Nostalgia & History > Matched set Warbonnet Wednesday . . .

.   .   .   in APR '92, a quartet of Santa Fe only B40-8W's were leading Santa Fe's hottest train, 991, east out of Mojave, Ca.
JB

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Pretty shot.  Nice 4 axle set for high-speed running.
Brian Sevens

One of the best paint schemes ever devised! Great action shot!!

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

Back when it was just TOFC four axle units could do the job. But when COFC appeared trains got much heavier which required six axle power.
Which is why you see these units in local service now.

PHall Wrote:
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> Back when it was just TOFC four axle units could
> do the job. But when COFC appeared trains got much
> heavier which required six axle power.
> Which is why you see these units in local service
> now.

I'll disagree a bit. You see these units in local service because they are old.

The main advantage of the high horsepower 4-axles was that they could accelerate faster. but I would wager that the crews like the ride of the 6-axles better. When everything being bought was 6-axles, it was inevitable that they would take over the hottest assignments.
 

There was also a big difference then compared to now with 3000 and 3600 hp shared by six axles as compared to todays 4400 hp shared by six axles. Plus, even though the railroades are MAINLY still buying six POWERED axle power, BNSF has bought quite a number of six axle units with just four powered. Go figure? That one is still a mystery to ME.
JB

Nice one Joe!

3rdswitch Wrote:
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> Plus, even though the railroades are MAINLY still
> buying six POWERED axle power, BNSF has bought
> quite a number of six axle units with just four
> powered. Go figure? That one is still a mystery to
> ME.
> JB

Its a mystery to me too, but when a train stalls, they don't call the bean counter at home on the weekend, because he or she isn't on the call  when a train stalls list!.

Two experiences with power under tough conditions.  The first, I was working the Truckee Ca. helper when the SP got the first of their GP60s  delivered.   The KCOAA (Kansas City-Oakland[Bahia]Autos) ran from KC to Bahia with two SD40/45-2s, and just needed help to get through the tunnel fast enough to keep from overheating from taking in its own exhaust.  Usually they would pull over the power crossover in downtown Truckee so the brakeman on the helper wouldn't have to hand throw the switches out of the siding.

Here comes John Cockrell with two brand new GP60s, (7600HP insteead of 6000) and he says "...I'll pull up so you won't have to hand throw."  Well, he didn't even get half of the train over the road crossing before he spun out.  He's on the hand throw and the power crossovers, so we had to call the dispatcher and have him take us to East Truckee to get behind him, all the while 267 is blocked.

Next interesting trip was a usual 100 car grain train out of Elko via Portola with three AC44s in the dead of winter.  This was probably the worst snowstorm I have ever been in.  As well as lots of sideways snow, there was a huge amount of pea/marble size hail falling, and the wind was blowing so hard the crows in the Black Rock desert couldn't fly, and were sitting on the cross arms of the pole line behind the top of the pole where they were shaded from the wind.  The hail/snow was just over the rail and running on these ice ball bearings didn't give much traction, but we had three six axle units.  

We were only able to make about 25 MPH between Winnemucca and Jungo, where we could usually make over 40.  When we got on the grade between Jungo and Antelope, we were down to about 1 1/2 MPH with the sand on, and the computer showed that the unit was only able to put out 1600 HP.  If one of those had been a 4 powered axle unit, we would have stalled.  Its 348 miles between Elko and Portola, and there are no extra units anywhere enroute.  To rescue that train, they would have had to call a patch crew out of Elko, and deadhead them to Winnemucca where they would steal the Paired Track Local's two SD40-2s.  Then they would go up to Jungo and shove the train to Antelope where they could run around it and get on the head end to provide HOS relief.

Once the train got to Portola, another pool crew would have to be called to get the local power back to Winnemucca, and either the crew would ride back with them, or a 200 mile Renzenberger.   As it was, they just had to relieve us at Gerlach.
G