Santa Fe U-28 and 30-CG's Tales on the Road in Tales of the Jointed Track

I wrote a few times back on the Santa Fe 444 southbound and 434 northbound. Well our “friends” the U-28-CG’s and U-30-CG’s, managed to find their way up here. Along with a mish-mash of GP series units and SD-24’s. Sometimes an SD-45 would come up, but ya play the hand yer dealt.

ATSF 7904 (the Cyclops):
Okay, it wasn’t one eyed, and the Mars light, had long since been removed. It had seen better days, and now in the old freight blue scheme, and this old pig is pretty worn out. It had a one horn trumpet, that bleated like sick goat. H-H-H ooonkkkkkk, H-H-H ooonkkkkkk. The plunger stuck, and it was pretty bad. It usually rode mid-consist, but sometimes, due to inspections or other requirements, it made its way to the head end. Those old control stands were tough to switch with, but you made do, with what ya had. I always said, as long as it makes power, the heater works, when needed, I have water to drink, and the brake valve is good. I’ll get ‘em to destination. It would disappear for Federal inspection to Kansas City, and like a bad relative, it showed back up.

Train 444, train stall MP 712 (old Santa Fe):
We got called out with the 444 out of the UP Yard. We had the tonnage, and two big six axles and a GP. An old Santa Fe SD-45 was on the point, followed by our pal the 7904, and a GP-39-2. Well we’ll crawl, into Castle Rock, with not much to spare. They were limp runners out of South Denver. The assigned helpers are shoving a load, so do what we need to. The SD-45 smells odd, electrical. It’s acting funny. I check fuses and the rest, it is not a happy camper. Chris Sanchez is filling in for Jerry Bethurum, who is on vacation. I also have an extra board brakeman, who is basically a new hire, but he is learning.

Out of Sedalia, we are 12 mph wide open and dropping. The SD-45, has dropped its load. I have dropped whatever breakers I can, to try and reset. We stall just before the grade at Orsa, The caboose is just south of the cross-over switches at Sedalia. We are clear of town, so that’s something we don’t have to deal with. “Chris we’re stalled, call the Rio Grande DS, let him know we’ll tie down and grab the work train power, we need to get at Castle Rock”. He’s lazy, “You tone him up and notify him, I’ll send the rear man up to help”. I let the DS know our work, plus we are getting three more 6 axle units, we’ll get the train up to Castle Rock and make the pick up. We get the authority to make our requested moves. Jerry would have this already figured out.

Castle Rock, old siding Ballast empty:

We ran up lite. Our lead SD-45 is isolated for the rest of the trip. The ballast power is there, wow a GP-38, and 2 U-33-C’s and a U-28-CG. I walk the power, and hook then up for the air. The U-28-CG is low on cooling water, not drastic, but could be a pain in the butt. We have enough working horse power, to get our original tonnage and this ballast empty, plus 10 empty tie cars over the hill. We run lite power back, and grab out train. The rear brakeman stays with us for the pick up at Castle Rock, which is the ballast train. The night is cooling, that will be in our favor. Gary Sheppard, the rear man and I have talked over the moves, and are working with the new hire as well. We’ll pass signals, on the fireman’s side. The sweeping curve will make it work, then after we couple in, Gary will head back to the rear end. The ballast train has a caboose, that will be the radio, for the double. We take 25 extra cars off the head end. Why? well the first 14 set out at Colorado Springs, the others are loads, which will add tonnage compliance. We have 12 loads and 6 empties to grab at “Springs” for Pueblo.

A coal load, is whining out of Orsa. Bill Goetsch, he knows better, like we planned failure and now taking it out on everybody. “Bill we are making the pick up at Castle Rock, and we’ll probably be over the hill, before you make Greenland”. “Well we figured you guys would be gone”. “Well did ya figure we lost our lead unit?” “No” “Well, neither did we, we’ll call ya when we leave Castle Rock”. More complaints, whatever, operate yer own train, we told what’s going on deal with it. Like where can ya get around us? DUH!!! Ya can’t!!

Gary, grabs the caboose, 12 from the switch, the radio works, and I am told to stop. He relines and locks up for the main. We back easy, with 70 cars to the train, eight back. The head brakeman walks back up to the head end. Joint is made and stretched, “Air coming to ya Chris lemme know for the set”. Our set and release made, we get Gary on the rear end, here we go.

We out distance the coal load, get to the Springs make the pick up and set out. The load calls again at North Kelker, the caboose says we just went by Crews. Looking back around the curve, we see the glow of the caboose, from the ballast train, tucked in to our original train out of Castle Rock. 104 cars into the hump, a long trip, but hey it’s the 444. We beat the coal load into town, by an hour.

Oh, the wailing, rendering of cloth and gnashing of teeth, within the well oiled machine.

Last updated August 25, 2015