1986 Big Lift Local Englewood,CO Windemere Ave in Tales of the Jointed Track

This came to me today. Why? because I was driving around this area. I had to deliver a form to one of my sons, and it needed to be signed. We used to switch industries here, before lite rail and the three mainlines.

We are still a double track main from South Denver to Palmer Lake, CO and from Crews to Bragdon, CO. Track warrants are the norm. We will operate on the Northbound mainline. There will be a flag at Big Lift, so we can clear northbound trains as needed. Communication…a Pack set for the flagman and the locomotive radio. The track is ABS ( Automatic Block System) current of traffic operation, hence the need for a flagman.

Big Lift, CO

We are told we won’t go to Colorado Springs today. There is a heavy volume of traffic needing to be switched and picked up at Littleton and Englewood. There is also 25 loaded tie cars at Santa Fe Park. Our charge, a worn out old GP-20, and this poor bastard won’t handle the tonnage.

Terry Reardon was the Division trainmaster at the time. Jim McDonald was the the station agent for Big Lift. We switched the last minute connection for the 0900 Q-DVKC (Denver-KC), and when they departed we lined the switch off the southbound, and got ready to head to Englewood on the northbound.

The inbound “Q” had arrived hours earlier and was ready for the night departure. I told the agent, this GP-20will not handle the tonnage. We can switch Littleton and Englewood, but to bring back cars, plus the ties at Santa Fe Park, too much tonnage, we can double in as needed, but one full swoop, sorry we’ll be at 0.45 HPT. This is a stall waiting to happen.

We got the “OK” to use the 3 Q-Train units and on to Littleton and Englewood to switch. First stop Western Aspen..shoved in Aspen logs, and pulled the empties..then went into the pit, and grabbed three loaded box cars. This is a grade, it was a S.O.B. to spot and pull. The three GP’s struggled, but we got ‘em all in on pull, and spotted three more for loading. Western Aspen made excelsior…remember that ? The did the filling for batting material for swamp coolers. Western Aspen does not exist anymore.

We lined back and tied down the cars between Tufts and Qunicy Avenues. On to the Armstrong Spur. We have 120 ton hoppers to spot. We brought 8 down last Saturday, and spotted 3 and placed the remaining 5 hoppers to an unused warehouse track. we are also shoving 2 more hoppers of plastic pellets. You drop down into Widemere Avenue and cross it and head about 2 blocks down the spur between the warehouses.

We do alright till the lead GP-39-2 gets on the crossing. “Come on don’t be scared, yells ol Tim Bryant our Conductor”. “Yeah Tim I’m not scared. were on the ground at the crossing”. Wow silence for ol Tim-Bob that’s a rare treat. “what do you mean?” “Well Tim let’s make it easy, the lead truck is off the rails and north of the crossing and the rear truck is off the rails and south of the crossing. You get that now?” Silence. “well be back”.. Yeah you will.

We have Windemere blocked, but it is an industrial area and there are ways around this GP-39 roadblock. Big Lift is notified and the dispatcher as well. Ten minutes later, an Englewood motorcycle cop arrives. Then the fire department, and and ambulance. Yeah they all have to make an appearance. Two more patrol cars arrive. “You have a problem here, I was told” Yeah no shit.

Mechanical is called out of Pueblo, that will be 2 to 3 hours out. The section is up at Larkspur, so the Colorado Springs section is called as well. The DOT weigh station will hit them, unless they exit early and take the road through Palmer Lake. Jim McDonald our station agent arrives. Jim was the train masters clerk in Pueblo,CO. He was basically forced by the Company to be the Station Agent at Big Lift. He’s about early to mid 60’s, and nervous as a whore in church.

Disclaimer no whores or churches were defamed or criticized with that comment

He’s rattled, and worried about one thing, the nights “Q”-train. “How could you do this?” Really Jim, like we planned this derailment to screw you and the Santa Fe. HELLO JIM are ya here ? He’ll be a bigger problem that the one on hand. A Rio Grande trainmaster shows and about 30 minutes our Division Train master shows.

With the crowd that is gathering I should be able to sell tickets ..

The Fire trucks along with the ambulance leave. The patrol cars leave. The motorcycle cop stays. “How long ya think?’‘ “Dunno, depends on how we can get it back on the rails. ” The section and mechanical need to be here to access, I can see a turned over rail, so ties, gauge etc, those are the factors. Me , I’d say 3 more hours”. The city of Englewood shows and puts up barriers and detour signs. We are still front and center for attention.

Terry Reardon, the division trainmaster says write out a statement, I can see we have a track problem, but procedure. It’s done, I’ll give it to you, its on the back of a bulletin, that we don’t need. “Get it and we’ll go on” He comments about Jim, and Jim is pale and about to do the big one. I grab Jim, and say “Nothing you can do, is gonna make this go away. We’re derailed, and it will work itself out. You need to calm down, and get up here in this motor. I have the A/C on and let’s get some water”. He relents, and goes up to calm down. “Jim, this is railroading, drink a few of these waters, cool off, then come down. If you jeopardize your health over this, the Santa Fe will still survive and operate, you may not. Is it worth it?’‘ Reality sets in, and I check on him now and then.

The section and mechanical arrive, looking over the situation a plan is formed and here we go.

The section was able to put a track brace in. A cable was placed on the lead truck, and we pulled back and its on the rail. The same was done for the rear truck. This one was a lil cranky, but it back. We severed from the hoppers, and cleared the crossing.

It is getting on 300 pm…The police radio crackles, “we have a replacement in forty minutes for you”. Response from the motorcycle cop, “Put ‘em in service, I’ll stay here. I have waited 3 hours to see how this gets rerailed, and I and gonna see it”.
Well the officer got his wish.

The section, did repairs to the crossing, and we were walked over at 2 mph. We had to switch out, the plastic people, because they were shutdown mode. While we were in doing our switching, the section was shoring up the crossing for our return out. We were walked out again and on to Englewood. A car for the old house track, and pull and spot the customer who stock piled salt for the winter. Going against the current of traffic, to Santa Fe Park and grab the ties. That done, back to Big Lift, and the remaining GP’s strain against the tonnage, but we crest Wolhurst and into the Big Lift facility. We switched the night “Q” Train and added our GP-20 to the consist. Our derailed GP-39-2 is isolated, and will head to Newton, KS for inspection. We’ll use one of the other “Q”, till replaced.

The section will rebuild the crossing. A broken rail 6 feet from the rail joint caused the problem, plus compromised ties .. Replaced and redone in 3 days, Armstrong Spur back as normal . Twelve hours, but another day of railroading..