Western Railroad Discussion > A Double Double on Double!

Had a double grain load pass a double grain empty on the double track in Cheney, WA this morning before 6am. Next place west they could have pulled off that meet would have been Tokio. As long as they can keep the trains rolling it's not too bad, but if they have to sit, good luck finding a section of 14,000' track without a crossing.
 

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Doubles are good, esp. with cheese and bacon. A triple not so much, in burgers or railroading... JG

I first heard the term "double grain train" (loaded) in 1987 at MRL start-up. Back then a so-called single grain train was about 60 cars. Cut a 4-unit helper in, stub test (air) and skedaddle over 2.2% Mullan Pass. And then came the doubles, which were held to about 105 cars because of a drawbar tonnage restriction, even with helpers cut in. It got more complicated cutting in TWO sets of helpers. But we made it worl, routine. Now the industry is looking at QUADRUPLE grain (& coal) trains...

Did I ever mention how glad I am to be retired?

;^) 

Must have done a double take seeing that.

Looking for 14000 between crossings? Just block them. :)

anybody have a symbol for this beast?

66

santafe199 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I first heard the term "double grain train"
> (loaded) in 1987 at MRL start-up. Back then a
> so-called single grain train was about 60
> cars. Cut a 4-unit helper in, stub test
> (air) and skedaddle over 2.2% Mullan Pass. And
> then came the doubles, which were held to about
> 105 cars because of a drawbar tonnage restriction,
> even with helpers cut in.


In the late 70s, I think it was, BN marketing sold unit grain train rate, depending upon  commodity, for 26 and 28 car shipments. By mid-80s, they gave a better rate for 52 and 54 car shipments. The short ones started to be called half trains and the long ones grain trains. Each unit was run as a separate train, or there might be two half trains put together in a train. By the mid-80s, BN wanted to increase profit by running 104 and 108 car trains that we called double grain trains. A train could be four half trains, a train and two halves, or two trains. In places, like the Montana Division west of Havre and the Pacific Division west of Wenatchee, double grain trains were considered too hazardous to run. Double grain trains were split at Havre, put together at Whitefish, and split at Wenatchee. Sometimes, they'd go into Seattle as two trains. Sometimes, we would put them back together at Skykomish or Gold Bar in order to get power back to Wenatchee.  By the 90s, what had been a double grain train was a grain train. BN was selling 104 (dim memory) car shipments, telling shippers that if they coulldn't load 104 cars, they should go away. Send the grain by truck to a regional elevator.

So, now a double grain train is what used to be four of them.

TAW


It got more complicated
> cutting in TWO sets of helpers. But we made it
> worl, routine. Now the industry is looking at
> QUADRUPLE grain (& coal) trains...
>
> Did I ever mention how glad I am to be retired?
>
> ;^)