Nostalgia & History > Remember doing this on Cajon??

I remember this happening a lot back in the day. An eastbound train stalls and the train behind it couples on to its caboose and shoves it over the summit. In this case, back in 1980, the hot UP LAX had to help an ailing Santa Fe train.

Adam 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/15 13:27 by MtVernon_Tower.

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MtVernon_Tower Wrote:
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> I remember this happening a lot back in the day.
> An eastbound train stalls and the train behind it
> couples on to its caboose and shoves it over the
> summit. In this case, back in 1980, the hot UP VAN
> had to help an ailing Santa Fe train.
>
> Adam 

Interesting.  A dynamic brakeless CNW SD45 in Cajon Pass...


Allen

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MtVernon_Tower Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I remember this happening a lot back in the
> day.
> > An eastbound train stalls and the train behind
> it
> > couples on to its caboose and shoves it over
> the
> > summit. In this case, back in 1980, the hot UP
> VAN
> > had to help an ailing Santa Fe train.
> >
> > Adam 
>
> Interesting.  A dynamic brakeless CNW SD45 in
> Cajon Pass...
>
>
> Allen

After the Mopac merger we used to get their SD40s with no dynamics. Train Management would think everything was good to go until the train got to Yermo and didn't have enough dynamics to go down Cajon on the Santa Fe. All they were looking at was HPTT and not the number of dynamic brake axles.

I've been on both sides of this scenario, having to shove another train up the hill and having to be shoved due to losing a unit. by the time I went into engine service and out on the roar, the cabooses were history which made it a bit easier to shove on, not having to worry about turning the caboose into an accordion.-BMT

Usually the rear end crew bailed out of the caboose and stood on the front platform of the "helper" set
when the hp was well above the normal two four axle units. That made really good sense since when the
caboose frame collapsed it would never ride up and over the anti-climber.

Out

Plenty of power on the front of that PIG train! Great shot!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/15 14:15 by exhaustED.

Looks like Uncle Pete is doing this with one eye closed... ;^)

callum_out Wrote:
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> when
> the
> caboose frame collapsed it would never ride up and
> over the anti-climber.

Never say never.  And what about the body of the caboose if the frame buckled?

Marty

 

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MtVernon_Tower Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I remember this happening a lot back in the
> day.
> > An eastbound train stalls and the train behind
> it
> > couples on to its caboose and shoves it over
> the
> > summit. In this case, back in 1980, the hot UP
> VAN
> > had to help an ailing Santa Fe train.
> >
> > Adam 
>
> Interesting.  A dynamic brakeless CNW SD45 in
> Cajon Pass...
>
>
> Allen


what's interesting the CNW SD-40 WITH dynamics in front of the no dynamic 45 ...

nice shot ...

Never say never is good advice.  Everytime we see one of these pictures the danger of shoving the caboose comes up, but to the best of my knowledge nothing ever happened to any cabooses being shoved by helpers or other trains on Cajon in the 70's & 80's. Of course, I can't ever say never.

OliveHeights Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Never say never is good advice.  Everytime we see
> one of these pictures the danger of shoving the
> caboose comes up, but to the best of my knowledge
> nothing ever happened to any cabooses being shoved
> by helpers or other trains on Cajon in the 70's &
> 80's. Of course, I can't ever say never.

The only derailment immediately ahead of a helper on Cajon that I'm aware of was on a loaded stack train with no caboose on straight track. The only time that shoving against a caboose became even a remote issue was on some of the tighter curves where the rear truck wanted to try and lift off of the rails. The prudent helper engineer throttled back a notch or two if necessary at those locations.

exhaustED Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Plenty of power on the front of that PIG train!
> Great shot!

  The UP used to run Z-trains with so much power we could make track speed (55 mph) going up Cajon and even had to work a little air in the curves!

Looks like Bob Sinclair's Chevette off to the left

I think his statement was made with a large degree of sarcasm included at no extra charge. 


MartyBernard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> callum_out Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > when
> > the
> > caboose frame collapsed it would never ride up
> and
> > over the anti-climber.
>
> Never say never.  And what about the body of the
> caboose if the frame buckled?
>
> Marty
>
>  

That would be true, always wondered how well that anti-climber would work if a caboose collapsed
over it.

Out

OliveHeights Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Never say never is good advice.  Everytime we see
> one of these pictures the danger of shoving the
> caboose comes up, but to the best of my knowledge
> nothing ever happened to any cabooses being shoved
> by helpers or other trains on Cajon in the 70's &
> 80's. Of course, I can't ever say never.

I've got some slides stashed somewhere showing a UP caboose that popped up at about a 45 degree angle when some helpers were shoving too hard on it.  It happened somewhere near Keenbrook.