The DP consist from Hell. Colorado Springs to Pueblo Part 1 in Tales of the Jointed Track

This incident was sometime on the late summer of 2010. I was working the day rotation and John Nelson was on the night side of things. I called John, just before I left home and headed to Big Lift. He answered and told me he was in the Springs and it would be awhile. I suggested that I drive to the North CTC switch at Colorado Springs and trade off. I got there roughly at 0815, handed off the keys to my truck, and grabbed the keys to the Company vehicle. John drove back to Big Lift, and left my truck keys in the drawer, when I got back.

The problem was the DP link. It was dead to CCOP, (Crankcase Over Pressure). CCOP is a killer, and you have effectively lost the locomotive. Till this is rectified and inspected, it is a boat anchor. A northbound coal empty had just set out a locomotive, that will be the new link, or would it.

The Chief Dispatchers are busy, because they are looking at and directing a large territory. They also interact, or are supposed too, with the other Chiefs and adjoining territories. They too, should interact with the power desks involved.

There was a time when the Power Desks ( Locomotive Utilization ) were manned 24 / 7 to help and aid in problems and change in plan. In the year of 2001, BNSF had a "big" purge and operational philosophy. So the Power Desks will predict out 24 hours, and there is a "rover crew" an MLU ( Manager Locomotive Utilization) and 2 AMLU's ( Asst. Manager Locomotive Utilization) to cover the whole system, during the over night hours. I was part of that purge, because I was not politically correct, meaning no harassment, but I called it as I saw it. The managers I worked for were never left in the dark. Plus I was one of them Santa Fe's. Is what it is.

The Chief made the decision to set out this SD-70-MAC. Did anyone look to see that the DP data radios had a defect against it. NO, a roll the dice, don't look at LINQ ( Locomotive Inquiry), and hope the right decision was made. I know, as well this was the effort to open the mainline. Well, it is in a 21,000 foot siding, and ways to get around it. Another, is crew, they don't want a DOL (Dead on Law) and have to re-crew. They did anyway. Three of them before this fiasco came to a close. Gloria was working the Night Chief rotation. She was arrogant to a point, and when ya said Gloria don't do that. She'd do what she wanted, and most of the time, broke it off in her ass. Well this is a Gloria to the rescue and it's gonna screw us decision.

Back to the story. The "MAC" was set out and the DP link was severed. The crew re linked to the new unit, air tests made and passed. I detached and waited for them to leave. I called the Chief and said all is good right now, they are knocking off handbrakes, and will report to DS-16 they are ready to go.

I stayed in the general area. There is an "old school" Diner around the Martin Drake Power Plant on the south end of the "railroad" proper. Its about 4 blocks east of the tracks, but serves a bunch of the truckers, etc. I'll grab a breakfast, head up to Palmer lake and get the Emergency unit then to Castle Rock for the same.

I ordered breakfast and the radio crackles...static static... up dfjrfjh jejensjuasi . Okay, it's not for me. Then another crew..."Shoe are you still in the area?" "Yeah, what's up?" "Can you read that Coal train?" "No" "He tripped the detector and the axle read out shows on the DP's". "Tell him I am on the way".

I tell the waitress sorry... I have to go now. I pay the bill for the breakfast and the tip, because they are cooking it. I say, "Give it to the next customer if they would like it..I have a railroad emergency and need to go".

To be continued ....

Last updated August 23, 2014