Welded Rail trains on the Joint Line Part 1 in Tales of the Jointed Track

You may have seen these odd looking trains, if you live near, or cross a railroad mainline, from time to time.

http://www.wsorrailroad.com/projects/anderson1.jpg

They are tiered, trains carrying quarter mile segments of rail, welded together. After these are laid and in place, these will be Thermite welded together in the field. The cars are coupled and the uncoupling devices are then blocked and locked into position. They have 5 levels from the flatcar bed to the top, and 10 rail holders each. So about 2.5 miles of rail on each level. close to 12.5 miles of rail fully loaded. The odd shaped triangle sided cars are the tie down cars. The rail is bolted and torqued into place, holding the middle pieces..then allowing the remaining rail to flex around curves. Great when it works, the shits when it doesn't.

I don't know how many of these I may write about. I have four that come to mind, and may elaborate off topic. I am a dumb ol rail, so what do you expect.

Pueblo, CO Mid 70's Rail trains Cabooses, and C&S SD-9's:

I am still new, the rear end crew in the Caboose is Bob Morley Conductor, and Charlie Westfall, rear brakeman. I don't remember the head brakeman, maybe because he didn't stick around. Doesn't matter.

Rail trains are "dedicated" so to speak, because they have a particular destination, and they are operated by a specific railroad. The exception, a foreign line operation, like say CP Rail, sends a unit train down, gets loaded and operated back, where the CP takes over. We may get dedicated power pool power, then again might not. It's complicated, and I don't want to blow the top of your heads off with "Interchange and Pooled Power Rules and regulations".

It is a late morning, early afternoon call, a sunny Pueblo day. It is late Spring, but like Pueblo can get hot, like in the summer. The temperature will change along the route, may be subtle, may be drastic, who knows. Our "call" a rail train, our power two C&S SD-9's, 1750 HP each on 6 axles. This bunch came out of the old "Amarillo, TX operation off the Santa Fe. The Santa Fe, did do "contract" welding and loading for the BN and the C&S as well.

I know this is early technology and welding sites, but there may have been others, elsewhere in the US rail system. Pueblo came on line off the CF&I steel plant, around Southern Jct, the early 1980's, and served many railroads. It wasn't a dedicated Santa Fe operation. The Pueblo operation is still operating today, off the Comanche lead, and the Colorado & Wyoming, services this.

We get the train orders, and the instructions from the yardmaster. The power is "chalked" on the outbound crew board with the power. Two SD-9's , one is a dual control stand, equipped the other a "late" 50's order, with the standard AAR control stand and a the Newer 26 air equipment. The other is still with the 24 brake valve equipment. Plus the two don't interact, in dynamic braking, with out a "field loop" cable for the dynamic brakes, and I'll bet a paycheck, there isn't a field loop cable, anywhere to be found. We picked up our power at the fuel tracks in Pueblo. They were fueled to capacity to make Denver. The lead unit was the dual control stand equipped locomotive. It was also 24 RL and 24 SA independent equipped, with the familiar "Rotair" valve cut in/ cut outs. This rail train was fully loaded out of Amarillo, and is heading toward the Powder River Basin. The water levels are where they need to be, a full tank of fuel, and we'll make close to track speed. The train by rule, is restricted to 35 MPH, and we'll be close to that. We have other restrictions as well, so not a big deal.

The air test is made. The authorization to depart has been issued. The signal off the highline beckons "Clear" (green). Off we go, and top Bragdon Hill at at 20 mph, wide open. Thirty two MPH will be our speed across the flats. A ten mph, through the Fountain River Girder Bridge at MP 93.9, and the south end of Colorado Springs, a Twenty five MPH, due to curves, and no trains can be met or passed. The DS has been informed again..

At Larkspur, CO the Thirty five mph reverse curves, have us slowed to 25 mph. That's on the down grade side, so no big deal. We thread our way, and reach the top at Palmer Lake. I'll stall them over, and place a set on the train, I know we'll have the air brake, and one dynamic, if it works. Since I don't have a "field loop" cable, the second unit will rev up, but not in dynamic brake control. I am told the caboose is over the top, and I relate they will be on air, most the way down the grade. No problem is the reply. These have the unloading threader cars, and the buffers as well. I figure that 96 percent of the cars are of the loaded variety, but we can make this work. I was taught air on both sides of the grade. It was my goal, to be as proficient as my teachers. The set, and the lead SD-9 are holding the speed at 32 mph.

It will stall around Greenland MP 47.6, and I'll let them drag down to 25 mph. The air will be released and we'll lose another 3 mph, going up the sag, and then after the Noe Road crossing at Greenland, we'll head back down. The "kicker" in the equation, this 24 RL brake valve, doesn't have pressure maintaining. So the train line leakage will offer an extra reduction on the brake pipe. The key is to make your sets count, hold the air as long as possible, and play the grade changes to your advantage. The train will release quickly, due to the car count, but will charge up faster as well. I grab the next set at 30 mph, a decent blow off the valve, and feel the tug as the cars set up.

We have older "friction bearing" cars ( those that have an oil reservoir lubricating the bearing/ axle face), and the haze of blue smoke surrounds the train. The reason for this is, the back seals leak, oil coats the wheel face, NOT THE ROLLING SURFACE, plus dirt and dust gather. As the wheel heats up, due to braking, this is causing the smoke that is seen. Yeah buddy they are working. I hold the set to 20 mph, and we are mostly through the curves . The release, "Highball Larkspur" and we're at 32 mph..

I let them drift, we get about 38 mph, and another set, I make it deeper and at MP 42, I'll release and start working power as we blast under I-25 and head upgrade for 2 miles. This is my recovery, and maximum charge for the air. NO we aren't running away, that's why you learn your territory. The SD-9's are doing their part, and stretching the train out off the release. I'll stall again about MP 40, and will make the downside into Castle Rock, Colorado.

A strong set, and we drift to MP 35, at about 28 mph, and the track heads upward, the air is released, and the train shoves us up, and recharges the train . Downgrade again to Castle Rock, MP 33.7, a set, we are there, 33 mph..it will level out. Blow the whistle through town, release the air and get ready at MP 31 when we start down again.. A set, hold it, release at MP 29, upward again, we're off the hard part of the grade. I'll play 'em, through Sedalia, and into Littleton.

We call the Operator on the approach to Littleton, and we get the instructions from the yardmaster at Rice yard. The train is yarded, power to the house, tie up. Another trip has been made...