Engine crews in helpers

Hi, Had the good fortune to see soom UP mainline action in Ia and Ne this past week and was wondering if the trains that have a helper on them have a crew or are they controled by radio from the lead engines ?. I tried to see in the windows but could not see anyone. Thanks, Bob

Hi Bob. (takes a drink ) Welcome to the Forum. Sounds like you saw some DP trains, which would mean they are remotely controlled, from the lead loco. If they were DP, then they would most likely be unoccupied. You can never be sure, so don't try to get on one......... Not many manned helpers left these days.

we run one daily here in kc to help with the hill on underpowered (just about all) trains.

You can still find some places on the UP with manned helpers. We had a helper on duty at Shawnee along the coal line right where the UP and the BNSF join up in eastern WY. It was crewed out of Bill, WY (most senior guys of course!) and we would tack it onto a train behind the DPs if the tonnage was a little much, the weather was bad, or the train had a unit cut out on it. I think the hill was called MIles and we had to shove loads up the west end of the hill going east. There is another manned helper futher up the joint line crewed by the BNSF out of Gillette (I think, it might be out of Gurnsey) and I think the name of the hill it had to shove trains over was Logan, but it might have those two mixed up. Cannot remember, but I know both of them were manned. These were in addition to the DP's tacked on in South Morrill or North Platte (usually 2x2 for 132 loads and up, and 3x1 for a couple of trains with older steel sets or funky downline plant configuration, and 2x1 for everything esle).