UP's new AC4400CTE's

[favuprailroadfan]

Although I have never seen one of these yet. I was wondering. How does the CTE work? Is it all done at the push of a button if needed, or does it work all the time? Put I have just one opinion. I thought that the railroads needed all the tractive effort it could handle. Why all of a sudden are they toning it down? I know it helps prevent broken knuckles and drawbars, but there has got to be more reasoning for this. Does it also help fuel economy? I would like to here some opinions, and hope that my questions are answered.

Thanks,Dru

[Anonymous]

Come on up to Salina Dru. I've seen a number of them here. At least up until a few weeks ago before my new job has me gone all the time. Which reminds me, I saw 3 GP30's in 2 different places today. One south of Geneseo,KS & 2 outside Ellenwood(?)KS. All from the K&O. The last one I saw (which was really the first one I'd ever seen, at least that I knew of) was a few months back in Phillipsburg-Wanna see some U-Boats?,Check out the KYLE.
Matt

[favuprailroadfan]

Matt, Has the K&O bought the Central Kansas Railway? Because down here in McPherson, I have seen a couple of K&O GP35's down here working. It seems to me that is what's going on. Because with the CKRY, they worked everyday, now its been at least a week since I've seen any activity. Any ideas on what's going on. Are the guys from the UP yard there in Salina easy to get along with or not? I was up there once in my car looking around just right there by the turntable, and they looked at me like " go away, why are you here". If they are easy to get along with, I might just drive on up there and see what's going on.


Dru

[Anonymous]

Dru, if you get a chance go over to hutch today, when I came through there last night there must have been 15 old CKRY engines sitting in the yard there, don't know if they would still be there by now though. I had heard CKRY was bough by one of the SEK's sister roads, the SKO, so that may be what's going on.

[Anonymous]

shoot, forgot to answer your question. the CTE part of 'em is for manifest DPU only. you just change a setting in the box. the reason for it is when these AC's are shoving hard at the rear of the train at low speed, they are putting out enough pu***hat they could possibly "kick out" a light car ahead of them, especially in sharper curves, low speed, high throttle. by reducing the effort being put out a low speed/high power, they are trying to reduce the chances of this happening. if they are on the back of a coal train or grain/pota***rain, they operate just like any other AC4400 in DPU. when they are leaders too, they are just like any other. there was an article in trains about them either this past issue or 1 or 2 before it, i think in the power desk part.

[favuprailroadfan]

Derek, So what you are saying, is that it prevents "buckeling" correct? Plus do you know of any that have ran through here? Matthew-the guy from Salina-says he sees them up there all the time. So I might have to run up there. Oh, one other thing, where is the yard at in Herington? I have never been, so I was wondering where it might be. Are the guys pretty friendly there, or are they hard heads about visitors? Please right me back.

Thanks, Dru

[Anonymous]

yeah in a way, it basically keeps them from pushing too hard against the cars in fron of them, in particular empty cars that are fairly light, like flats, articulated cars, etc. there are also some pretty strict train make-up rules when you are in the mountains with the grades and particularly the curves. what'll happen is a light car that is getting pushed too hard will just "jump" out of the train to the outside of the curve, sort'of a reverse of stringlining. we get'em through here now and again, i've only had one, and that was on a grain train. other trains you might see one on might be the MKCTU,MHNEP,MEPHN,MWCHN, haven't seen any on stacks. probably have more luck in Salina, cause they run DP's there and we don't. As for the yard here, you can't hardly miss it(small town) just come up US77, take the business 56 exit, where business 56 takes a sharp curve to the right, take a left and follow that road, it runs right into the yard office. they're mostly o.k. you might get a few looks, maybe a question or 2, but i wouldn't think you'd have any problems.

[Anonymous]

Dru,
Matthew-the guy from Salina- sends his deepest apologies for being so tardy in replying, for he has been w/o internet for almost 2 weeks!!
Yes the folks at the yard here are quite hospitable, at least the are to me, & yes the CKRY was bought by WATCO COMPANIES, a outfit out of Pittsburg,KS that operates the SEKR,SKOL & about 5 other out of state shortlines in addition to the newly formed K&O.

Speaking of which, didn't the K&O just have a derailment down in Hutch the other day?

Add a coaling tower still stratteling the ex-Santa Fe, ex-CKRY, now K&O main in Great Bend as the latest cool RR thing I've seen. Just saw & photographed it today. Wish I had my camera a few weeks ago when I spied those 3 GP30's (in 2 different places at that!!)

Talk to you later
Matt

[favuprailroadfan]

Matt,

Derek is an engineer that works out of Herington to Pratt, or KC. I was just telling him that you are from Salina and I thought it would be interesting for all of us to meet sometime. It would be pretty cool for all of us to shooting around the area sometime. Down here around McPherson, there are some excellant places to get pictures. They are putting in a new CTC controlled siding over near Galva, there are two tight,very superelevated curves. One is on the west side of Canton, and the other one is about 3 miles east of Canton. The one east of Canton has an excellent angle for westbounds, plus it is on a .8% grade, so it makes for an interesting place to go check things out. I have been wanting to go up to Salina , and Herington to check stuff out there too. But I just haven't had the chance. It makes me mad that I never get a day off from work to get up there. I have never been to Herington so I don't know what to expect. So if you ever would like to meet just write me back, and maybe us 3 plus my wife( she is interested in trains too-thanks to me-) can meet sometime and chase together.

Laters, Dru
P.S. I understand about the internet thing so don't feel bad.

[EvanWerkema]

There's an article on the CTE's right here on the TRAINS website. Go to:

http://www.trains.com/content/dynamic/articles/000/000/000/984oocdi.asp

[Anonymous]

Dru,

The CTE function works by limiting tractive effort of the AC locomotives at approximately 9mph. A typical AC4400 develops 180,000 pounds of tractive effort at 9mph. When the CTE function is selected it energizes MU pins 18 and 19, limiting tractive effort to 110,000 (equal to that of a Dash-9). We use the CTE mode when the units are used in manifest service.

Phase II is underway here at UP. ALL AC4400's are being converted to CTE.

Hope that helps -

R.T. McCarthy
Manager Operating Technology - Distributed Power
Union Pacific