Try this at home

[dknelson]

Last Friday during my usual railfanning on the south side of Milwaukee I saw a situation on the CP that might add interest to an operating session. A train was released out of the yard in Milwaukee bound for Chicago -- one GE with a heavy (but short -- it had lots of molten sulfur cars) train. It made it up the grade at Waterford Avenue (known as Powerton in Milwaukee Road days) and we were all impressed by the sheer lugging power of that big new GE. But then the engine called the dispatcher -- his air brake compressor had failed on the main line. Now the brakes were on and could not be released! Fortunately it was just south of the south end of a passing siding. The dispatcher sent out a helper engine, a GP, which was engaged in locall switching. The engine would never have had the horsepower to pull the train into the siding, but that is not what they needed it for. The sole purpose for the GP was to pump up the air and release the brakes. Thereafter the road power backed the train into the siding. Once in the siding the GP left to resume its local switching. The dispatcher ordered a westbound train to stop, and release its second unit to get the stalled freight back on the road. Unfortunately it was time to eat so we did not see that movement.
An interesting situation - and a resourceful train crew and dispatcher.
Dave Nelson