Rain.... On the Rails in Tales of the Jointed Track

A cool and rainy night here in Colorado. Lightning , Thunder the whole deal.

Late July - early August 2004:

I got called south, off the extra board, to head for Pueblo. They are short crews, LOL what else is new? The extra board in 2000, is not the extra board in the 1980’s 1990’s. But it is better than the alternative, the pool. Coal is still KING, up here, but the helper pool doesn’t exist, unless you’re called for one.

Like a night, like tonight as a I write, rain, lightning. We got called around 1800 pm . The train comes up Coal two. I walk the power, two SD-70-MAC’s all looks good. We have two more SD-70-MAC’s as our, DP on the rear. A call to the 31st Street Yardmaster, instructions given and we depart Dale Coleman is the Conductor for the trip. I have worked with Dale many many years. Was a Brakeman, when we had ‘em, and a Conductor as well, when we had Cabooses.

Sedalia, CO:
We’re doing good. Speed at Wolhurst, MP 15.9, was close to 14 mph, yes that is good. But rain is starting. Acequia siding, or what is left of it, we get up to 27 mph. The Hot Box detector at 19.3 sounds off as we pass, “UP DETECTOR MP 19.3 NO DEFECTS.. REPEAT NO DEFECTS TOTAL AXLES 524 TEMPERATURE 62 DEGREES SPEED 14 MPH DETECTOR OUT”. 14 mph is good, the storm has cooled and traction motors love cool air. Coming into Sedalia, still holding our own, but the rain is really pounding us now. I get the wheel slip warning. The MAC’s are on auto sand. I can’t override this. Wet rail, all our, “quote” friction help has been washed away. “DS-16 to BNSF 8927 South”. “8927 South DS”. “What the weather up there? have a severe Thunderstorm warning and a Tornado watch” Well Looks like we are on the tail end of this, will keep you informed” “DS-16 out” Coming up to the Plum Creek Bridge, it is like a cow peeing on a flat rock!! We’re starting up grade to Orsa and Castle Rock. I feel wheel slip more pronounced and lurching. I tell Dale, I am stopping. No use, ripping them in two. I tone DS-16. I am three miles, from where we last talked. “DS-16, answering Sedalia radio”. “DS, BNSF 8927, we’re stopped here, due to heavy rain and wheel slipping”. “Did ya call Mechanical?” “NO. not a power issue, weather, when it subsides, will call when on the way”. Blah Blah Blah… save me “DS-16 out”. Thirty minutes later, the rain has passed, a good wind, and looking at the rail, rust has started to show. :) Sand and rusting.. there is some traction.

(LESSON ADHESION 101):
Rail looks smooth and shiny. Wow the wheels look smooth and shiny. Are they really? Yes and No. The rail and the wheels have a microscopic roughness to them. What is the size of the adhesion patch on a locomotive driver wheel set? How about the size of a dime. Maybe a nickle on curves. Wow 18000 plus tons being pulled by this.

As I have stated, the storm is raging east. Light wind, and you can see the rail had dried. I tell Dale, I am going to go for it. Have the DP and head end in synchronous mode. I have the throttle dialed to 5 notch. Release of the air. A “BEEP” the DP’s feed valve has kicked in, now the accelerated release of the air is coming in. I split the screen and notch the rear end up harder than the head end. I am bringing the head end out as well. Soon we are throttle 8 head end and throttle 8 DP’s. Rust, sand, dry rail, we are walking them out. Dale calls DS-16, that we are on the way again. The storm is raging east. It is passed us. Two more hours we’re over the top. Pueblo beckons another hour and thirty, if no meets.

Last updated August 09, 2019