A Troubleshooting incident BNSF Coal train Littleton, CO in Tales of the Jointed Track

One I vividly remember.. It was in the last 6 months of my career.

I was working the night rotation. I got LISS, up and signed onto the email and rest of the Emulators. Was able to settle in and get after it after 30 minutes on duty. I made a cheat sheet of who was called and out of town. Who was physically by Big Lift, and who was called and now departed Denver.

I looked at LISS , there was a 9400 series, locomotive, and a defect. This was opened up at Wiggins, Colorado. It was reported to mechanical, but they did not report to the Dispatcher, or the terminal. Why ?, because they might have to do something extra. Isn’t that a part of your JOB?. Oh, yeah political correctness, or these poor crews…yep entitlement that’s what kills our work force. Can’t wipe your ass, without extra pay. Place it off on the next crew, BN’s 31st Street terminal management wasn’t much better. The old guard, in management, did what was necessary and overrode as needed. The younger one’s didn’t give a damn, just get it out of town, don’t want terminal delay… Yeah screw someone else, and then screw yourself.

A former BN / BNSF 9400 series SD-70-MAC. They are becoming worn out workhorses.

What was the defect ? Oil dilution and, overheating. Yeah that is serious, plus these units will be working throttle 8 for at least 3 hours for the climb on the grade.
Also there was a DP data radio defect, that they didn’t report either. We found out afterward.

Okay, this train had already left Denver, before I signed in. A shuttle crew took it to MP 10.3 to stage. I talk to Damon Robinson, my mechanical man. Damon, is reliable, we talk roundhouse people. Some he knows, some I do as well. we laugh.
Damon is a machinist mate former Navy…Nuclear Sub’s. This guy knows his stuff. Locomotives, like a Briggs and Stratton lawnmower.

“Damon… there is a 9400 out there at MP 10…I think we’re gonna have a problem”. The phone rings, It is the engineer on this staged load… I answer..”Hey No.1 we have a unit, in our consist that won’t stay running!!”

This is one who always called me No.1, due to my seniority. “Mike, we are on our way, I’ll let the Chief know, and contact the DS”.

I call the Chief DS, I say “Hey, this got through the cracks, and I think it is oil dilution, and it’s toast and needs to be shut down. I got the information, from the NOC Mechanical people that perform chemistry on the oil and water samples, and then input the information, to the system.

Keep this train on Main 2 let’s not plug the main” “Run around them or trade off crews as needed.” The NOC is pissed, and no one told them period, but its on the triple mains, at Littleton, and out of the way.

Damon and I arrive. We attach to the crew, and I talk to the crew. Damon looks over the 9400 series SD-60-MAC, and its trashed. There is a fuel aroma in the engine compartment, and when the dipstick is pulled, the oil is thin, and basically, not providing lubrication. It reeks of fuel. I call the Chief and tell the bad news, needs to be shutdown, tagged and drained.

I say there is a BNSF 6183, there at Big Lift, it was set out as an emergency unit. Well, let’s get it… I’ll tell the crew, and take them back to Big Lift. They will have to get with the UP etc, and we’ll get this added. This will take time. The locomotive is 9 miles south, other traffic.. I have the crew kill the DP, and we’ll have to “qualify and set up the new DP lead. Damon shuts down the 9400, and drains and tags it. He also, notifies NOC Mechanical FT. Worth, and heads back to the DP consist at MP 8.4. He will terminate the DP receiver unit, and redial, the new unit in.

A BNSF 6100 series ES-44-AC

Rain is starting, and light snow is starting. I get the crew to Big Lift, I tell them I looked it over and signed it off at 1930, so its good. I say I’ll be around, here till you head back and meet to you at MP 10.3 .. I call Damon..get a cup where ya can, see ya at 10.3.

We get the motor attached, and link up the DP consist, make our air tests. Hand brakes are taken off. I call the Chief. “Okay hopefully this is the end, we’re ready to roll”. “Okay, I’ll let DS 16 know as well”. We “detach” from the crew, and tell ‘em call DS-16 and tell him you’re ready. They get authority to roll. We roll the train by, the DP’s are responding and sound strong by us at MP 10.3. “Highball, train looks good and DP’s sound strong, inspection is performed, fuel readings” “Thanks No.1”

We head back to Big Lift. I catch up to the rear end, south of Mineral Road on Highway 85, roughly MP 12.8, and the DP’s are roaring. I get back to Big Lift.

I enter the office, and hear the radio.. “Big Lift ..Hello No.1” “Yeah Mike?” “We are getting a DP radio drop out, slack is bad I hope we don’t tear in two”. “Where ya at now Mike?” “Acequia, we should be okay to Big Lift”

Fuck!!!… This becoming a bad dream. !!!

“MIke spot the rear end at the South switch, and we’ll look ‘em over”. I tell Damon, we have problems again. He told me he had heard. We watch the train roll by. We hear the DP’s nearing the overpass. Slack runs in and out, this is not normal. We also hear the DP’s throttle up, drop load and throttle up again. A data radio problem.

SHIT !!

We drive to the south end of Big Lift, and spot the rear end. I look at the data radio connections. I check the computer for data radio problems…Radio A and Radio B are and have been cycling. I tell Damon, well I hate to do this, but I think we’re screwed here. “I agree…hopefully we can place the second unit as the receiver.”

“Mike..I hate to do this, but everything we have tried isn’t working. We need to tie down and relink to the other unit”. “okay we’ll get on it”.. I call the Chief and he isn’t happy. I said,” We have been working with this for 30 minutes prior, we can’t get it to clear or correct”. “Okay, I’ll order a relief crew, if you get them going, they’ll trade off up the grade”. “Will do”.

I call the NOC Mechanical on the phone “hot line” … I related the problem, and was told this was reported 5 hours ago. Okay the report was made, the inbound crew, chose not to let anyone know or let the Brush DS, in on the problem. Well it’s out here on the grade now, typical former BN crews. I always said, the biggest problem, whether here or the Transcon is field reporting. Crews and management alike.

The other unit was relinked, all tests passed. Handbrakes were removed and two hours later they are on the move. We follow up and shadow he train. I tell Damon, I need gas for the truck. He told me go get it, head back to Big Lift. He would make sure they get over the top, with the crew or the relief. He would inspect and log out the emergency motor at Palmer Lake house track .

I called the Chief, and stated what was going on… The relief crew changed out at Greenland, CO, eight miles from the top. Damon called, and says “They are over..no problems noted”.. Good....what a cluster fuck this had been. Another problem solved.