Newton, KS Roundhouse...Locomotive Utilization 1995 in Tales of the Jointed Track

These are a few vignettes, that standout over the time I did the Power Desk, for the Santa Fe.

The people at Newton were great, and pulled no punches … It was either available or not. Two men stood out Jim Barnes, a foreman and Paul..and I cannot remember his last name. He retired about 5 years later, and he had seniority, but preferred nights.

I found out from Jim Barnes, he farmed as well, in the general area. When do you
sleep ? I was young working the Engineers board on rest and long trips, and I got worn out. These guys were a tough bunch.

a side note I worked with Jim Barnes, at the SOC Santa Fe (System Operations Center ), when he did the mechanical desk. He came down, after the BNSF merger and did the Power desk as well

Grain Train…Wichita,KS:

The Grain Group for the Santa Fe, originated two grain trains.. each 100 cars, around 15,000 tons. I had power for the first one, whew. Now to gather power for the second.

I had two SD-40-2 units available within 3 hours, I need the third unit. They are heading south to the Galveston Wharves. There was a train that came into Newton, KS, that was dropping tonnage. All were short dates. Two of these would handle the set out and pick up of tonnage for termination in KC. There is an F-45, cowl body unit, 3600 HP 6 axles. It is Barstow, CA based, and going to go past due federal inspection, in 6 hours. No, it isn’t going to make Barstow. It isn’t going to make, Kansas City either.

The phone rings and it is Paul. “Hey, gimme permission to cut this unit”. “Paul, ya know it’s due, and it ain’t gonna make KC”.. “Yeah, but I just called Barstow DSF (Diesel Service Facility), they gave me authority to perform this MO3 inspection. I have the kit on hand, and the people to make it work”. I can have it ready by 700 am tomorrow, and it’s good to go, for the grain train”. “Paul, you’re a lifesaver, tell yer men thanks from me. Yeah Paul delivered, and the second portion was called 1 hour late on duty. Three units, 9600 hp, 15,000 tons, got a crew, it’s on its way.
I was told by my supervisor, I don’t know how you pulled that off, but that takes a lot of heat off of us. I fell into that, but I found out, work with your field people, don’t be a jerk, and you’ll reap benefits.

The GP-60 saga, Newton, KS

EMD made locomotives for probably forty years in the Chicagoland area. La Grange, Illinois and employed thousands of people. The Santa Fe bought a lot of the NEW GENERATION locomotives. The also got a maintenance agreement with EMD, and sold them the old Corwith Back shop. Corwith was a facility 8 miles west of downtown Chicago,IL. There was a yard and small shop, and the old Corwith Back shop.

EMD maintained the SD-60-M’s, the GP-60, GP-60-M’s and the cabless booster GP-60-B’s. I got a phone call, on the day rotation, from the EMD Director based at Corwith. “I’ll follow up with an email. We are inundated with locomotive inspections, and warranty problems. We have gotten permission to have these 10 locomotives to be sent to Newton for inspection. Newton mechanical says they can rotate them in with their usual mechanical inspections. Feel free to use them as needed, till needed, and upon completion, send back into Transcon Inter modal service”.

Done deal. 10 units, and I call Newton. “Hey did you get the news, you’re getting 10 units extra to inspect”. “Yeah..the inspection kits arrived 30 minutes, beforehand”. We got a good laugh. I tell them, “I’ll send a email on what units are where, the ETA, and will go from there”.

This was going good, but some had to continue to Chicago, and work back toward Newton. The phone rings, it’s Jim Barnes, “Hey, we’re in a bind I have 4 units, 3 with four days left for inspection, one with less than 12 hours. I have the usual units in the shop as well”. “Okay, use them on the Superior Local, three GP-60’s and a GP-35, and bring that Grain train down, and all is well. When they come in, get the ones that are short, into the shop. Use the others in the yard. Then we’ll send ‘em off”. “Yeah sounds like a good plan, I have one that goes past due at midnight, we’ll shop it, and start tomorrow morning”.

The Superior Local leaves town. It is due back tomorrow, by that time, the shop overcrowding has diminished. Problem solved, or is it. Enter the equation, Raymond Torres, newly appointed MLU (Manager of Locomotive Utilization ), and if there can be turmoil made out of matchstick, Raymond will find a way to make something out of nothing, and still not make a difference.

The GP-60’s on the Superior local !!! Sacrilege!!! How dare someone do this, and without the manager’s blessing!! Okay, was the purpose to utilize the Companies resources, or just let them sit for FOUR DAYS !!! ???

They just did a major track program, that subdivision went from 20 mph and 10 mph in places to a 50 mph mainline, and 30 mph sidings. They grabbed the grain train, it came to town. The heavy lifters assigned, took it to destination.

Raymond the detective was going to get to the bottom of this..period. Beat a Dead horse, and it’s still fucking DEAD !! I was on days off, and when I came back, I was filled in. The units came back, and they were inspected and left, all is back to normal.

Jim told me Raymond had grilled him, WHO TOLD YOU?, WHEN?, Jim said I can’t recall the name. Raymond:… “What if they derailed?, what would we do ?.. Really? WTF, what do you do during a derailment, and Raymond?, did you have divine knowledge prior?. Plain bullshit, and ya wonder how people like this get promoted.

All worked out, all 10 locomotives got inspected and worked back into the Transcon Intermodal program. Funny, these are all working local and switching assignments now …lol

So if I ever publish this in a Trains Magazine, or associated publication. RAYMOND, IT WAS ME !!! ROBERT M TERRY… I AUTHORIZED THAT MOVE AND IT WORKED OUT!! AND WE UTILIZED OUR ASSETS AS WE WERE ENTRUSTED BY THE COMPANY TO DO SO!!!! NAH NAH NAH NAH NAH >>> tongue out !!!

Did I say that out loud ?

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Last updated December 11, 2014