Western Railroad Discussion > Grain train at Heather

Travelers on Highway 58 between Eugene and Chemult, OR wouldn't know there was a railroad running through the Cascades because so much of the line is hidden in tall trees.  I was hoping to get to Wicopee to shoot the train briefly heading west into the sun but I got lost and the sun went away anyway.  I went back toward Oakridge and caught the train at Heather, just before the Salt Creek Trestle, as a bit of sun poked through the trees.

Tom Trent
Eugene, OR

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Uh, BNSF grain train on UP tracks, what am I missing?

Out

They are fairly common.  Of course the BNSF units were an ET44C4, Dash9, ES44DC and ES44C4, so UP put four six-axle motors mid-train.

Tom Trent
Eugene, OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/19 14:15 by CBRL.

callum_out Wrote:
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> Uh, BNSF grain train on UP tracks, what am I
> missing?
>
> Out

BNSF probably has to turn the train over to UP at first major interchange point (which would be Portland). Likely canola meal from Canada.

Allen

Posted from Android

Interesting, thanks guys.

Out

CBRL Wrote:
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> They are fairly common.  Of course the BNSF units
> were an ET44C4, Dash9, ES40DC and ES44C4, so UP
> put four six-axle motors mid-train.

Hey Tom, were the UP helpers manned, or run as DPU from the leaders?  I remember there being some talk about putting manned helpers back on this section of the line.

Nice shot!  

What is an ES40DC?

Thanks.

Randy Lundgren
Elgin, TX

The mid-train helpers were not manned, although there were two 6-axle AC motors sitting in the yard at Oakridge and the dispatcher has asked a few trains heading up the hill if they need helpers.  I wonder if there is room to add four mid-train helpers on the hill - probably do that process back in Eugene.  An ES40DC is a 4,000 hp GEVO with DC traction motors.  Not a model you see on the UP but popular with BNSF, along with 4-axle GEVOs (C4s).  Heavy grades like the Cascades require 6 axles and AC motors.  Here is a shot of the mid-train helpers, along with my slogan "Uncle Pete has the Fleet to Beat the Wheat!"

Tom Trent
Eugene, OR

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Mid-train helpers on these grain and oil trains get added at Eugene. In fact it's safe to say that if you see a mid-train 3 or 4 unit helper, it was added at Eugene.

The soap opera of "Helpers at Oakridge" is just that - a soap opera. For months it was "on" and then cancelled again. Then around 6-weeks ago (as a guess) I got a note the helper pool at Oakridge was going to start with new boards established at Oakridge with enough engineers and trainmen to man 2 or 3 helpers per day. I do not know if those boards are still active though, although seeing power at Oakridge might indicate they are. Surprisingly, many trains still leave Eugene with 1 or 2 DP units on the rear (from what I've observed) making the manned helpers unnecessary. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/19 07:53 by Railbaron.

CBRL Wrote:
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>  An ES40DC is a 4,000 hp
> GEVO with DC traction motors.  Not a model you
> see on the UP but popular with BNSF

ES40DC is a model found only with Norfolk Southern.

> along with 4-axle GEVOs (C4s). 

6-axle C4s, 4 powered axles.

MP thanks - I misidentified BNSF 7651, it is an ES44DC.

Tom Trent
Eugene, OR