BN Trains 93 and 94 Part 1 in Tales of the Jointed Track

93 AND 94 were the BN’s attack for the “Q” trains out of Big Lift. It was intermodal TOFC and stack traffic south. East Traffic went via 100 to Chicago on the former CB&Q main. These were dedicated crews, assigned. Like the “Q“‘s out of Big Lift, you were hostage to your return assignment. Funny thing, the BN was going to outwit the Santa Fe with these. The first crews out of the gate, manning these were Santa Fe crews. Now, these crews, and I caught some of these off the extra board, wanted to get over the road.

We all want to get over the road. The BN Division management would say, you Santa Fe’s screw our trains. No really yer Terminal and Division management screw yer own trains. “Train 94 to the yardmaster 31st” “31st” “94 ready to depart”. “Call Prospect operator, and follow a Coal Load, out of town”. Really serious, yer sending a 16000 to 17000 plus boat anchor out first? LOL and screwing yerself, and blaming the Santa Fe? Now when they see that at Big Lift, and line up for departure, go figure.

I’ve been on both sides of the Santa Fe Q trains and BN 93 and 94. I would sometimes catch the Q’s out of Big Lift off the extra board or I had seniority too hold them from late October thru January or February, as a regular engineer. We had assigned schedules, as engineers. The trainman did as well. I had good runs and time off.

The BN compliment was 93 and 94. They also were assigned, but a hasty thrown together schedule. It originated in Denver at the old Prospect yard facility. It is called Rennicks now. They waited for some intermodal, coming from some rare east origination’s, and also from the Pacific Northwest. This was Laurel, MT, connection traffic. The rest was Denver origination’s and all headed for FT. Worth, TX. Any Houston traffic would go via Teague, TX. The crew changes for the BN, minus us Santa Fe’s, was Denver to Pueblo, CO (Santa Fe crew) Pueblo, CO to Texline, TX, running through Trinidad, CO.

This was a force assigned crew district. Why, good ol Texline. Population 500, a gas station, the BN Yard office. A run down motel, ( that the BN basically had dominance for rooms) , a few homes and the US Post Office. I think they did this, because some of the Texline to Dalhart, TX crews, lived in Clayton, NM, about 40 minutes west. Some of these, were working between Texline and Pueblo.

Denver Rennick’s Yard Late November 1990:

The familiar, ringing of the phone, “Bob, Syl in the crew office, need ya for 94 for 700pm”. “Okay Syl, 94 for 700 pm, Gary Maulin and Ray Hill, for the regulars?”. “Yes” “Okay thanks”.

The power is on the train at Prospect Yard. It is a BN GP-40 and an LMX lease B-39. It is 6900 hp on eight powered axles, and the tonnage rating well let’s say we are over the rating. I mentioned it to the Conductor, that we’re over tonnage and going stall. The BN Yardmaster was told, and we were “instructed” to go as built. Right on, I am there. “Ya better walk down to the Operators Office at Prospect, and let the Santa Fe know. Or do it at Rice yard”. “I will at Rice Yard, when we pick up the orders”. We were about 1.00 HPT, and four axle units, sorry they will start to de-rate, and well???, dead in the water. Gary threw off a soup ticket message, when our orders were hooped up. Now, did the train order operator convey the message, or was it well, let’s see what they do. LOL, they never learn.

It was normal route of town. The grade is not a problem at this time. Out of South Denver, almost throttle 6 to 7, to keep ‘em at 20 mph. The Counter beeps we’re clear and I open them up. It’s okay, but I know the first assault, Wolhurst will be the bench mark. Littleton is 25 mph through the crossings from Belleview Avenue to Ridge Road. I am in the higher positions still five and six…It tells me, we are close to making it or laying down.

Wolhurst:
All open , Throttle eight, don’t have anymore. We crest at 11 mph, yeah what does Orsa and the reverse curves at Castle Rock hold?.

Sedalia:
Well, sorta okay, 13 mph, and we’ll glide through the curves, and it levels a bit. About MP 25.9 we will cross the trestle over Plum Creek. The assault of the grade into Orsa will begin.

Orsa:
The locomotives are getting into the “RED”, or short time ratings. I say “Reset the Alertor, I am seeing what this B-39 is doing”. I can catch smells of hot traction motors, we might be able to pull this off. The B-39 is at 1200 amps and starting into the short time rating. The GP-40 is there and for about 10 of the 15 minutes allowed. We get by the south switch at Orsa. It slightly dips and sags then a little downgrade. At MP 30, we start up again into Castle Rock, CO on the southbound main. We get to 18 mph, but that will disappear soon.

Castle Rock:
There is still odor of traction motors. They didn’t get a good cool down, and they will be getting into the RED again . We may or may not get past the reverse curves. The train is down to 9 mph and dropping. “Gary, we maybe screwed here, if I can get ‘em beyond Three Oaks crossing, we could cool off, till we get to Larkspur”. “Go as far as ya can”. We get past Three Oaks at a wild 5 mph, and we are pegged on the amp meter. I ease off one throttle position, till we get into the the undulating light grade between Castle Rock and Larkspur. Larkspur is going to be our death knell. We get close to 18 mph, at the end of the old “TOMAH” siding. I tell Gary, start making a plan, because we are on our last legs.

Larkspur:
Not doing good, and we are starting to lose momentum. I am going to make sure we get clear of Perry Park Road. Ten mph wide open, dropping. There are reverse curves and train length, flange friction, and it is the final nail. We stall about MP 44.8, the units stink of overheated traction motors, I have done ALL I can. I start throttling down and setting air. We are clear, by a mile, of Perry Park Road.

“Santa Fe Helpers 5218 last curve”. Yes they are still in the area. “Train 94, Bill, we are stalled between Larkspur and Greenland, you may have to help us”. “Okay we’ll hold, and await instructions”. Whew. We tone up DS-16. It is related we’re stalled, and need the helpers to grab us, and take to Monument where they can clear. “DS-16 to Santa Fe 5218, need you to help 94 over the top. We have contacted the Rio Grande, verify with them”.

They get permission to flag against us. I told Bill “I’ll leave the headlight on bright, so you can pin-point us, I’ll, dim it, till ya get close and will kill it, so ya can tie in”. Thirty minutes later, they tie in, make the air-test, and we are on our way. Bill takes us over the top. He cuts us off short of the Monument north switch. A Red over Yellow, the helpers clear and we wait for the signal down the main. High Green, we’re lined down the main. I cut-in the brake valve and place it to release. The intermodal and stacks are letting us know that gravity, it having it’s way. I stall as long as I can. I make a set and get a slight blow, near the south switch. An increase to 10 psi, and I feel a good grab and will play ‘em to 60.4.

We catch the coal load ahead of us near Bragdon. Bragdon is the begining of CTC for the Santa Fe, into Pueblo. Pueblo is about 8 miles south of here. They will go into the hump, we’ll follow down the main and change out front. The former C&S takes over from here.

Last updated July 23, 2015