jeffhergertMCHNP 28, 146 cars 9505 trailing tons (doesn't include the dead engine) 10052 feet long. Two engines UP 5729 12.1 EPA (Equivalent Powered Axle), BNSF 4264 DB (dead bad). Dead bad is a status, it doesn't neccesarily mean it's dead. It just has a defect that doesn't allow it to produce power. TPA (Tons Per Axle) limit for Blair for manifests is 430, for an engine failure 457. Divide tonnage (9505 + about 200 +/- tons for the dead engine, 9705 tons) by TPA (430) means it should have EPA of 22.6. Using the eng failure TPA (457) still needs 21.3 EPA. It was a definite candidate for stalling. The grade on Blair hill is 1 % on the east side, where this takes place. Theres a few curves and a permanent 40 mph beginning at the Missouri River bridge on the Iowa side to about 1/2 way through Blair. Where there's a permanent 45 to just a bit west of the crossing shown in the video. An intentional setup? Probably not. They do gamble on underpowered trains making it. I know that from experience, both making it and not making it. And under the right conditions, a train over on TPA can make it. (This was probably a big gamble, but they've done it before.) Other times a train at or under TPA will stall. Jeff
TPA (Tons Per Axle) limit for Blair for manifests is 430, for an engine failure 457. Divide tonnage (9505 + about 200 +/- tons for the dead engine, 9705 tons) by TPA (430) means it should have EPA of 22.6. Using the eng failure TPA (457) still needs 21.3 EPA. It was a definite candidate for stalling.
The grade on Blair hill is 1 % on the east side, where this takes place. Theres a few curves and a permanent 40 mph beginning at the Missouri River bridge on the Iowa side to about 1/2 way through Blair. Where there's a permanent 45 to just a bit west of the crossing shown in the video.
An intentional setup? Probably not. They do gamble on underpowered trains making it. I know that from experience, both making it and not making it. And under the right conditions, a train over on TPA can make it. (This was probably a big gamble, but they've done it before.) Other times a train at or under TPA will stall.
Jeff
On my territory when I was working, there were a couple of grades that 'over tonnage' trains could routinely conquer the grade - If they were long enough - if they were long enough, they never had their total tonnage on the grade, they could have a thousand or more tons on the completed side of the grade before the last of the train got on the grade. A train with the same power and tonnage but a thousand or fifteen hundred feet shorter was dead meat on the grade, because ALL the tonnage was actually on the grade.
In many cases, when 'emergency' helpers were added to the rear of the train - the helper and train would butt their coupler and not couple the helper's air into the train. Thus once the helper completed their shoving, all they had to do was decreas throttle and let the train go on its way - no need to stop and uncouple or turn anglecocks on the air lines.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
blue streak 1The diesel did not seem to be helping?
When the diesel in 4014's consist rolled past it sounded to my admittedly inexpert ears like it was idling and not doing any of the work. I'm guessing the push was all 4014.
I heard pretty much the same on a video of CNJ #113 excursion in PA. With nowhere to turn the train or switch ends on the consist there was an RBM&N diesel on the trailing end of the passenger consist, one pulled out and one pulled back. The diesel had that idling sound on the steam pull-out.
Anyway here it is. See what you think. By the way, CNJ #113 is the only operating Jersey Central steam locomotive out there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70JduT9PR28
MCHNP 28, 146 cars 9505 trailing tons (doesn't include the dead engine) 10052 feet long. Two engines UP 5729 12.1 EPA (Equivalent Powered Axle), BNSF 4264 DB (dead bad). Dead bad is a status, it doesn't neccesarily mean it's dead. It just has a defect that doesn't allow it to produce power.
zugmannThis one just looks a little too convenient.
I confess the thing that shot immediately to my mind was when the donated Space Shuttle was being moved by road, and they cut the tractor off and substituted a Toyota pickup truck. Strangely, I never saw the obvious (and it would have been impressive even to me, who knows better) ad appear afterward, either in print or on TV...
The short, light steam special would make an ideal helper compared to other trains. Perhaps they deliberately ran it behind a freight that would likely have problems?
Here's the freight train that was pushed. The second unit is a BNSF ES44C4, the uploader says it was dead but some other comments indicate it was just autostopped.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kgtzVj79ZU&t=107s
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
jeffhergertTrains stalling on Blair is not unusual. I've stalled there and I've shoved Trains over that have stalled. Either a train has engine problems or a combination of too much train, not enough engines and bad rail conditions.
This one just looks a little too convenient.
Either way, it got a lot of coverage.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
zugmann I wonder if it was a stalled manifest, or a "stalled" manifest. PS have to love the shifted load at 8:30. Going to need a buffer if it moves any more.
I wonder if it was a stalled manifest, or a "stalled" manifest.
PS have to love the shifted load at 8:30. Going to need a buffer if it moves any more.
Trains stalling on Blair is not unusual. I've stalled there and I've shoved Trains over that have stalled. Either a train has engine problems or a combination of too much train, not enough engines and bad rail conditions.
Normally engines cut away from their Trains to shove another one. I know some, now retired, who would bring their train with them. The rules don't really address one train helping another, just the cutting in and out of manned helpers. Having to cut out the automatic brake on the helper makes it impractical to take the train with them. Those old retired guys normally didn't cut in the air, just knuckled in and shoved. I've only seen bits and pieces of the video, but I kind of think they just coupled in and shoved.
The steam crew being there own little department, they may be able to do things a little different than the rest of us.
To complete the trifecta, here is 3985 pulling 143 wells of doublestacked containers.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XhgHrDbN4EU&pp=QAFIAQ%3D%3D
BaltACD Overmod Following in 3985's footsteps... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icgH_3dXdOU You may want to scroll past some of the footage, but you'll enjoy the rest! Note the method used for slip recovery... At least when I was working for CSX - when one train was required to assist a preceding train. The train the was doing the assisting was to secure their train, cut away from it and then do the assisting. I guess UP has different rules.
Overmod Following in 3985's footsteps... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icgH_3dXdOU You may want to scroll past some of the footage, but you'll enjoy the rest! Note the method used for slip recovery...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icgH_3dXdOU
You may want to scroll past some of the footage, but you'll enjoy the rest! Note the method used for slip recovery...
At least when I was working for CSX - when one train was required to assist a preceding train. The train the was doing the assisting was to secure their train, cut away from it and then do the assisting. I guess UP has different rules.
844 helped a stalled freight back in 1996. It also did not have to cut off from its train, so BaltACD is correct.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU9uEwSGp9M
The location for the start of the push might not been the best. However the quality of the video will surpass any of a big boy doing what it was intended to do. Question-- The diesel did not seem to be helping?
OvermodFollowing in 3985's footsteps... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icgH_3dXdOU You may want to scroll past some of the footage, but you'll enjoy the rest! Note the method used for slip recovery...
Following in 3985's footsteps...
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