Train 152 Denver,CO 15 below zero weather. Part 1 in Tales of the Jointed Track

I missed a call. In forty years of railroading, I have missed four calls, three were stupidity on the railroads part and / or a cascade due to the first three people, not protecting the position. This one I'll own up to.

McNichol's Arena Denver CO Colorado Rockies vs Montreal Canadiens

Remember the Colorado Rockies ( not the baseball team)...they were the former KC Scouts, then after eight years yanked out from under us, and became the NJ Devils. I digress. I held two season seats for 6 of these eight years. Montreal is in town. This was a year that Montreal lost 16 games over an 84 game season. This was a machine. They swept everyone and won another Stanley Cup that season. I called in, I was on my pager, I packed a grip, because I was gonna get called. I called in at the end of every period. Third period, MTL 4 COL 3, hey these guys are giving them a run for their money. I told the second trick caller, I'll check in again in 20 minutes, I'll take a short call. I'm five to ten minutes from the yard office. BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZ End of the game MTL 5 COL 3 empty net goal. It's 1045 pm. I leave my seat and head to the pay phone.

Ahhh, John O'Malley the night caller, I told him how does it look John? "Well Laddie ya missed a call" "Did ya call the pager?" "Nah, was I supposed too?" Okay he's playing dumb and being and asshole as usual. "Before ya hang up, can I make this trip?" "NO it's a deadhead, on duty at 0001 am, and I ain't changing anything" "Okay John, I'll mark up in 24 hours, thanks a lot for nothing, remember that when your ass is in a big JAM". He won't, he's an asshole, nothing more, nothing less. It's starting to get cold, snow, and okay I lost this trip. A good night's sleep.

The Next Morning 0850 am :

Hot Coffee, it's a cold bastard out there. I'll mark up around 2230, or 1030 pm. The phone rings, it is the crew caller. "Bob..I need you for 152, 1100 am". "Okay, but I missed a call last night". "Understood, and don't care 152 1100 am". I take the call, I am there. I head for the yard, the train and all that the BN, the Rio Grande and Santa Fe can throw my way today.

It's bitter, around 10 to 15 below zero, clouds are low. The moisture in the air is freezing into a fine light powder. The snow squeaks when you walk on it. My boots stick to the deck plates and catwalks on the locomotives.

BN 31st Yard Denver, CO train 152

Train 152 is still hot, ninety-five to one hundred percent Coors beer. The BN has been trying all night to get 152 out of Denver. The train has 5 SD-40-2 locomotives putting out 15,000 HP in Throttle 8 , 80 cars of Coors beer 6800 tons. 2.2 HPT (horsepower per training ton). If they can get this monster out of town, it will walk the dog, going up the grade.

The problem, its bitter cold, and the train isn't passing an air test. I get to the power, the units are revved in throttle 4 position. The generator field switch is down, the reverser in "Neutral", each motor has a handbrake set as well. The cab is warm, that's good. I walk the power, and come back up. The head brakeman is a new hire, and I say go back and take of the handbrakes, off the cars. I took care of the power.

The railroad decided to wait till the sun came up, and possibly the weather will warm, ever so slightly. It did somewhat it was 22 below zero last night, its 10 below now. The locomotives were revved up, solely for keeping the air pressure up and the main reservoirs charged and holding, to maximum 130-140 lbs. The automatic brake valve is ICE COLD, you need a glove just to grab the handle to set the air. Somebody in the terminal, decided this 80 cars of beer was going to move period. What a lot of managers, especially those that don't come out of Train or engine service, do understand is air will leak off in bitter weather faster that is does when its 30 degrees and above. If this even at 35 degrees this train would have pumped up, passed the air test, and left town.

Why is it different now? The air hose on each end has a "glad hand". This is what mates the brake hoses together, between each car and the locomotives. There is an air hose gasket in each glad hand, these provide the seal. When its cold the rubber shrinks a bit, also the gaskets in the service and emergency portions ,those shrink as well. Each one, by itself, wouldn't leak enough air to fill a small balloon. But all of them together, that's a whole other situation. I call the carman, and tell him I'm ready for the air test. "85 lbs, on the caboose gauge, set 'em up". I grab the handle, no exhaust from the valve till a 10 lbs reduction. I bring it over to full service, there is an exhaust, but it is not strong. This is going to fail, period. The pressure maintaining is charging hard, I wait the required time, to allow the air in the system to stabilize and settle down in the brake pipe. I snap the automatic brake valve cut-out, from IN to Out. The train line sinks like a stone. it dropped 35 lbs in less than 3 seconds. To pass an air test leakage the train has to time and not be more than 5 lbs in one minute. So this isn't going no where. I call the carman and tell him. He says "Release 'em, I'll walk the train and see if there is a major leak or leaks". The yardmaster comes on the radio. "We want you to walk the power, and see if they are causing the problem. We think they are the culprits in this". I knew that was coming, I wonder who dreamt that one up? I have an idea, and will see them soon.

To be continued Part 2