Front Range Sub. (CO) - power pools (foreign)

[BlockLine_4111]

Yesterday evening before and after the Denver-NE game there were two trains sitting in the sidings in Broomfield, CO. One was facing Denver with BNSF 5100 and a CSX GE widecab, the other train was facing opposite direction with BNSF and MRL power. As I mentioned the molten sulfur tanker train came through the locale with UP power in the lashup.

Is BNSF short of power on the sub? Seems they overpower the trains, HP-wise? Are the grades that severe on the sub?

Thanks

[route_rock]

Hmmm power short? If you count seeing 30 year old units leading Z trains, and only 10 motors on the ready,service and shop tracks this morning, and having to wait for trains to arrive so we could get their power off and serviced and on to another train, then yeah I guess we are kinda short
Most junk trains barely have the power to pull themselves out of a rut.Coal loads run with .5 to .8 Horse power per ton. If you have a bunch of motors on the train maybe not all are running power ( may be in the consist going to another terminal from the shops or whatever) If they are its a M or H train and the engineer wants to get there now! So they go back throw everything online then before getting in isolate those units so no one knows better.
But trust me if its on a train and producing power its either at the minimum HPT or just above it. Very rarely does one see an overpowered on purpose train here.

[TB Diamond]

Well said, Bockline_4111. Put in some time with BN(SF) and stalled more than once account being underpowered, especially during the winter. To address route_rock: there are some very stiff grades on the old C&S Wendover-Denver. It was very common prior to the advent of DP for trains to double Ault Hill (between Glendo and Cheyenne). The grades are the reason why the little Rawhide coal trains had four 3000 hp units for 8,000 tons (circa M-L/1980s).

[BlockLine_4111]

A short manifest came up through Niwot today, probably from Broomfield (or Denver) at 1:30pm w/four BIG BNSF widecabs. Lotsa HP, overpowered IMO.

[TB Diamond]

There is the possibility that BNSF is moving power around and that all four units were not on line. BNSF Special Instructions strictly limited the amount of power per ton on all trains. No doubt this can be circumnavigated for certain customers, however. At one time or another in the past one could see ten or even twelve units on hopper trains with only three or four on line. The isolated units were being moved to a power-short terminal. Back in 2000-2002 we would come out of Denver to Sterling with one SD70MAC on the head end and a SD70MAC DP on the rear with 120x, or two MACs on the head end, one DP with the trailing unit isolated and woe to he (or she) who put the trailing unit on line.

[BlockLine_4111]

Good point, I did not think of that.

I think that's how UP (maybe BNSF too) runs west to Moffat w/the empty coal hoppers. They head end the train w/6+ locos but not all 6+ are running. The six are all running when there are distributed on front, middle, and rear w/the loaded train coming down into/through Denver.

Efficient powering in this mode?

[TB Diamond]

DP units reduce in-train forces and can eliminate helper districts due to this fact. With DP one no longer has 15 or 16M tons or more hanging on the rear unit drawbar. Train partings on the crest of a grade with DP are normally a thing of the past. Importantly, however, is that the engineer has to be properly trained in DP operations and everything must work correctly. Have seen failings on both points but will digress no further.

[BlockLine_4111]

Are these newer widecabs the only locos that can run in DP?

[TB Diamond]

Can speak only of the BNSF circa 2002: the only units that were equipped for DP were the EMD SD70MACs and the new GE widecabs, which did not see much coal train service back then. Now, I do not know.

[BlockLine_4111]

Saturday 2:30pm a unit coal train came up from Denver to the power plant in Boulder. Power as follows (all arrainged 'elephant style'):

BNSF 8800 series (looked like an EMD)
UP 6000 series (looked like a GE)
UP 6600 serries (looked like a GE)

I am not sure if there is a wye at the location. Maybe they tried running LHF back to Denver and ended up with a stiff neck?

[BlockLine_4111]

The same train came into town (i.e. power plant) at 11am, long and could not see the locos. Assume UP power was assisting again.

[BlockLine_4111]

NS is back on the sub again.

This past Saturday in the AM a manifest came up from Denver with a NS widecab splicing a pair of orange BNSF widecabs.

BNSF = buy Norfolk Southern fast!!!

[BlockLine_4111]

Broomfield, CO noon today

Today on the sub heading up from Denver.
5 unit manifest w/three bi-level pax cars on rear end.
CN power in the pool and one loco bearing full ATSF markings.

Heading into Denver in the hole a manifest with Conrail blue loco behind lead power.

[BlockLine_4111]

This afternoon 2 BNSF widecabs w/a CSX widecab brought a tanker train up through Boulder after sitting in the hole at Broomfield.

[BlockLine_4111]

Early this week a mid-afternoon manifest came down the sub. with a big black NS widecab splicing the pair of pumpkin orange BNSF widecabs. Not a long train and no pusher attached to the rear.

BNSF = buy Norfolk Southern fast!!!!!!!!!