Western Railroad Discussion > Trains rolling on UP Valley Sub

Northbound just cleared Chico, Ca. Dry Canyon must be ready.

Adam

They are getting close. There is a MEUWCX that is holding at Andesite and is going to be the test train for the bridge. The ballast train that has been mentioned over the last few days is called for 11:40. And there are two northbound MRVEU's staged and another moving up the Valley.

trains lined up both sides

Test train??  Does the engineer have a choice in the matter of being a guinea pig??

Radio traffic says the first somebody just crossed the bridge, sounds like a work train or the ballast train. It's still considered closed with an ' Employee in charge '.

Sounds like when we see the Andesite train on the BB side it's all over except for the running of the trains.

That southbound just came through Black Butte! Game on!

The ballast "train" even if it was a hyrail truck and hoppers would be required to fill those tubs, there's no other
simple way. 

Out 

coach Wrote:
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> Test train??  Does the engineer have a choice in
> the matter of being a guinea pig??

There is a situation where they need a remote control locomotive; or one with ejection seats.

As I said, there will be an operator and a ballast crew working the bridge, it'll be safe. What I think, is that the bridge
will be all panel for a while and once settled a bit they will come back and lay CWR. Means that at least for a while
there will be a 10 mph limit on the bridge,

Out 

callum_out Wrote:
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> As I said, there will be an operator and a ballast
> crew working the bridge, it'll be safe. What I
> think, is that the bridge
> will be all panel for a while and once settled a
> bit they will come back and lay CWR. Means that at
> least for a while
> there will be a 10 mph limit on the bridge,
>
> Out 

Why 10MPH?

coach Wrote:
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> Test train??  Does the engineer have a choice in
> the matter of being a guinea pig??

UP provided the crew with parachutes just in case...

(just kidding!)

Allen

Posted from Android

Jack, I dunno, but the Woodford bridge was 10 mph on the new tubs until the CWR was installed. Guess you need
to call UP B&B,

Out 

callum_out Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As I said, there will be an operator and a ballast
> crew working the bridge, it'll be safe. What I
> think, is that the bridge
> will be all panel for a while and once settled a
> bit they will come back and lay CWR. Means that at
> least for a while
> there will be a 10 mph limit on the bridge,
>
> Out 

I am sure the repairs were engineered and the bridge will be able to handle trains but the idea of a test train makes it sound like they are not confident the bridge will be able to handle a train.

As for the ballast train, keep in mind the lading of the ballast train will be on the bridge when the test train will be on the bridge so the bridge will have a larger load with the test train unless all of its cars are empty.

So... just to make everybodies on the same page the train that was at Andesite had a crew change at Dunsmuir and is heading down the canyon.

The rail train left a few days ago, the ballast train was 38 cars and had been in Upton for the night, probably empty. So we'll see what's next.

+ NB tied down in the yard, NB tied down at Lakehead, both have power but don't know tonnage; Haven't seen a helper set recently but that may be on a water train somewhere;

btw I moved the Dunsmuir cam back to Public so it should show up a YT search, from a YT search window ... of course.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/21 14:07 by TCnR.

Okay I'll ask 1st. When will the coast starlight be allowed to run through again? Probably after uncle Pete clear up all freight traffic jam. Yes I answered my own question 

Proud Foamer
OAKLEY, CA

Starlight is cancelled entirely north of Sacramento through 8/3 on account of bridge work in Springfield, OR.  So maybe starting with the 8/4 departures?

If it does run the whole route for a few days the southern section is getting shut down again 8/8 through 8/23 on account of coast line bridge replacement.  So we might see a SEA-EMY Starlight for a couple of weeks.

Badorder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Okay I'll ask 1st. When will the coast starlight
> be allowed to run through again? Probably after
> uncle Pete clear up all freight traffic jam. Yes I
> answered my own question 

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Radio traffic says the first somebody just crossed
> the bridge, sounds like a work train or the
> ballast train. It's still considered closed with
> an ' Employee in charge '.
>
> Sounds like when we see the Andesite train on the
> BB side it's all over except for the running of
> the trains.

Likely that the affected part of the line is still listed as "Out of Service."  That takes control of that section of track away from the Dispatcher and put its it under the authority of (likely) the MOW Supervisor (Roadmaster, maybe)--the idea being that the "boots-on-the-ground" Supervisor is directing the train and track equipment and watching the track conditions.  Once the MOW and "test" trains have run and the person in charge on site is satisfied, the affected line will be put back in service--though likely with speed restrictions, etc., but trains will once again be controlled by the Dispatcher.

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So... just to make everybodies on the same page
> the train that was at Andesite had a crew change
> at Dunsmuir and is heading down the canyon.

When I see "the canyon" I think Feather River canyon but I don't think that is the canyon you are referring to.

The area from a bit north of Dunsmuir and down to Lakehead, north of Redding is commonly referred to as the Sacramento River canyon.

Yup, saw a southbound freight thru Redding about 4pm on Sunday 8/1.