Western Railroad Discussion > Indio Helper

In the past, UP would park a manned helper set near Beaumont, have the crew come out of West Colton on a van, then go east toward Indio or west toward "Old Colton Yard" wherever help was needed:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4595543

Also in the past, 6 axle power would often be parked at Indio, but usually to be added to a train as DPU for the climb west to Beaumont.

When I visited Indio on a Sunday recently, the yard there was empty, no locomotives, no cars for the Indio local to take to industries, nothing. I was in the mood to wait instead of to hunt, so I watched the signals and before long, Track 2 signal was lit, and 2 eastbound stackers sped by.

There was a westbound manifest waiting at Mecca which eventually came by Indio. I overheard a conversation between that and another "train" and based on how the manifest crew playfully pled for "help", I guessed that they were talking to a manned helper. Right afterwards, DS 44 told them to crossover 2 --> 1 at Myoma, and the manned helper came to Indio to tie down, with a crew van waiting to take them home.

- Manned helpers coming back to Indio to tie down for the day.
- Video of 2 fast eastbounds by Indio earlier. Entire trains are shown.

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Couple of days later, I looked for the manned helper, but they were not found at Indio. Some centerbeams and tank cars were in the area, so a manifest might have come by sometime on Monday to set them out.

I went on a hunt westward to see if I could find a train, or the helper. As I drove on I-10 past Palm Springs, I spotted a stopped westbound stacker near West Palm Springs (just before the hotbox detector and crossing at SP 582.6), and saw that there were 2 units at the rear of the train, the manned helper.

2 years ago, the manned helper helped an eastbound stacker out of Old Colton Yard, because the train was led by the DPU-incapable SD70M. The westbound stacker had the same problem, SD70M/SD70ACe/SD70M/SD70M in the front consist, no DPU. It looked like the manned helper followed it from Indio to West Palm Springs, and they were stopped there to get ready for the climb to Beaumont.

I kept driving west since I saw that the signals ahead of the SD70M stacker was lit and had color, and caught up to another westbound at Beaumont, 3x1x0, no helper needed. Guessing that the manned helpers would "detach" near Apex (Highland Springs Ave.), I backtracked east and waited for the next stacker to show up.

After the Indio helper was done, DS 44 asked it to keep going west instead of returning east, since there was a MWCSA that might need help soon. Conversation hinted that normally, there's a helper crew that goes on duty at Old Colton Yard, but the Indio helper was recruited for help since it happened to be nearby.

- Westbound 3x1x0 stacker at Beaumont.

- Manned helpers detached and done at Beaumont.

- Video of SD70M stacker about to stop near Apex (Beaumont). UP 4460/9067/4050/3989. UP 3989 is ex-SP.

That's all for the report.

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Thanks to you (and anyone else) for "Entire trains shown".

Nice seeing those EB loaded IMs highballing through Indio at what looks to be track speed, especially the first "no empty slots" (the best and most remunerative kind) domestic stacker.

Polite request for a symbol for that first EB led by UP 9005? Curious where that mix of domestic containers, cold chain containers and TOFC is headed.

That last video was a treat with an  all EMD consist! You don't see that much aymore.... Great series of photos, thanks for sharing.

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Nice video and coverage, Charles! I keep wanting to get down to the far south Transcon, but I'm usually only available in Summers and it just gets too damn hot. 

pbouzide Wrote:
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> Polite request for a symbol for that first EB led
> by UP 9005? Curious where that mix of domestic
> containers, cold chain containers and TOFC is
> headed.

I don't have the symbol, but it likely originated on the same day I saw it, Feb. 14. PSR hasn't changed the fact that there are usually 1-2 Z trains through the Palm Springs area on late Sunday mornings - one of the reasons why I stayed put in Indio instead of going on a hunt.

SCUfoamer Wrote:
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> Nice video and coverage, Charles! I keep wanting
> to get down to the far south Transcon, but I'm
> usually only available in Summers and it just gets
> too damn hot.

I think it's just a matter of acclimating. You did alright when we caught the Cotton Belt Geeps near Manteca last summer.

There's always looking for trains on the Nevada Sub closer to home (Sparks to Fernley), if you want to acclimate before heading to the desert near the CA/AZ border.

cchan006 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pbouzide Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Polite request for a symbol for that first EB
> led
> > by UP 9005? Curious where that mix of domestic
> > containers, cold chain containers and TOFC is
> > headed.
>
> I don't have the symbol, but it likely originated
> on the same day I saw it, Feb. 14. PSR hasn't
> changed the fact that there are usually 1-2 Z
> trains through the Palm Springs area on late
> Sunday mornings - one of the reasons why I stayed
> put in Indio instead of going on a hunt.


It was the ZCIG4.   

Not sure on the second one, maybe the ILBDI.