Locomotives on Both Ends of Train

Over the last several months I've noticed the train configurations are consistently different than I've seen in the past here on the UP in Fresno, CA.

I now see locomotives on the head-end of the train, but virtually every train has locomotives also in the rear 4/5ths of the train or on the very tail end (where the caboose used to be).

Is this practice UP-wide? What is the purpose for the change?

Distributed power (DP) allows for longer trains, a productivity issue. It also has the effect of reducing horsepower/trailing ton, which is more fuel effficient. Look for more of this on UP as time goes on.

LCJ wrote:Distributed power (DP) allows for longer trains, a productivity issue. It also has the effect of reducing horsepower/trailing ton, which is more fuel effficient. Look for more of this on UP as time goes on.

Thanks, with a little google search I was able to look up "DP" a little more in-depth at this article. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m ... i_90886404

Just about every coal train I see up here in Wyoming has engines at the rear and many even need pushers in places. That is for UP and BNSF. I hate them pushers, they are too dang sneaky.

We have DP units here. Its so the bigger trains (10,000 feet) can climb the passes in Oregon. Sometimes the engines can go in the middle.

best trains to run if ya get used to the territory. outstanding the rear pusher is a must. 8 and air. cept when it craps out then your friend is haulin iron. good times

What was scary for me when I was at the UP, was being called into the simulator room, given the GE manual on how the DP's worked, put a fence up, ride the territory for awhile on the sim, and having the magic wand swept over my head and calling me a fully qualified DP engineer along with many, many others. No on the road experience. Kind of scary the first time you do it alone. I'm glad the boys at the Mr. Goodwrench desk where able to help me out in the field.

yeah, thats not the best way to get qualified for sure. the dp coal train can be pretty intimidating especially since they are tryin to get them up to 140 or so cars. just a shade over 20000 tons. hows things goin? im assuming that youve run them and are more comfortable now?

Great. I left it all behind and am now pulling the throttle back, hoping to keep the amps loaded at Amtrak.

...now pulling the throttle back, hoping to keep the amps loaded at Amtrak.

That's like playing with toys compared to running a 20,000 GT DP coal train through the mountains! No guts, no glory!

Around Kansas City...

I've seen UP with DP working
- the Kansas Pacific mainline out to Topeka/Marysville/Denver, but almost all of that is coal
- the once MoP up the Missouri River Valley
- the once MoP east towards Saint Louis.

All of this has been coal. Yards used include both Armstrong and Neff.

I've seen BNSF use distributed power up and down the old Q out of Murray Yard, Northtown. This includes both coal and SB (loaded) grain drags.

There was talk early on about DPU'ing unit grain for the Gulf, however no one is qualified on the branch lines. Any DPU coalie that gets detoured on the Branch has to be converted to conventional because of this fact.

And without any training, I had to try and figure out how to de-commission a DPU train a couple of years ago. First I dumped the air, then got all sorts of alarm bells. Finally a south crew had to come out and assist me. What did they expect from a yard hogger?

Most all the coal on the Overland Route in Iowa is DPU now.