Christmas Blizzard 1982 Part 2 in Tales of the Jointed Track

We flagged in to the siding and the DS asked if we would stop close to the south switch with the rear end. He wanted to make sure the switch would line back to the main line. We’ll spot Dennis Scheie our Conductor just clear of the circuit. It re aligned and we proceeded 25 more cars under the South Gate overpass on the Academy siding and grounds.

Here we sit and I am about 2 cars lengths ( coal cars 150 feet) from the North Academy siding signal. There are times I cannot even see it due to the wind and snow. The Colorado Springs metro area is about at a standstill. All Police and Sheriffs departments, Fire and Ambulance are having a hard time getting around and that will stop as well. The radio from them bears no good news. Denver is no better and we will find out about 1200 am December 26th.

Our 7-11 stop, well gourmet fare. :) I got a big extra large coffee, two roller dogs, two cans of Campbells Chunky soup, and two can of tuna fish. Lol. Oh yeah and a can of Skoal Wintergreen fine cut. I chewed at that time. Update !! Chew free Tobacco Free for 15 years no condemnation for anybody it can be done ..:).

The radio crackles.. about 900 pm, “DS La Junta to BN 7891 North”. “7891 go ahead”. “We have a Caboose hop out of Pueblo to pick you up. ETA at Springs about 1030 pm, to pick up the crew at North Springs and you at the Academy. We need both trains to isolate down and get fuel readings for the power. Tie at least 5 handbrakes if safe to do so’“. BN 5818 understands… BN 7891 we’ll relay the information.

We meet a Coal train…They have 30 minutes to work. “DS La Junta to BN 5501 South no way to get a crew to you. The Director and Chief DS says to proceed in violation of the Hours of Service. Tie-up and place in a time slip, write down this information”. “Okay DS, proceed to Pueblo under violation of Hours of Service”.

In about an hour and a half from meeting the load our Caboose hop shows up, plucking the Springs crew and us up. Whats a Caboose Hop … simple Locomotives and cabooses moving as a train. Also know as a Waycar lite.. The Santa Fe sent up four units and three cabooses. Three GP-39-2’s and an SD-45, along with two BN Hacks and a Santa Fe. These units and the Santa Fe caboose will be the Santa Fe Freight out of Denver when the chaos clears. The two BN cabooses will be readied for their operation .

The Caboose hop plowed snow all the way to Denver. I boarded the second unit a Santa Fe GP-39-2

Typical Santa Fe GP-39-2

Dennis Scheie ( pronounced SHY) was in the second unit as well as Ed Ferris, an engineer who I trained. Ed started as a brakeman, went into engine service. I was a Company officer working with Ed while he did the same. Ed is a Superintendent of Operations on the Springfield Division. Soon to retire as his children graduate in the next couple of years.

We plowed into Denver literally. Got a line up at South Denver, and I walked up to the lead unit. Was a little crowded, and at Kalamath Ave I told Carl Anderson a new runner..set some air on the train and break the ice off the rigging and set some independent air to warm up the shoes on the locomotives. I could tell during our descent although not needed, dynamic brakes held the train in check. Ice glazing of the brakes…

“Fuck you Shoe”, was a reply, I got from another engineer, who was to know better as well. “I said lets see”. We got the RED over Lunar at Walnut and follow the helpers in. Barry Offerson was the helper engineer staged ahead of us at 16th Street. Well guess what were are not braking, like a Caboose hop should. Wonder why…Like I said break that ice up warm the shoes.

Well we hit the helpers at 12 mph, too fast, and I told that engineer..Well place that Fuck You up your stupid ass, and “YOU” as well knew better. I told Carl, lemme walk this and see if we’re still on the rail. We were, and some fuel caps that weren’t properly placed, dislodged some fuel. The party boys on the cabooses were bitching… I said “Where was the Conductor in this?” No answer. We flagged up to C&S Crossing behind the helpers and waked in.

Chuck Gaer just was back from heart surgery. I said lemme walk ahead, follow my foot prints. He did we made it.

I walked over to a Hotel and checked in myself. I dug out the next day. Took six hours to get home, I walked in the door and was called… NOT!!

The city of Aurora made a curfew, and I said Six hours to get home no way. Missed call whatever… don’t Think so Call me at 600 am if I can do it..I’ll be there.

The phone rang at 1100 am…take this call and let us know..get here when ya can. BN and the AT&SF are on their knees. The crew assembled and we made the trip. There was a Jordan Spreader that cleared the main and coal tracks on our return. The BN and the Santa Fe returned to normal.

Merry Christmas .... Happy New Year 2014

Last updated December 29, 2014