The C&S 800 series U-30-C locomotives Part 1 in Tales of the Jointed Track

These units, during my career, as a machinist in the shops, and as in engine service, were probably the worst locomotives ever. It seemed they spent most of their service life, isolated and dead in consist.

These were 4 U-30-C locomotives, that the Colorado & Southern (C&S) bought. They were numbered 890 thru 893. After the C&S was bought out and absorbed into the BN system. They were renumbered 5997 thru 5999. They operated in revenue freight and coal service till 1986. Maybe, when they got to BN facilities that maintained GE locomotives, they got better. This is supposition on my part.

Empty ballast Extra North...

I can't remember the date. We are still a double track mainline, from Bragdon to South Denver. We were called around 730 pm. Its a late October evening. reporting to the yard office, the crew board shows, two units and 85 cars. I can't remember the crew. I know I was called to fill an engineers turn, off the fireman's board.

Our power was two C&S units in the old Chinese red and grey paint scheme. We had an SD-40 and one of the 890 series U-30-C's. We got on the train, pumped up the air and made the air test. We got the okay to leave from the yardmaster. The rear end was ready, and the Conductor told us to take off. The signal off the high-line was clear (GREEN) and we were on the way.

The sky is overcast, and windy. It's threatening to do something, but nothing is happening right now. Due to the wind, each empty hopper is acting like a sail. The wind catches the inside of the cars, causing a drag, as they are pulled. The train does well across the flats, making around 47 mph. We are at 2.0 horsepower per trailing ton.

We round the curve, at East Fountain Blvd, entering the Santa Fe Yard at Colorado Springs. We are at the 30 mph, that was at that time the speed limit, on the mainline, going through the yard. It also is yard limits, but since we are on clear signals, we are able to run through at track speed. The old depot is closed, the second trick Operator has gone home for the night. The Train Order board is down and showing a green signal, as well. In another 4 miles, we will be at Pikeview, and slowly start our accent on the northbound side of the grade on the Santa Fe trackage.

The wind is picking up. The clouds have lowered and there is light snow drizzle mix.

Around the old Sommers siding, were doing about 27, we should be doing better. I tell the brakeman, I am going back and check on that U-30. I hear the exhaust stack barking, and walk into the darkened cab. I turn on the cab light, and look at the amp gauge on the control stand. Its around 900-950 amps..The turbo air pressure gauge is at 23-28 lbs, where it should be. Both of the units are loading up, where they should be.

Remember what I said about the wind, previously, as we were coming across the flats? It is doing that here as well. We are about 3 to 5 miles from the front range, and it is racing down the mountains, and gusting at times. We do 20 mph going through the town of Monument, CO. We are now on the last part and steeper part of the grade. We have about three miles to the top. We crest Palmer Lake at 12 mph. I start to throttle off, as more of the train comes over the top. The speed limit is 25 here, till the rear end passes old County Line Road. I get the units set up for dynamic braking, and the caboose tells us we're over the top. I slowly bunch the slack, and were 50 miles from Denver. With the tonnage of the train, these two units, should handle this well downgrade. I can tell the train is accelerating still, while in full dynamic braking. I set a minimum reduction about 43 mph. These will squat down and brake hard, being empty. An empty freight car will brake 87 to 92 percent of it's weight.

I have to watch my speed, and co-ordinate my releases, with the sags. The exhaust from the valve ceases. I immediately release the air, and I can feel the hoppers braking hard. The units are still in full dynamic braking, the release, is starting..we dropped to 38 mph, but the speed is coming back up again. I know this SD-40 is loading at 1100 amps dynamic, it is working. I think the U-30-C, is not working in dynamic brake. I catch the sag where I want it and the upward part is holding the train where I want it. That will change, we will level off, then at Noe Road, Greenland Colorado, then it nosedives again. We whistle for Noe Road, pass a clear signal, and the speed is at 44 and increasing. I have notified, the rear end that we have one dynamic brake, and I'll be as gentle as I can. I let it get to 47 mph, in a mile the speed is a 40 mph curve, then a half of a mile, thirty five, through the reverse curves till Larkspur,CO. I make another set, the exhaust is still strong, I feel them tugging as they brake. We enter the 40 mph curve at 38 mph and slowing, I release them at 36 mph.

Remember, air sets up and releases from the head end to the rear end. So on a set, there is cars setting up, about to set up, and waiting to set up. Then when you release the brakes, is is the same sequence. It is imperative, you know the railroad, where signals are, what signal indication are you on. What's tonnage, and train make up. Are you all loads, all empties, a mixture of the two? Are there more loads or more empties? Does the railroad stay at a flat topography, does it change, is it a small change or a drastic change..Up down..multiple changes ?

The air has released, we are now at 29 mph, that's fine, they are stalled a bit, but again, the speed is increasing, and the brake valve is charging hard. Looking back over the train, I can see tattletale sparks, coming from some cars. Some of the brakes are sticking, and have failed to fully release. I am not worried, because I am going to make another set shortly. At 33 mph, I make another set, at the minimum set portion of the automatic, I get a slight blow, and I increase the reduction of the brake pipe to 10 lbs. Sounds better, and they are all tugging again. It got up to 36 mph, and I'll hold this as long as I can. The head end is rounding the curve, and passing the resume speed board. We're dropping fast, and I release at 29 mph again. The grade is lessening. We still have stickers, but speed is good. I'll rectify that condition soon.

The caboose rounds the curve, "highball!!, past the 35 curves." We are at 36 now, the dynamic has been off, the slack has naturally adjusted. I throttle out, slowly, the grade will start up here for 2 miles. The speed is increasing, "We have some sticking back here, Shoe". "I'm gonna power brake 'em to keep the slack stretched, I'll get them unstuck, if not we'll stop and get a good set and proceed from there". "Okay".

I get the train close to 42 and am now in throttle 5, I blow for South Gulch Lake Road, and set 10 lbs of air. I can feel the cars braking, we blow under the I-25 overpass. The grade starts up, and the track curves left, I release the air, and start bring the throttle to notch 8. We're wide open. I can feel that the slack is stretched, the release is smooth, the caboose shouldn't run in, and remain tight through the transition. As the train reaches MP 40 I start slowly throttling off. The train is balanced at or around 43 MPH, I allow the train to adjust once more. I set up the dynamic brake again and, slowly start bunching the slack again. The sparking has stopped, we got a good release, our sticking brake problem is solved.

The grade lessens a bit, and I still have to work the air, and the sags, till Sedalia, CO. The cars are releasing well, and soon we are calling the Rice Yard Operator. We contact the West end Yardmaster, and find out where to yard and if they are ready.
They are, "High one, Gas one, talk to the east end". We yard the train, power to the "house'. We tie up on track 14. I see the Foreman and say, I think the dynamic brake on the U-30 is bad order. He says he'll check, and tag it if it needs further repair. We log off, make our time slips, check board position, and wait for the next call.