HOW ABOUT THIS, FOR A COOL CONSIST.....

My train yesterday, to the KCS, was the best one I have had so far, since getting out here. The train was slightly "underpowered", but I managed anyhow. The consist was, as follows:
KCS 6607
MRL 313
MRL 329
CSXT 7687
HLCX 8171
KCS 640
HLCX 6328
KCS 6619
KCS 610
KCS 4770

The total was 58 powered axles, with the last unit being a GP-40. Horsepower was in the range of 32,000. We used to get consists like this all the time, on the SP/UP, but it's been a while, since I was so lucky, with a consist. Was just curious, does anyone else still get trains, with this much power on them? Of course I would have rather had an even dozen, of all six axles, but I guess I can't complain. What have you had, for power on your trains recently? Regards

So how many were "on line"? I know not all of them! Those commands from the lead unit's control stand lose something in the translation by the sixth unit via the 74VDC MU jumpers.

Out here on our manifest trains, we can sometimes have 6-8 units, but a lot of them are offline and/or dead, going back to the shop for repairs. It's funny sometimes when you figure out that you barely have enough power for your 9500 foot train with 7 six-axle locomotives behind you.

All online, and running. All were SD-40's, with the exception of that one geep, and of course, the CSX toaster-oven. I know some will claim there are SD-45's in this list, but all contain 16 cylinder engines, no 20 cylinders in the consist. The signals through the jumper cables work just fine. the last unit makes smoke, as soon as the first one does. We used to run up to 15 units, on the SP/UP, and had no problems, due to jumper cables, unless you had a bad jumper. The real problem with a huge consist, is the fact it will take a full minute, for the brakes to apply, with the independant, and for a suppression of an application, to affect the rear unit. (remember, after lead unit reads zero on the BC gauge, allow 6 seconds for EACH additional unit.) I don't even use the independent, while running light, with such a consist. The automatic is the only way to apply brakes simultaneously throughout the consist, and release them as well. Maybe one day, I will get a dozen tunnel motors, on the point. That will be my retirement run, if it ever happens, as it will never get better than that, ever again!!!

ON 2/1 I had BNSF 8085 BNSF 8039 NREX 6410 BNSF 6874 BNSF 7132 NS 2610 BNSF 7864 BNSF 6939 BNSF 4754. The trip before that I had BNSF 7717 FURX 8092 NREX 6452 BNSF 4970 CSXT 788 BNSF 4805 BNSF 7145 BNSF 4352. Both trains were pretty light and even with out all of them lit up you get up to track speed pretty fast. My favorite train we have is the garbage because its all loads both ways because the empty dumpsters still count as a load so no matter what its a 60mph train and they always have Geeps on them. My last one had the 2092 a GP38-2 on the point and there's nothing like the sound of a root blown 567 in run 8. Talk about takin out the trash!

Oh yeah the NREX 6410 was an ex Santa Fe SD45 and the NREX 6452 was also and ex- Santa Fe motor being a SD45-2 not too often these days you get a 20 cylinder motor in your consist two trips in a row, unless of course you work for the MRL.

GN, where does your garbage origninate and terminate at? I work the other side of the river on UP and we take ours to Gilliam, OR. It originates in Seattle and we also get some from the Puget Sound & Pacific at Centralia a couple of times a week. Fortunately they give us good power for that train, not a big fan of those old motors.

WHAT WERE YOU HAUIN?? Thats alot of power!!!

Actually when we have alot of power like that it is on a mostly empties train with the power being headed to another terminal where they need them rather than just run power drags. Our garbage comes from Everett WA and terminates at Roosevelt. I see the UP garbage trains across the river, newer power, even the dumpsters are nicer. The old intermodal and flat cars our trains use are junk. You gotta have 10lbs into them before they even start to grab. And with those Geeps you might as well forget about the dyno's, makes things interesting I guess.

GN 599 wrote:My last one had the 2092 a GP38-2 on the point and there's nothing like the sound of a root blown 567 in run 8.

Agreed! Although a GP38-2 would have a roots-blown 645, not a 567.

Oh yeah duh. I'm thinking of the GP39m's but they are turbocharged but fun nontheless being remanufactured GP30's and 35's. Had one of each last trip and two SD40-2's on the point with a 12000 ton train.They were working very hard.

Last nights train, was no slouch either:

NS 9767 -9 40CW
KCS 702 SD-50
KCS 614 SD-45-2
KCS 6613 SD-40-2
TFM 4529 AC44CW
KCS 3205 SD-40-2
KCS 3142 SD-45-2

All online, and very nice when it was time, to "pour it on", and get them up to speed............

Wow, I've never seen that many engines on a freight train!! That's 5-10 engines....

Amtrak's trains, however, only go up to two or three engines, even with it's Auto Train (52/53). Passenger trains are far lighter than freights.

Rob, actually, I have pic in an old mag showing #52 hauling the Auto, in South Florida, back in 1993. Had at least 4..... 1 GP, 3 FP40H, and one of those, SDH42's, or something likt that... I'll have to find it.

Robert Paniagua wrote:Wow, I've never seen that many engines on a freight train!! That's 5-10 engines....

I saw 5-10 engine consists during the early CR era, when there was a rainbow of mix n match units on the Southern Tier Mainline. CR also liked to include extra power on the eastbound runs to Oak Island- including a BUOI run led by a GP50 and 6 GP8s/10s. It went thru Elmira shortly after 11PM, and it was impressive even in the dark!