. I did see 8 engines though. 35k tons of coal... pucker up! 

wesleygreer Wrote:
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> The Joint Line, Colorado, BNSF,southbound,
> significant because the previous longest coal load
> to head over the hill was like 130ish cars, 250
> car coal loads on 1% grades has been pretty much
> unthinkable until recent years.

I thought the Joint line had a 1.5% ruling grade?

Between 1 and 1.5% going south.
Train is at 1.0 HPT over 35,000 tons.


donner_dude1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wesleygreer Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Joint Line, Colorado, BNSF,southbound,
> > significant because the previous longest coal
> load
> > to head over the hill was like 130ish cars, 250
> > car coal loads on 1% grades has been pretty
> much
> > unthinkable until recent years.
>
> I thought the Joint line had a 1.5% ruling grade?

Posted from Android

Hookdragkick Wrote:
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> A buddy nitified me last night.

Painful...
 

exhaustED Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hookdragkick Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A buddy nitified me last night.
>
> Painful...
>  
1 for the meme . 0 for grammer.

They got a brakeman:)

Posted from iPhone

Hand-picked crew; an RFE and a Lead Mech too. Can't forget a Rapid responder shadowing. And after the "Can we do it, yes we can" Bob the Builder speech and free koolaide, they're off! 

And someone to hang over the frame rail with a heat gun to finally prove how hot an AC motor can really run!

Out

While on the subject of BNSF double trains unless I missed it nobody mentioned what I saw on the Flagstaff cam about 4 or 5 days ago.  It was an eastbound stack train with 3 up front then 2 in the middle with an empty ethanol train and 1 DPU bringing up the rear,  First time for me seeing this.

This is pretty typical of many of these "test trains" - hand picked crew, hand picked power (everything will work 100%), managers on it to expedite things, "rapid responders" or chase cars nearby so if something does go wrong they can fix it. They almost certainly make it work but when they try to do it in "real world" conditions, with questionable power and crews that may not have the aptitude for it, things will go bad very fast. 

I don't know what they really gain. They end up using the same amount of power but if something goes wrong the railroad will be tied up for hours. The might save a crew start but then depending on the pool they might end up deadheading a crew to balance the pool, which balances out the crew starts. I guess it's one of those "because we can" things.
 

Train just passed through Palmer Lake, CO, fifteen minutes ago cutting off manned helper NORTH of CP Palmer Lake on the fly instead of normal manned helper cut off SOUTH of CP Palmer Lake. Have NEVER seen this since moving here. Mis communication? Inexperienced DS or crew? As quick explanation, two tracks from north end at CP Palmer Lake becoming single track. Helpers normally cut off SOUTH of signal to head back north from single track to TWO main tracks.
JB

Pushers chased but didn’t help. Made it over in one piece.......

Posted from iPhone

What's the consist configuration?