QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill Dave: No, its a helper uphill and down. Same principal. The reason you heard the helper in dynamic braking at Auburn, and not the lead units, would have to do with the profile of the track at that point, the speed limit, etc. Donner is not a continuous grade; there are flat spots, grade variations, and one actual descent in the middle of the eastward climb, from Colfax to the bridge that crosses over I-80 just east of there (Long Ravine?). What I think you heard them say was "stringlining," not "shoestringing." Stringlining is the tendency of a train being pulled around a curve to want to cut the corner. Take a string, lay it on the carpet in a curve, and pull on one end -- same thing. Take a look at the autorack trains you see and note if they're mostly empties or mostly loads. That will make a difference in whether they need a helper.
QUOTE: Originally posted by SP9033 QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill Unfortunately, the terminology has become blurred by the practice of railroads of running what is actually a helper but calling it Distributed Power, and vice versa. This is unfortunate not because it confuses us poor observers at trackside (like we matter!), but because it dilutes the clarity of the specific advantages and disadvantages of Distributed Power and helpers within railroads themselves. By confusing the terms, it deludes some of those inside the railroad hierarchy to start thinking that the only purpose of those extra units is to overcome some grades en route, not to improve train handling. It deludes others into thinking that the only reason they're there is to improve train handling, not to overcome grades. This matters because in some cases it might actually be cheaper to establish a traditional manned helper operation and abolish DP, and in other cases to abolish a manned helper operation and establish DP. That's interesting - so on UP's "Overland Route" over Donner Pass these units that are positioned at Sparks, NV for helping trains over the "Hill" are really remote helpers, master - slave, like the SP8300s used on the Modoc and not a DPU operation like one would see in the flatlands? These units ping pong between Sparks and Roseville, very much like the SP 8300s went back and forth between Klamath Falls, OR and Wendel, CA Jim - Lawton, NV 235.5
QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill Unfortunately, the terminology has become blurred by the practice of railroads of running what is actually a helper but calling it Distributed Power, and vice versa. This is unfortunate not because it confuses us poor observers at trackside (like we matter!), but because it dilutes the clarity of the specific advantages and disadvantages of Distributed Power and helpers within railroads themselves. By confusing the terms, it deludes some of those inside the railroad hierarchy to start thinking that the only purpose of those extra units is to overcome some grades en route, not to improve train handling. It deludes others into thinking that the only reason they're there is to improve train handling, not to overcome grades. This matters because in some cases it might actually be cheaper to establish a traditional manned helper operation and abolish DP, and in other cases to abolish a manned helper operation and establish DP.
Dave Howarth Jr. Livin' On Former CNW Spur From Manitowoc To Appleton In Reedsville, WI
- Formerly From The Home of Wisconsin Central's 5,000,000th Carload
- Manitowoc Cranes, Manitowoc Ice Machines, Burger Boat
Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado.
Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy
Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings
QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill I appreciate the update on the OSL-OWR&N, Ryan. It's been years since I've had the opportunity to see it west of Pocatello. Medbury Hill is one of the great unremarked places in western railroading, in my opinion, and I'm happy to see that helpers out of Glenns Ferry still work it. Do they still ever run east up King Hill? Any additional rundown on operations up there, and on the Washy, would be appreciated. Don't know what I'll do with it other than file it in my head, but someday it will be useful.
QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill DPUs on almost every double-stack train that originates at Los Angeles/Long Beach, but that the plant capacity is not yet sufficient to accommodate running every train as a long train (thus needing DPUs).
QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR I would think that you'd probably not see DP units on an auto-rack train, because--loaded or empty--they're some of the lightest cars around, and a train requiring the added power would probably be too long to efficiently run anywhere! Intermodal with DPU--I haven't seen it on this end of the UP, but that's not saying anything about conditions west of North Platte--or even west of Rochelle, for that matter.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.