Eastern Railroad Discussion > Solo SD40-3 on a 2 mile long train

At 9:55pm (central) Q200 passed by Deshler with what looks like a SD40-3, it was the only engine. Behind it were 16 cars of mixed freight and roughly 90-95 autoracks, some of which were automax's. All together that seems like it would be over 2 miles of train. I assume the autoracks are empty? Otherwise that train seems wildly underpowered. I'm posting this because it just isn't the type of train I expect to hear about in 2018, consist wise.

Precision railroading

It's not 2018, it's how tomorrow moves... Very slowly I'd guess with that HPT ratio...

Seen that a few times as Q200 grinds across the diamond at Deshler, I am sure holding up other traffic.  I have seen it with two motors lately at times too.   

Modern railroading. Beat the horses until they are dead then wonder why none of the power works.

Posted from Android

Surprrised with one unit they could get enough air on the rear for a brake test. Must have been one tight train line, and only one unit to control it with dynamics and nt use the air.
Take a good Engineer who knows the lay of the railroad to use Throttle Modulation, then again I doubt if he ever got a good roll into them.

Steve Panzik
Chiloquin, Or
 

Normal procedure for this train. Most of the racks are empty.

Posted from iPhone

Should have been less than 6000 tons, as described. Surely that is doable for an SD40 in northwest Ohio, one of the flattest places on Earth. Won't be fast, of course.

Q200-13, 88 loads, 20 empties, 108 cars, so, I’d say around 9500 ton. Still doable with one engine, but, it’s basically a land barge. CSX seems to like this approach however as we see land barges quite a bit lately.

CG Tower

No train handling required. Notch 8 and put your feet up. Never get up to speed. Unless it's one of the 5000hp SD40s from the movie Unstoppable:)

CGTower Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Q200-13, 88 loads, 20 empties, 108 cars, so, I’d
> say around 9500 ton. Still doable with one engine,
> but, it’s basically a land barge. CSX seems to
> like this approach however as we see land barges
> quite a bit lately.
>
> CG Tower

Thanks for the info, mostly auto loads then. I'm surprised.

inCHI Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CGTower Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Q200-13, 88 loads, 20 empties, 108 cars, so,
> I’d
> > say around 9500 ton. Still doable with one
> engine,
> > but, it’s basically a land barge. CSX seems
> to
> > like this approach however as we see land
> barges
> > quite a bit lately.
> >
> > CG Tower
>
> Thanks for the info, mostly auto loads then. I'm
> surprised.


Usually has some loads out of Chrysler’s Belvedere plant. Had more than usual on this day.

Posted from iPhone