The Slag Pit at Salt Creek near Minnequa in Tales of the Jointed Track

The Santa Fe and the Rio Grande, bought and crushed the slag, from the Blast Furnaces at the CF&I Steel Mill. The Rio Grande’s pit was near Southern Jct. The Santa Fe’s was at the foot of the grade, at Salt Creek. The spur, came off the mainline. The mainline went up another 4 miles to meet up at Southern Jct. The Minnequa Yard, was about a mile and a half, southward from here. The grade is about 1.9 to 2 percent in places, and southbound, it levels off about a quarter mile past Slag Haul Road. This is in the Minnequa Yard area. Northbound, it levels off about a three quarters of a mile, around the old Rock track spur and the Arkansas River bridge.

It was my regular crew, Danny Maulin, Bill Bailey, and Larry Pacheco. Larry’s nickname was “Peaches”, how he got it, I don’t know to this day.

We were switching the south lead, getting an “Extra North” built. We coupled into the train, making the last shove up. Getting a Caboose off the caboose track, we kicked that up the yard lead, to the train. Larry rode the handbrake, and made the joint, and cut the hoses in. We called the Yardmaster, who in turn, gave it to the Carmen to inspect and work the train.

We headed, to the yard office. Danny was to get train orders, and a track list. “We’re going to the slag pit, and bringing 40 cars down”. “Kid ya been to the pit?” “No, passed it a lot never been in there”. “You’re going in there today, we only got one unit, so we’ll drop some on ya, and split the cut, you’ll be able to shove that up, and then go back for the other”. It is still summer, the sun is still out, its around 600 pm. The crew has their lanterns in the unit, as well as lunch boxes. One pack set radio, hand signals, and 40 cars of ballast. This was going to be added with other ballast, for a project near Emporia, KS. We are going to have 4100 tons into Pueblo.

We arrive at the pit, and undo the time lock, on the switch, wait for the click, and throw the switch for the spur. We rumble up the spur, our first cut is ahead of us, Bill unlocks the derail, and gives a back up. We make the coupling. Bill cuts the air in, and Danny says “Kid when you think you have enough air, set them up, we’ll take the hand brakes off. We need to shove about a car and a half over the crossing”. “okay I’ll let you know”. The main reservoir is low, the air compressor is struggling to keep up. I center the reverser and rev about throttle 3 for air.

A small air brake lesson, there is a charging choke, in the control valves, only so much air is going to the brake pipe and into each air braking reservoir. So, if that is the case, why rev up to get air.? Good question. The air compressor, provides air to the Locomotive. If the 2 main reservoir, is the one that charges the train line and provides the air for that, is low and can’t pressurize, the air compressor struggles, to keep up. Revving for air helps keep the compressor, rotating enough to keep up with the flow. I learned overtime that, the “air” can be fooled. Make a deep set, and allow the pressure maintaining to come in, then the main reservoirs will charge. Multiple units help, but this is one GP-38 locomotive.

I get the air where it needs to be, set the brakes up, and Danny and Larry knock off the handbrakes. “When yer ready kid, take em to the main”. I release the air, and head out, Bill is at the switch and I toss off a red flag, as I pass. Bill, will when I stop place it in the knuckle..that will be our rear end marker per rule. I get a back up, release the air and strain the unit against the tonnage. Slowly it starts to roll, watching the amp gauge, I get them moving back, and up to 8 mph.. I get a car count, where we clear the next track, and start throttling off. Bill gives a stop sign, signals he’s tying hand brakes. The cut comes to a stop, we’re at a full service, with a strong exhaust of air, out of the automatic brake valve. Bill cuts the angle cock on the locomotive, and brakes are tied, and KA-CHOW!!!, the cut is in emergency as well.

We go back for cut number two. Danny tells me, “You won’t be able to shove up on this track. Let us know when Bill is clear and you have the air under ‘em. We’ll drop the remainder to the train and cut the air in”. Bill is clear, I set the air up, they drop the remaining 9 cars, to the rest of the cut. I move a half a car length. I hear the air, get cut in. “We’re clear Kid”. I release the air and wait for the “nudge”, and here we go. I also have it in dynamic braking, it will help, but only to a point. Bill is with me and remains on the head end. Danny and Larry will finish up and walk up to the head end. That’s the plan, that’s not what happened.

I get a car count and stop, over the radio. “back em up, we’re clear”. I get a count to the coupling, joint is made, a stretch, to test they did make. “Goin in fer air” “Okay”.
We have all 40 cars, I’ll let them charge, tell Danny take off the handbrakes, when I have a good set under ‘em, and wait for them to get to the head end. . That, again, is not what occurred.

“We’re clear Kid”. I release the air so, the standing portion, we coupled to, starts charging and we can make an air test. The handbrakes will help hold while we charge.
No they won’t … Larry knocked then off, as we were shoving back. I didn’t know, Danny didn’t know.

The air releases and all 4100 plus tons are shoving us forward. This isn’t a slack coming in, this is we are heading north. I don’t have enough air… I have to kick the reverser to forward, because I cannot move it. I feel the drivers scraping, as the traction motors lock up release lock up. We’re screwed. The brake pipe gauge shows, 60 lbs, that’s the head end. Speed, we are already at 15 mph.. I don’t wait and place the train into emergency, and now to ride this out. The brakes take hold, but, they have to slow this tonnage. We slowly grind to a halt, three car lengths, from the Missouri Pacific, interlocking. “GREEN”, whew, they don’t use it, but still you’re obligated by rule to comply. The Missouri Pacific had abandoned the track. We’re mostly off the grade. Bill ties five handbrakes . Danny says “Recover the air, we’re 20 cars away”. I reset the PCS, (Pneumatic Control Switch) the air is coming up. I get a good charge. I set up the air… “Good set KID, let’s go, we’ll ride the ballast in. Danny and Larry climb the ladders, and get inside with the ballast. I think “Peaches” got an earful. I think, probably every other word was profanity, hey it was what it was. Bill has taken the handbrakes off, and calmly eats his sandwich. With his lisp and light southern accent, he says “Nothing you could of done, except what you did. I think Danny is giving Larry a real chewing!”

We call the Pueblo Operator, get lined up into the yard. Deliver the train. Power to the Fuel track. We go to the switchmans locker room. We get a quit, it is 930 PM.

I tell Danny I am sorry about what happened. “Damn it Kid, even a seasoned hogger couldn’t have prevented that. And I chewed Peaches ass out big time!!” Yes, I bet he did.