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[Anonymous]

Though I have been watching trains go through my farm in Ontario Canada for 50 years, I am finally taking the time to learn more about what I see. Trains magazine (recently discovered) is really helping.
Here is hoping you can help some more.

I will start with this question.
Why do locomotives go through with no consist at all from time to time? Sometimes just one, but more often 2 together.

[Anonymous]

Those are helpers. If a train is too heavy for the locomotives pulling it, they would attatch helpers either to the front, middle or end of the train and help the train up a hill. So when you see two helpers going by, they are probably going to help a train or they are going back to where they came from, to wait for their next assignment.

[athelney]

Depending on you level of interest - Bytown Railway Society in Ottawa puts out a trackside guide for Canada , contains just about everything you need to know about loco's, cars ,equipment , maps ,rosters . They also put out a magazine for canadian railfans . hope this is of interest

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by athelney

Depending on you level of interest - Bytown Railway Society in Ottawa puts out a trackside guide for Canada , contains just about everything you need to know about loco's, cars ,equipment , maps ,rosters . They also put out a magazine for canadian railfans . hope this is of interest
[/quote

Thanks for the tip on Bytown Railway Society.
I have checked their web page and am mailing a cheque right away.

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Posted by ndbprr on Mon, Dec 20 2004 4:07 PM

A couple of other possibilities for light engine moves:
1. Traffic denisty is usually heavier in one direction than another and it could be a power redistribution move although they usually attache a bunch to do that
2. They are from a local that has delivered all the cars in ine direcion and is going back to pick up all the cars being shipped
3. Check the engine numbers if they are nearly always the same I would bet on helpers first and local usage second.

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Home»Discussion Forums»General Discussion (Trains.com)»Help a Rookie (sort of)

[ndbprr]

A couple of other possibilities for light engine moves:
1. Traffic denisty is usually heavier in one direction than another and it could be a power redistribution move although they usually attache a bunch to do that
2. They are from a local that has delivered all the cars in ine direcion and is going back to pick up all the cars being shipped
3. Check the engine numbers if they are nearly always the same I would bet on helpers first and local usage second.