Field Loop Dynamic braking / Don McDaniel Engineer 5800 tons. in Tales of the Jointed Track

The phone rings around 800 am on a fall morning. It's chilly, but will warm to near summer temperatures, and plummet when the sun sets. I take the 930 am call and ask who the crew is. I am told and DG "Don" McDaniel is the engineer. Well I like Don, and off the job he is a great person. He is a terrible hogger, (engineer) and I usually steer around these guys. It is a slow half, and no work no pay, and I need the trip.

C&S 7th Street Roundhouse facility.

Driving down the dirt road to the roundhouse, I pass the fuel track. We're an "Extra South" and a rag tag train of slough tonnage and a locomotive consist to match. I see a BN U-33-C and three SD-9's, I'll bet a paycheck, that's our motors. and looking at the call slip, yes they are.

Mac walks in a few minutes later. With the quick talking, nonsensical BS, that only Mac could utter, I get the "Hi Bobby Brakeshoe!!, you with me today". "yeah Mac, I am". "What's our power?, hopefully not those on the fuel track!!" "Sorry that's our power". Wow like he was just sentenced to a firing squad. That changed the mood. He's not the best engineer, but this is a heavy drag. We'll be around 5600 to 5800 tons, and we'll get over the hill, if they all stay running. I'll do my best to insure they do stay running.

Mac is poor with air, and these SD-9's won't hook up with the U-33-C in dynamic braking. The U-33 has a potential line braking circuit, the 9's are field loop. So, he'll have one working dynamic brake and the train air. I have a plan in mind, and as I walk through the power, I see no field loop cables hooked up on the 9's. I know where there are at least two, hooked on a pole, if they are still there, if not i can work around it.

I tell Mac, don't move till I tell ya, I need to look over by 14 track, and maybe i can get some field loop cables. A blank look, really Mac where ya been all these years? I can recite what Frank Kasulas, said when I inquired, but in our politically correct, mommy make 'em stop world, I won't...LOL.

I go to the pole ..."F" they are gone, but I spy one, in the dirt, twenty some odd feet away. Like a scavenger hunt, yer always looking for stuff. I knock the mud and debris off of the leads and I'll place 'em between the third and fourth SD-9's.

Why did I do that? The second and third positioned SD-9's were the older dual control stand types. The had the, what we called, a "toadstool" controller and required a special reverser, to operate. Can I guarantee there is one in there ? No. The rear unit, also an SD-9 is a later ordered unit with the modern control stand that accepts the standard reversers. Bingo, that is going to be my controller, and I'll work with the other.

We come out of the house, make the double over, make the air test and leave town. Mac is a little agitated, because he knows whats gonna happen at Palmer Lake. When you don't pay attention to all that is presented during your career, when you fired and skirted along, now as the engineer it's now in your lap. This was a trap I was not going to fall into. I wasn't out to torture Mac, but I didn't want the white knuckle down the hill either. He'd piss the air away, and well that ain't happening. We're close, about 6 miles to the top, Mac is antsy. "Whats up Mac?, seem uneasy". "Well Bobby Brakeshoe, we have 9's back there, and only one dynamic brake and train air". "Really...what if I told you I have a plan, but you have to agree with it." "What is that?'' I revealed that I have a field loop cable, between the third and fourth units, and I'll aid the dynamics down, plus start up the units that will geyser at the top, when we shut off and crest.

I'm a promoted engineer, we'll make this work, and I can keep him calmed down and, we'll get this P.O.S. drag to Pueblo. The weight of the whole world, is off of him now. When we get to Spruce, I'll go back and place a reverser in and put the generator field switch up in the C&S 841, and place them to throttle to 8. Go back and severe the jumper cable between the lead and second unit. I'll have control of the 9's, and if they shut down , I'll get them started. You make the set and get that U-boat into dynamic braking, I'll cover you from there. He agreed.

Cresting the Lake, we made the throttle down, he made the set, and we brought the power gradually to idle. A bell, well yeah, an SD-9, the set was made, and the 841 is running and I get it set up and trim the dynamic brake or brakes in. "Mac, yer full 8 here 900 amps dynamic, I'll see who is shut down. "Okay Brakeshoe, thanks".. "I have a bell, I'll take care of them". "Okay".

The third out SD-9 is also running, and in dynamic braking, and about 850 amps, but HOT ENGINE light is on, and the bell will ring till it cools off. Water level is low, but it will cool and the stress is over. The second unit is dead, most of the water has blown out the top. Nature of the beast, and is restarted. The water level is below "Low when running". I'll leave it isolated, and it will aid in charging the train.

We made the descent, and delivered to Pueblo. I made out a work report about the water levels. Mac he was thankful and told me so. I appreciated that, but Mac will be Mac...

Old Mac died in the mid 80's after being retired for 10 years. I was off and attended the funeral. Was he my favorite, no, but it was out of respect for the old heads.