Old Big Lift Local Circa 1988 in Tales of the Jointed Track

Yep the Santa Fe is doing good, bringing in TOFC/COFC into the Denver market. This is pissing off the BN, but let the marketing departments worry about that.

We are on duty, and if the morning “Q” train needs assistance , we’ll help them. They will take us to the Springs.

“Santa Fe 5522 south, give us 12 cars and stop”. “okay” We have helped them with the air test, and they are leaving the yard. We have an old GP-20, and four auto racks, (Cars that hold automobiles out of the manufacture), why they aren’t attached, logistics and train delay. “5522 attached, switch is lined back, give a set” “Setting ‘em up”. “Good set, release and go”. “Rolling, highball.”

I give the “Q” a throttle 3 to compensate for the tonnage of our Geep and the 4 auto racks. We make track speed up the hill. Lined over and we’ll cut off at Colorado Springs .

Our list at Springs typical. City Waste, the Gazette (Springs Newspaper) , two hoppers for the cement plant. Drennan, not going down there . Need to be done by 200 pm, to switch out the nights “Q” for 900 pm.

We were a leech on the “Q” out of Big Lift and cut off north of the double crossover at Bijou. We place our auto racks to track 904 ( yard track 4). Grab the transfers to the Rio Grande, set and pick up. Grab our yard work, 30 minutes, maximum.

To the transfer or the connection, up to the old Santa Fe Colorado Springs, Costilla yard. We pull and spot the Gazette, make a run around and pull and spot the lime 2 in 2 out. Those are shoved up the lead with the empty Gazette’s.

City Waste is next. We always have 4 pulls and spots, maybe a HI-CUBE box or boxes,(they were dedicated cardboard recycles). The others were newspaper recycle. Dropping down the lead to City Waste, a familiar sound and thud as the GP-20 goes on the ground. I get the “come on don’t be afraid” from Tim. “On the ground Tim, I’ll let ya know”. A wide gauge got us, but there is a switch near, as well as scrap wood. we’ll chunk ‘em and hopefully walk it up on the rail. Tim says “We’re gonna try to walk this up, if not, well, I guess we’ll call Jim McDonald”. We dropped just inside and outside of the rail. We have these two empty hoppers with us, but we’ll work around it. Scrap wood, is placed around, and we’ll splinter and crush most of it. It is mostly old ties. “Shove ahead…and easy”. LOL Sure, but throttle 3, air on the independent, two tries and 40 minutes later, back on the rail . We cut away and tie the hoppers down. The section, will have to repair, till we can get rid of them , and they can finish the repairs. City Waste is switched, and we grab them and the Gazette’s, and take to 903 at the Springs. The Rio Grande has spotted 2 transfers, those are grabbed. The “designated lamb” will grab these for Pueblo. We head back to Big Lift, and hour late. Jim McDonald is stressing. Yeah a 12 hour day, everything is done. Tie up, ready for tomorrow.