Wheelslip

[Electroliner 1935]

My only experience with a bear was on a trip on the BC Rail's Caribou enroute to Prince George. I was permitted to ride shotgun in the RDC's "firemans" seat on the stretch north of Quesnel BC. The engineer was the senior man on the board and he recieved the train over an hour late. He knew his route and did not believe there would be any testers lurking in the weeds. We were doing significantly above the speed limit for passenger trains in the ETT but who was I to ask him?  Also, we entered one curve with speed boards that were marked F-30, P-40. He slowed to about 55mph. Car felt like some one had a large sledge hamer and was hitting the side of the truck. We exited the curve faster than we entered. We came upon a black bear loping along the ROW. And we were quickly gaining on him. I did not say anything but wondered whether he was big enough to initiate a derailment but then thought nah, it would just be messy. Just before we got to it, it cleared the track and dove to the left. Engineer never changed speed. He made up almost forty minutes on his division. 

[BaltACD]

Paul_D_North_Jr

Funny photo, but the rail in BaltACD's photo looks like CWR, so it would have been a real pain to cut out a section and use 2 welds to reweld each side.  Unless they just used bolted joints . . .  

- PDN. 

If the defects were discovered at 0 dark 30 in the middle of a 4 day holiday, MofW 'may' bolt in a replacement segment of rail and issue a slow order.  The PERMANENT repair is to replace and weld in the new segment of rail. 

With there being that number of defects and the total length from the first to the last, I doubt that any temporary repair would be attempted - where do you get 50-70 feet of rail from and get it on site - both MofW and Operations will be involved in the logistics of getting the rail and getting it in place.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Funny photo, but the rail in BaltACD's photo looks like CWR, so it would have been a real pain to cut out a section and use 2 welds to reweld each side.  Unless they just used bolted joints . . .  

- PDN. 

[tree68]

BaltACD

And if, perchance,  a unit 'runs away' while the train is stopped - 

There's a spot like that on Big Moose Hill, albeit not as deep.  More like a rumble strip. The hill, five miles of 1.1 percent, was always a challenge to the railroad.

[BaltACD]

And if, perchance,  a unit 'runs away' while the train is stopped - 

 

[tree68]

Back on wheelslip - we have a real problem with slick rails, especially in the fall with leaves on the track and the grades we deal with.  You might as well grease the top of the rails.

It's always a good idea to run with your window open - generally you can hear an axle take off.  Most of the time the wheel slip detection will work, but not always.   If an axle runs away, you can do significant damage to a traction motor.

Liberal sand, and sometimes a 10 pound set on the independent...

[NDG]

 

Bear Facts.

 

I have never eaten Bear. As mentioned could be full of parasites.  Trichinosis.

 

Have seen them shot, as Vermin, and trucked away. Helped skin out one for it's pelt for a rug, on a Come Along in a shed.

 

Bears can be an issue, especially around food and Garbage dumps.

 

There was one around the local land fill named Mr. Three Paw, as one of his front paws was missing. One of the largest black bears I ever saw, and Glossy! Lots of Goodies in the Garbage. The dump on the former RoW of a logging road where we found loco brake shoes w groove on flange to centre same on wheel tread on rough track on trucked locomotive as a Shay or Climax, and a well shot up spark arrester stack.

 

One night I was Inspecting a Coal Train, M630 Power and a bear came out of the ditch, dashed in front of the Unit and disappeared underneath about fifteen feet away. I was afraid he might still be alive and furious, so I vacated the area ASAP.

 

M630. Pre Ditch Lights.

 

http://www.mountainrailway.com/Roster%20Archive/CP%204500A/CP%204552-1.jpg

 

By Day he was dead, 'tween the rails and we pulled him away with a 4x4.

 

Another day I walked out and there were three bears munching berries across the track. No sweat, and they left.

 

 

A South Drag radioed in that they hit a bear North along the Kootenay and he might still be alive.

 

The Section Foreman went out on his Fairmont, and he asked me along to help move Mr. Bear if he had to, on OT.

 

Well, Mr. Bear was dead and almost decapitated. The Foreman wanted the claws for a necklace and had an axe on the Motorcar.

 

This was done. Mr. Bear removed from between the rails and laid to rest, clear.

 

A herd of cattle had got out, (  Some said the Rancher needed a new truck and the Company was going to buy it for him. Others asked as to why there was corn on the track, or a salt block. Not true, as he was too cheap to do this. )

 

They figured some Hunters had left a gate open as there was no love lost.

 

They shot his dog sleeping under the rancher's truck. while he was out on his horse.

 

Made going to the Bar Saturday nite a treat. Rifles and guns and knives all around in trucks outside, knives were suppose to be left with the Bartender.  Shooting Game from the road included highway signs, No Bag Limit. By nite they Pit Lamped them with the headlights.

 

HEE FKN HAW!!!

 

Anyway, the South Drag had a set of UP SD40s ex the SI, just arrived on loan, and ran thru the herd on the Main. Big Mess.

 

I had to go down with the Section Foreman in his truck to ' Represent the Company ' for the report.

 

He had to kill some, legs missing, broken backs, with an Axe, and collect data from ear tags, cut fence and let herd back out into field.

 

Coyotes and Ravens at the fence, watching.

 

A Bear would Take Over a Train Kill, a real threat to MoW if not looking out.

 

They would eat Lubricator Grease and take over a Lubricator on curves.

 

Not Happy in the Service.

 

Thank You.

[SD70Dude]

It's very greasy.  Very strong, slimy pork would be a better description.  But I've only had the opportunity to try it twice and did not care for it either time, so I may not be the best source.  Bears are also full of parasites from eating anything they find on the ground, and that put me off even before I tried the (thoroughly cooked) meat.

But I think that pretty much any meat will taste good if you grind it up and make it into garlic sausage.

A old frontier book of mine contains a story about a greenhorn who was tricked into eating coyote meat by one of the old heads.

The same book contained a tale from a different old trapper who claimed that lynx meat is a delicacy, as long as you cook it properly.

[Flintlock76]

Poor Mr. Bear, just trying to be friendly.   

By the way, is bear meat good to eat?  Don't tell me it tastes like chicken.  

[NDG]

 

Wheel Slip.

 

Back in the early Eighties GP38-2s replaced the older First/Second Gen power on the Wayfreights on the Windermere Sub. this being cascaded down S/G Torpedo Geeps, GP35s and MLW C424s. The various spurs and the Wyes were not yet capable of handling C-C power, so B-B had to do.

 

The GP38s were almost new, and liked , as the GP7/9s still high nose and were going in for their rebuilds, the other power worn out, and not designed for Wayfreight Service when new.

 

The Two GP30s appeared from time to time.

 

Anyway, this one day there was a MoW Track Block for a tie program and they had to hold the S Wyft for ' A few minutes '

 

Well, the Engineer, who was a Piglet and thought his output did not stink, threw a FIT, and let EVERYBODY know on Channel 1.

 

To compound the issue, a Heavy Track Unit broke an Axle and derailed athwart the main, taking hours to get squared away.

 

They had to jack  the machine up, rotate same 90 degrees and build a ' Set Off ' right there, digging out the bank with track shovels.

 

The Window had long expired and now Revenue trains and call figures were being affected.

 

The Wyft. Conductor walked up and was on the head end.

 

The Wyft was released and covered 30 minutes in about 20 approaching Mach 1.

 

The Conductor dropped off at speed where we were and almost fell on his face.

 

In this instance the GP38-2 had all wheels spinning as in the Video, but it was daylight and not as vivid. Sparks all around.

 

The opposing Engineer told Mr. Piglet  ' That was no way to treat a Locomotive, Tony. '

 

Tony Replied ' F**K OFF! ' and went around the curve to the South in sparks and smoke.

 

The Conductor was shaken, said he doubted Mr. Piglet's sanity, and was scared as he had to switch with the guy every day.

 

A year later he was ranting away, went right thru a siding and side-swiped his Meet on the Main at the far Switch.

 

Got a year off, as the Memories had piled up in his file.

 

Safety First!

 

A danger to life and limb, and GP38-2s right to the end.

 

Still God's Gift in retirement along with his beater F-250 Ford.

 

Yes, he combed his hair back, like Elvis.

 

Yes, it is possible to wheel slip all axles on a GP38-2.

 

 

( Not long after, the Trainman lost his hand at the Mill. His own fault.

 

On another occasion ' they ' determined a Mill employee got run over 3 times working with a Trackmobile at night.

 

HIS HAND was found by day two days later and the RCMP had to come out and get it.

 

Winter, Coyotes must have missed it, a miracle in itself, as they were always scrounging goodies from the Power Recovery Hampersize lunchboxes.

 

Bears another hazard to Crews switching and Car Checkers.

 

The Bears followed workers as they were a source of Goodies. On the Job training, for bears, too.

 

The Chip Truck guys FED the bears when held up as Dumper down.

 

Another story in a story.

 

A Bear was around and was scrounging as late Fall. I saw his footprints in the first snow and was Bear Aware.

 

They hung around looking for Train Kill.

 

He tried to get in, he had his paws on the window, I threw a lit Red Fusee under his back legs. Gone! for now.

 

Met him one night and I had to run around my truck to get away from his imploring, and got in the cab.  He put his paws on the hood  I shoved him backwards. He fell on his ass and ran back to the Food Court at the Mill.

 

Anyway. One evening a Pipe fitter was in a pump room and felt a breeze on his neck. T'was Mr. Bear's breath supervising the job. No White Hard Hat.

 

The Pipe fitter ran around the Pump and got out, slamming the door and latching same trapping Mr. Bear inside.

 

He called a Supervisor who came down, peeked in and asked on the radio if anybody had a Rifle in his truck, as it was hunting season.

 

Several did, a rifle was brought into the plant, the door opened and Mr. Bear shot as he exited.

 

A ride in the 966 from Chip Handling was next. )

 

Example 966.

 

https://www.mascus.com/images/productimages/b4e1015a/befbf5c2.jpg

 

Thank You.

[zardoz]

BaltACD

I suspect that in addition to problems with the wheel slip control

Y'all got it wrong--that unit is the new enroute rail grinder.

[BaltACD]

I suspect that in addition to problems with the wheel slip control - there is probably a lack of sand on that 2nd unit.

[SD70Dude]

The only GTW units I've ever been on are the 5900 series SD40-2's, so I can't say for sure.

I have seen a variety of units acting in this manner, though not nearly as badly as in that video.

[williamsb]

That 4904 is not much help. The wheel slip system is obviously not working. Did CN put PTC on those units in place of the GM controls?

[SD70Dude]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh9g5rftUMg