Nostalgia & History > Another tale from the crypt....best helper combo I ever saw.

This one would have been open to internal debate until the other day. My thread on mega lashups drew a response about an EL lashup out of Scranton. That triggered my aging memory to the EL at Scranton in 1975. So many memories there that I owe that fan this one. Back story is that I rode east  on NY98 from Hornell all night long, and got into Scranton around 8AM. This was mostly one of those go along runs, since I didn't shoot infra red! Anyway, I had some time to kill, and my crew friends took off for the hotel. CX 97 would be my ride back, but it was still two hours east of Scranton. My crew handled a pickup at Scranton before going off duty. NY98 was a puddle jumper that night, working Gang Mills, Elmira, Binghamton, and Scranton. The train was unusually heavy at almost 9,000 tons, so I knew it would get a helper for the climb up the Poconos. The crew left me on the east side of the yard near the old Lackawanna station. It was here I'd get a shot of the NY98 and its pushers leaving town. Head end power was a very typical 2 SD45s, but the real gem was shoving. For some extra punch, there were 5 GP7s, and 3 CNJ units pushing, The CNJ power off of the ES99. They would be returning later that day on SE98. The Central units were I guess too inviting to pass up, so the yardmaster ok'd their use for the shove. What you see in the going away shot is that helper consist sending NY98 east. Most units I ever saw on a rear end helper. I saw an eight unit helper set on the SP on Tehachapi, but the power was divided between mid and rear end helpers.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/22 06:42 by Roadjob.

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 A good memory for sure.

Neat shot, Bill!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

Now that's a helper! Fine shot and a good story, too. Thanks.

MC

Great catch, all that power and shoving on the caboose.  I think PA had some rule or law about how much HP you could put behing the caboose.  Guess by '75 either the law went away or no one cared   thanks for posting.  

That is impressive.
Great shot.
Gary

pal77 Wrote:
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> I think PA had some rule or law about
> how much HP you could put behing the caboose. 
> Guess by '75 either the law went away or no one
> cared.  

The key word in that rule was "occupied" caboose. Over 3500 hp pushing, the rear end crew would have to ride the helpers. Which would require a stop to allow the crew to reboard the buggy before the helpers cut off.

Unusual to see a CNJ GP7 on SE98/ES99. Every time I saw it it had a set of 6-motor units.

Nice one, I guess you got by with a little help from your (8) friends...

JG

They reworked the power after the helper jaunt and made the geep the trailing unit and the SD 40 leader going east. I agree with you, that was the only time I saw a smaller geep as well.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

That's my kind of consist!  Good power and lots of it!

Absolutely amazing - A once-in-a-lifetime catch.
Bob

Railfan folklore without evidence.

pal77 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great catch, all that power and shoving on the
> caboose.  I think PA had some rule or law about
> how much HP you could put behing the caboose. 
> Guess by '75 either the law went away or no one
> cared   thanks for posting.  

LV95032 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Railfan folklore without evidence.
>
> pal77 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great catch, all that power and shoving on the
> > caboose.  I think PA had some rule or law
> about
> > how much HP you could put behing the caboose. 
> > Guess by '75 either the law went away or no one
> > cared   thanks for posting.  Ref: 52 Pa. Code § 33.53

 All common carrier railroads operating in this Commonwealth shall promulgate or modify existing operating rules and procedures for the government of their respective employes so as to require that the operation of a pusher engine or engines behind an occupied cabin or caboose car, in train, shall be used subject to the following conditions:(1) If the horsepower to be used by a pusher engine or engines behind a cabin or caboose exceeds 3,500, the train crew shall, before such a move is made, vacate the cabin car and occupy the pusher engine or a cabin car or caboose behind the pusher engine or engines, and the train shall be brought to a stop before the pusher engine or engines are detached.(2) The practice of "cutting off on the fly" pusher engines behind occupied cabin cars shall be limited to those instances in which the horsepower used by the pusher engine does not exceed 3,500.52 Pa. Code § 33.53The provisions of this § 33.53 were formerly designated Rule 18 by the Commission.
 

Neat story and picture but, Uh Oh! Now Central of New Jersey knows the Erie Lackawanna was using their power for pushers...

I remember our one Trainmaster was not happy about the Norfolk Southern sometimes using our Indiana and Ohio Railway units to push their trains up Erlanger Hill. 

Jim