Western Railroad Discussion > Howling SD70ACe climbing out of Mandan, ND

I have just completed my two day trip to Bismarck, ND with new photos and video of trains between Mandan and Bismarck crossing the ex-NP Missouri River bridge.  At a location where loaded coal trains was what one was used to expecting, BNSF SD70ACe 9285 is handling this long autorack train all by herself and is literally howling up the close to 1.00 percent grade (most of it on a curve) lasting about a mile up to the bridge where the grade eases on the hazy and hot 6-25-20 morning.  But unlike darlk painted coal cars, the bright silver roofs of these autoracks seem to stand out more. The train is crossng the Missouri Rver on a bridge built by the Northern Pacific in 1883 (with spans replaced in 1905) so being over 100 years old, this grand old bridge is due to be replaced in the near or not so distant future.  It may not be the coal train I was hoping for but I'm not complaining.

Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA

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Thats a fast way to send the SD70ace to the shop, good example of any single powered trains, blowing their guts out, while these engines can handle the tonnage and with a little luck this has a DPU on the rear, you are asking for trouble...

Nope, no DPU on this train, just one unit up front dragging it up the hill.  I was really surprised when the rear of the train came around the curve and no locomotive behind the last autorack.

Brian

Nice catch. Does seem unusual to only have one unit.

Larry

UP has been using single leading units and no DPU on many of its empty rack trains across Nebraska too. Heres UP 8017 crossing the same river a fair way south of ND at Blair, Nebraska, taken from the Iowa side in April 2018. If this bridge is to be replaced, I'd better get myself up there soon. I seem to have a thing for photographing bridges.

Rugby
UK

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Excellent video.  Great sound. Thanks for your posting.
ALLEN

yes, that was a great sounding video........

66

BrianA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have just completed my two day trip to Bismarck,
> ND with new photos and video of trains between
> Mandan and Bismarck crossing the ex-NP Missouri
> River bridge.  At a location where loaded coal
> trains was what one was used to expecting, BNSF
> SD70ACe 9285 is handling this long autorack train
> all by herself and is literally howling up the
> close to 1.00 percent grade (most of it on a
> curve) lasting about a mile up to the bridge where
> the grade eases on the hazy and hot 6-25-20
> morning.  But unlike darlk painted coal cars, the
> bright silver roofs of these autoracks seem to
> stand out more. The train is crossng the Missouri
> Rver on a bridge built by the Northern Pacific in
> 1883 (with spans replaced in 1905) so being over
> 100 years old, this grand old bridge is due to be
> replaced in the near or not so distant future. 
> It may not be the coal train I was hoping for but
> I'm not complaining.
>
> Brian Ambrose
> Renton, WA

How many autoracks was the SD70ACe pulling? Thanks for sharing the video.

SantaFeRuss

EMD still got it!!!!

Posted from Android

Nice video!

Ahhh...Run 8!!

Eng.Shadetree