Big Lift ..Troubleshooting, and LUCK!! in Tales of the Jointed Track

Working the night rotation, in a late spring, early summer schedule, in 2012. The sun, sorta peeks up, lights up the sky, around 445 am 500 am, and on nights it all runs together. All the “Emergency units have been looked over and inspected. Joint-Line land is quiet, and all is good. Looking over the TRNBRO, crews called, there is a load that will need an inspection, and we’re here to do that.

The summons, “BNSF 6117 South, Mentor Big Lift”. “Big Lift, go ahead”. “6117, need you to look over the DP’s“. “We’ll spot em, and inspect ‘em”. This should be an easy 15 minute delay. Fuel readings, reset the logs, if minor stuff shows up. Water levels, sign the cards, and send them on their way.

Well it should be an easy fix, but the is a strong diesel fuel smell, on the non DP link unit in the consist. Looking around, the fuel filter return sightglass cap is cracked. Seems an over zealous tightening, has cracked the cup, and fuel pressure has also aided in breaching it even more. It is not spraying, yet, but a heavy odor of fuel has overtaken the engine room. We can’t let this go, and there will be a delay, that the NOC doesn’t want, picking up the emergency motor at Castle Rock. The head end is called, and told, ya may have to do this, unless a miracle happens. I’ll have the mechanical man monitor for fire etc, and ride this into Castle Rock.

Our Miracle happens. “BNSF Detector MP 21.9, No Defects..repeat No Defects, Total axles XXX, Temperature 57 degrees OUT!!” Fingers crossed, let there be an EMD, not a lead, but in the consist, somewhere. “Big Lift to the Northbound near Louviers” “Northbound go ahead Shoe”. “Kenny, I have a problem, that you may be able to help out, whats on the headend?” a 5891 and a 6014”.. “Okay a DP?” “9718 and a 9472” “Okay stand by we may have to rob a part, hours of service good?” “Yes” “I’ll spot ya, log out the DP’s and get the part..15 minutes max, lemme call the Chief”.

The Chief is told what is occurring. This is the option that will save you a few hours, and we’re doing it”. “Get it done lemme know, times on each, and have them call DS-16 as well”. “We’ll keep in contact with 16, as well, and update you”.

Well the DP’s were spotted and inspected. We shut down and drained the 9472. Unit was robbed of fuel return sightglass. Luck was with us, the 9472 was next o the train. We tagged, both the isolation switch and the Fuel return filter area. The mechanical man open up the “L” Inquiry, to computer tag the unit and notify Alliance or Guernsey, WY DSF. They are on their way, and the mechanical man is heading back to replace the BO sightglass.

The unit has the new fuel return sightglass, installed and the unit restarted, by the time I get back to the southbound. No leaks, cards signed and we detach from the load. They are on the way. Delays well the northbound, 32 minutes. The southbound one hour 26 minutes.

The calls to the Chief and DS-16, the emails of confession, and all is well. For a time it is well. The transfer is made and I’ll be back in 12 hours or less.

Side note: If the BNSF 9472 was the last unit, dead per rule, would have had to be set out. Plans were made to cut it off, and hold at Big Lift. We would have sacrificed the part, tagged and the local could take to Denver. Denver, could have replaced the part, and a DENEDG or an empty to the coal fields. Worked out.