Train Stalls M-DENPUE in Tales of the Jointed Track

I have probably written this in the old OD. So again bear with me.

I have looked at “what” rail buffs call stalls. Some videos are regular train meets, so they are really slow.. If ya can start ‘em, you aren’t stalled.

Denver, CO late April 2009:

The M-DENPUE ( Denver-Pueblo, CO), a typical call 0300 am on duty. Pam is the Yardmaster, and we can time slip for her dumbness. Or we get the real cash-cow Ed Sewell, who just barks out orders, and CA-CHING!!! The former BN hated us, and probably still does. Let’s “think”, we’ll raw-hide these guys. Well, we are not new hires and the “old” work rules apply to us all on this crew.

I arrive at the yard office, at 0230 am. I see TRNBRO (train-browse) and tonnage vs Horsepower. They already printed the WORK-ORDERS, with the actual tonnage. This is a classic. I tell John, the working Conductor, “We are over tonnage, not only out of Denver, but out of Big Lift”. “I see that, I’ll call upstairs”.

They ( the BN ) hated us on this turn. As former a Company Officer, and I knew the tools and politics, they didn’t like that

The power was two SD-40-2’s, 6000 HP on 12 axles, but we were .095 HPT
( Horsepower per trailing ton). Not good, but as Terminal Wisdom, goes…”You are reducing at Big Lift”. Yes but still over tonnage, out of Big Lift. Jim Danko, BN Yardmaster… now Terminal Trainmaster. Jim, has always hated the Santa Fe men, so what, do your job. “You will leave as instructed”. Yeah buddy, gonna do that.

We made our double over, set out bad orders, and ready to leave town. We get the route, and the Utility Man will stop us and arm the ETD. That done, on the Southbound Odyssey, to Big Lift. Our old workhorses, get, or should I say struggle to get over Wolhurst, and onto Big Lift. We set out about 2600 tons, but still 1000 tons over the tonnage rating. The Conductor asks, “What do ya think?” “Well, lets see, we may make it or we may stall, we’re still over. BN math, vs grade, vs weather. Let’s see how we do at Sedalia, Orsa, Castle Rock, Larkspur, Spruce, and the last 2 miles to Palmer Lake.

The motors are doing their part, in and out of the red, but still going strong. 15 mph, by the UP detector at 21.3, wide open throttle 8. We struggle through most of the testing points. MP 50.5 the signal is green, we are lined over. Passing 50.5 we are at 10 mph and dropping. The track slithers like a crooked snake, so tonnage, the curve friction and grade, finally overtake the SD-40-2’s. One half of a mile to crest, and at 8 throttle, GAME OVER. I set air and throttle to idle. “Sorry John, we’re done”.

He looks over the list, and says ” Ya think our Springs set out, and 35 more will work?”. “Yeah, should, set that to the Northbound, then double that back with the remainder”. “We’ll take the ETD off, when we recouple to the set over cars. We will make the air test, and re-attach the ETD, then clear County Line Road, and walk up to the head end”. “Sounds like a plan”.

We tone in the DS *1 and the return tone sounds off. “DS-16, Ft Worth”. MWC or Mike Carstens is the first trick dispatcher. He really is no help. “DS BNSF 7067, DENPUE is stalled at MP 51.5”. “What do you mean you are stalled?” Really??? this isn’t sinking in. “Mike we were in throttle eight and cannot proceed any further”. “Did you call Mechanical?” “For what? they both are working and over tonnage”. “Why did you leave Denver that way?” Plasma Physics again. “Mike, why don’t you and the Chief ask Denver 31st Street Terminal, who were told and ordered us to leave with what we had. In fact, ask the terminal Trainmaster Jim Danko, he was the one that issued the edict”. Silence…lol good old NOC former BN silence. “Anybody close out of the south?” “No” The Conductor pipes in, “Well we have a plan, and need a warrant on Main 2 CTC Palmer Lake to MP 50. We will set that over to double the hill and re attach to the train. Should have sufficient tonnage over and able to get the train over the hill”. Silence.. “What about the Springs set out”? “Don’t worry about the Springs, we’ll hold on to them”? “Lemme talk to the Chief”. Damn make a decision, and tell him we’re stalled.

“BNSF 7067, Chief says that’s a good plan, who is copying a warrant?’ The engineer, Terry, ready to copy”. “Make this track warrant number 447-04, four, four seven dash four. To BNSF 7067 South, Burlington Northern Santa Fe seven-zero-six-seven S-O-U-T-H , X in BOX FOUR , F-O-U-R WORK BETWEEN CTC PALMER LAKE AND MP 50, MP F-I-V-E Z-E-R-O, ON THE MAIN TWO M-A-I-N T-W-O TRACK. warrant has one box marked four. The warrant is repeated and the “OKAY” time given. That time and dispatcher initials repeated.

The standing portion is tied down and the cut made. We take 42 cars up past the CTC signal and stop. DS-16 is toned up and lines us onto Main two. “7067 RED over GREEN clear for 60 cars, shove 40 car lengths”. Instructions repeated, and we make the double. The cars are tied down, and one of the crew will stay with the standing portion. Kenny Masias, will ride the Springs set out back to the train.

We get the authority, to pass signal displaying stop and flag back to the cut. “We’re close to MP 51, Shoe. You are clear for 27 cars”. “Roger, near MP 51 and shove 27”. Kenny is riding a Military DDOX flat car for the Fort, so it is not like he has to hang of the side of the car. A good line of sight and he is positioned about 15 feet from the end. The standing portion is sighted and Kenny counts down to two cars and stops the move. He walks back, and makes the coupling and cuts the air in. “ETD shows air coming up, Kenny” “Okay, lemme know when you have enough, and I’ll take the hand brakes off and head for the rear end”. I make a set and the brakeman, knocks off the brakes. “I’m back at the rear car, take off when ready”. “Here’s the release, pulling on ya”.

We repeat the same moves and flag back in to the double. They take off the ETD and knock off the hand brakes. “Pull when ya can, Shoe, we’ll stop ya and place the ETD back on”. “Roger, pulling on ‘em,”. “You’re released back here”. The grade here is level and starts down about one quarter mile from the top. It still takes a good throttle 3 or 4, to get the train rolling. The train is stopped, where the ETD was left,, and put back on. “When ya get enough, pull past County Line Road and we’ll spot you past the CTC at the Lake”. We make a ETD test, to arm the ETD and when I make the next set, that will be our set and the release per rule. We haven’t been off air but only and hour and forty five minutes. The ETD is at 78 lbs and will be around 85 lbs or better when we stop. DS-16 is contacted that we are pulling down to clear County Line Road, then the crew will walk to the head end. “Mike, tell your relief, we’re dead at 1500 (300 pm) and let the Chief know, will call when ready to leave the Lake”. “Okay DS-16 out.” It is close for his quitting time at the NOC, so we’ll see.

Yeah. Mike made the transfer, and why say anything. The second shift signs the transfer, and WHAT !!. The Chief is there, and although busy, should be a flag out. “BNSF 7067, DS-16”. “DS-16”. “Denver / Pueblo BNSF 7067 South ready to depart the Lake, and clear track warrant 447-04 when ready”. Silence again, really? Until this warrant is cleared they can’t, run another train, why we are legally operating in the limits. DS-16 says ready to clear the warrant, which was done. “You know we are dead at 1500 pm?” “No”. “Mike didn’t relay that did he? Ya better have the Chief call a Dog catch, and we have work at the Springs. We will fit between switches at CTC Bijou and CTC Cimarron”. He is pissed the warrant cleared, and we switch over to the UP frequency and clear that warrant as well. The UP DS is told, we are going dead on Hours of Service. We will make sure the reliving crew knows to call for authority, before leaving Colorado Springs.

We are told or asked, can you make the pick up and set out? “Yes, we’ll get it done, and make sure the relieving crew knows to call the UP for a warrant into Pueblo”. “I’ll pass on the message”.

They made Mike, finally move to another desk. We got a good DS DLK “Dave”. But, he got bumped about 2 years later. Crystal… There was another, that skated by as well. Lucky for me I was troubleshooting. She was hardheaded, till she was sinking. A call to the Chief, usually remedied the situation.