Screw Drivering...LOL yea it worked in Tales of the Jointed Track

What is “Screwdriving” the Independent brake valve? Well, if ya goof it up, or if they find out..You’ll get run off. Like Bridge braking, you’ll get fired for it. Okay if a rules violation, why do you do it? We cut off the helpers at the summit at Palmer Lake, which is at MP 52. The head end is just a little past MP 53, you’re on the 2% part of this. Okay.. how did ya come in to the grade, and how are the helpers, helping to a stop.

Now, temperature, cars, how did that first reduction off the top, vs stall vs speed work for ya? Some coal sets were great, the UFIX, Smithers Lake coal sets were terrible. Ya want, when the caboose is cut in, a good pipe off the top and a strong blow, when you make that set. A flashing yellow at MP 54.2 you are making a meet, you want good braking, and work the dynamic, against the train brakes squeeze ‘em in. The best laid plans of Mice and Men oft go astray.. Yep been on both sides of this.

Plan A.. You read comments.. Release the air and reverse the consist..2- 3 throttle. Hold em back… Problem Stall burns on the armature, all motors. There is no rotation, and yep. We got called on that.

Plan B :
The srewdriver… The independent, is fully applied, 72 lbs on all the units in the consist. How is that slack? dunno..gonna come in hard or gentle? Okay, the caboose is off, they are running around at the house track. Sand on, snow rain, dry rail.. the release. nudge …nudge.. I have it ready to reverse, yeah gonna do it. slack has pushed us a car length or two. I insert, the screwdriver, behind the application zone ( released, but the handle is fully applied) I feel for the diaphram, but I can feel as the independent goes from 72 lbs to 140 lbs. VICTORY!! I bring the throttle back to idle. Charging..

LOL Logistics BN did not have extended range dynamic braking. As you gathered speed, 25 mph they came into full. Again temerature, etc factors. Is what it is… I trained my trainees, said do this plan for this. AND above all, a problem, don’t let the DS, plan you to failure.

The plan of attack .. 8 mph, a good blow off the valve, trim maybe 10 lbs… Dynamics yep we’re ready bring it on.