Western Railroad Discussion > UP special torpedoed by Bnsf dispatcher

bnsf let  empty trailer double stack out of la junta then promptly stopped it10 train lengths east of la junta bringing the line to a halt with The UP special caught behind it.  the up special is cleared to operate up to 120 mph wind 💨 I heard them say.  I think gusts were at least 60 mph so  for 6+ hours the special was dead, got a recrew got permission to backup and pass a coal train in La junta that it had been parked behind, behind the fed ex train.  El Paso Tucson Colton Vegas Utah this trains work.   Bnsf was nice enough to stab the special with a double empty after a crew change in Pueblo.  then 4404 headed east into the dust towards la junta.  With weather forecasts for high wind warnings the day before Bnsf paid no heed, also red flag warnings were justified with fires 🔥 by Swink and Lamar in the area.   Cell phone shots everything was dirt covered in s/e Colo, grapes 🍇 of wrath weather

---

---

---

After it stopped they released a la junta Pueblo move. Plenty of time to eat

---

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

Golden rocket 🚀 off for dalhart

---

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

4044

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

Opps

---

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

Thank you all for providing shots of the Specal!!!

Did they used trackage rights from La Junta to Dalhart via the ATSF gained during the BN-ATSF merger?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/23 05:03 by rrpreservation.

Yes, that's correct UP has trackage rights from Pueblo, CO, via La Junta, CO, to Dalhart, Texas.

rrpreservation Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Did they used trackage rights from La Junta to
> Dalhart via the ATSF gained during the BN-ATSF
> merger?

Cool little houses in photo 2 for someone who likes trains.

dan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bnsf let  empty trailer double stack out of la
> junta then promptly stopped it10 train lengths
> east of la junta bringing the line to a halt with
> The UP special caught behind it.  the up special
> is cleared to operate up to 120 mph wind 💨 I
> heard them say.  I think gusts were at least 60
> mph so  for 6+ hours the special was dead, got a
> recrew got permission to backup and pass a coal
> train in La junta that it had been parked behind,
> behind the fed ex train.  El Paso Tucson Colton
> Vegas Utah this trains work.   Bnsf was nice
> enough to stab the special with a double empty
> after a crew change in Pueblo.  then 4404 headed
> east into the dust towards la junta.  With
> weather forecasts for high wind warnings the day
> before Bnsf paid no heed, also red flag warnings
> were justified with fires 🔥 by Swink and Lamar
> in the area.   Cell phone shots everything was
> dirt covered in s/e Colo, grapes 🍇 of wrath
> weather

What entitilement you must believe in.

So, BNSF puts a hold on all traffic due to weather, and you believe BNSF should move everything around and create an exemption for what YOU claim the UP passenger special could deal with. Do you have any actual factual evidence that UP contacted BNSF and say hey we are good for those winds please let us through'?

a solution is to back up the fed ex trailers on the trinidad line , BNSF wanted to run coal too, they shot themselves in the foot, we see examples of incompetent dispatching everywhere this is a prime example, they wasted some two crew starts, for them and one for the UP, soo i guess that is trival because they have too many crews

another repo train is sitting awaiting to get into la junta

https://www.viaero.com/live-weather-videos

click on la junta

i have no idea of why it occured i don't have the facts

dan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> a solution is to back up the fed ex trailers on
> the trinidad line , BNSF wanted to run coal too,
> they shot themselves in the foot, we see examples
> of incompetent dispatching everywhere this is a
> prime example, they wasted some two crew starts,
> for them and one for the UP, soo i guess that is
> trival because they have too many crews

Please mr arm-chair-quarterback put in your application for BNSF as a dispatcher or trainmaster or what ever if you think you can figure everything out by just seeing what train is where.

longliveSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What entitilement you must believe in.
>
> So, BNSF puts a hold on all traffic due to
> weather, and you believe BNSF should move
> everything around and create an exemption for what
> YOU claim the UP passenger special could deal
> with. Do you have any actual factual evidence that
> UP contacted BNSF and say hey we are good for
> those winds please let us through'?

There wasn't a hold placed on all traffic.  The problem was a baretable which is required to stop for high wind got stopped on single track blocking other trains that could run in the wind behind it.

bnsfjordan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The
> problem was a baretable which is required to stop
> for high wind got stopped on single track blocking
> other trains that could run in the wind behind it.

And could they? I don’t take the word of a railfan whom I don’t know. What can a UP engine or train service employee tell us about their high-wind restrictions?

MP555 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And could they? I don’t take the word of a
> railfan whom I don’t know. What can a UP engine
> or train service employee tell us about their
> high-wind restrictions?

For BNSF it's winds of 80 mph or less for passenger trains to be able to proceed.  Don't know about UP.

I talked to many crew , the up guys didn't say anything it was the Bnsf guys critiquing  there own path selector, I didn't even know, they told me.        Many of you recall the Amtrak detour last year after a  prairie fire from Trinidad Pueblo la junta last year , it would have wyed. Itself right here I think.   Coal trains can run in some high wind, even empties I think.   The double empty was holding then the 4404 said it was ready then the coal pulled out, giving the appearance of apathetic dispatching



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/23 23:04 by dan.

---

---

---

mococomike Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cool little houses in photo 2 for someone who
> likes trains.

Always thought the same. But, not one of the better area's in Pueblo. Many, many colorful characters around here. Big camp just to left and other side of tracks. the area here around the houses is not a spot I would be comforatble in after dark. Seems ok during day tho.  Just my comments and observations .  Nice set of shots regardless.  Ben

dan, I liked your videos and photos . Thanks for sharing.
dan, you provide good coverage of the front range area, one of my most favorite places to visit.