Visitors in the Turntable Pit...Denver 23rd St Roundhouse. Part 1 in Tales of the Jointed Track

This has always been an embarrassment, not only for the Roundhouse and the mechanical department management, but on the terminal and the Division. There will always be finger pointing, second guessing, and people out of service.

Laziness, and not doing what needs to be done, is the major factor. I, too...I know its unthinkable, for those who know me, have fallen into "doing that short-cut". Yeah Buddy..it will at one time or another bite you in the ass. Here are three incidents at old 23rd St,

BN U-33-C 5712

This was a repainted old Great Northern (GN) unit. It was is the new "Big Sky Blue" scheme the GN had adopted, before the BN merger. The unit was renumbered, but was in the "old" paint.

I was still a machinist helper, and it was an early spring, late winter night. Not cold, no snow on the ground. I report to Mr Gregg, for my marching orders, before I hook up with Sandy Ortiz for my duties with him. The vending machine brew, is there, but he is agitated, and gives me my instructions for the goats. The last "edict" was make goddamned sure each one has a handbrake applied. And if NOT, apply it. Okay.

Well, I get the gist of that last statement. I open the access door, and head out to the goats (switch engines). There with the rear end in the pit, the BN 5712 . Not only in the pit, it was shoved into the pit, thinking the table was lined up. It wasn't, because the hostler was thinking 4 moves ahead, and didn't communicate. He had this move to spin the U-33-C to go east on a drag to Lincoln, NE. He also was going to move an SD-9 out of the old stalls, and place on the ready track. The table was lined up, for the SD-9, not the BN 5712. The hostler helper, was told of the move that needed to be made. The statement was "Is the "table" lined up". "Yes". Okay, think about it, yes it is lined up, but not for this move. That fact wasn't communicated, and instead of protecting the shove to insure, that it was lined up, he got off early to pass signals, as the track curved toward the turntable. As the units, went into emergency, they realized the 5712 is now in the pit. Anything in the old roundhouse stalls are now captive.

They are screwed somewhat, but can utilize the "WYE" off of the Prospect Lead, the Buck Main into the depot, and back into the house or down the main line to the junction. This is all greek to the reader, and I know the layout of the land. I'm trying to make it simple.

The 5713 lost a truck lock block, during the fall into the descent into the pit, because the weight sheered one of them off. The rear truck and three traction motors and wheel sets, are now separated and resting in the pit. The fuel tank "Beer Canned", because the rails, on the edge of the table leads, punctured due to weight, and forced into the fuel tank. They have 3600 gallons of fuel in the pit now too. They will have to jack the locomotive up, along with a crane to aid in support, and place it on a temporary 4 axle truck, and get the unit out of way. They will have to fish out the rear truck. They will get the truck over, to the Line Three area, then they will use the overhead shop crane to move it to the traction motor shop. They will strip the traction motors off, because the leads into and out of the car body are ripped out. Some have snapped off at the connections, and are stripped. Some have been literally yanked out.. The shop will re-truck with three idler axles ( wheel sets with no traction motors). Then set the rear end of the unit on the truck, The air connections and brake cylinders will be hooked up and lines re plumbed as necessary. This will move DIC ( dead in consist) to either Lincoln, NE or the back shop at West Burlington, IA. They will reinstall the traction motors, make the electrical lead repairs, and patch up the fuel tank.

It will be there a month, because it has to wait it's turn, and will be worked into the shop plan.

Two more to follow, hopefully not long winded tales ...LOL yeah right who am I fooling here