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| Hot Times on the High Iron - This time, It's What Trips From Hell Are Made Of | |||||||
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January 30, 2004 I was called for my regular 336 train (Fond du Lac, WI to Centralia, IL) on the evening of 18 January 04. It was rather cold that evening with temperatures hovering around the 10 degree F mark. The Glenn Yardmaster informed me that the Machinist from the Locomotive Department was out checking on a possible problem with my power. The train was already doubled up and the pow er attached so, that point, we at least had that going for us. Unfortunately though, this was as good as it would get. When I boarded my power I encountered the Machinist who promptly asked me a mechanical type question. He explained that the Car Inspector was claiming there was in excess of 20 psi of leakage on the brake pipe of the train, well in excess of the 5 psi of leakage allowed by Federal law. When performing an initial terminal brake test on a train, a leakage test is performed. This test is conducted to positively ascertain the leakage of air from the brake pipe of the train. Excessive leakage can, and does cause problems. Leakage must not exceed 5 psi per minute and this requirement is Federal law. I am intending to do a piece all about brake tests and how they are performed at some point in time. The Car Inspector was insisting there was very little leakage in the train and that the leakage problem must be the engines. The Machinist checked the engines and they indicated no leakage at all. The maximum allowed on a locomotive or locomotive consist is 3 psi per minute. So the Machinist and Car Inspector were arguing about the culprit of the leakage problem. The Machinist asked me if I believed the engines could be the problem as the Carman believed and I told him no, it has to be in the train. The Carman was not too pleased about this and told me there were only two cars that remotely seemed to be leaking. I tried to explain to him that in really cold weather, those types of leaks can easily be worse than they sound. Apparently this guy didn't subscribe to the belief of cold weather and compressed air not mixing very well. He got a little upset and told me that he would just bad order those two cars for air problems and then has us kick them out of the train. Hmm, guess he showed me, huh? So Conductor JJ Niemann bundled up and headed out to toss these two offending cars from the train. Once the task was completed and we had sufficient brake pipe pressure, we began our air test. Upon performing the leakage test with the two "slightly leaking" cars now gone from the train, our leakage dropped to just 3.5 psi per minute of leakage. With this problem resolved, we were able to complete a proper brake test and finally depart Glenn Yard. However, we departed at 2155 hours, a tad tardy based on the schedule for the train. But it could always be worse. As we departed I made the comment that I had a bad feeling about tonight's trip. Just remember my wise old saying, "No situation is ever so bad that it cannot get worse." These words of wisdom (and experience) will become the theme for the evening. So now we're finally off to Markham for work there and then on to Champaign. Tonight we have the CN 5751 (a nice quiet WhisperCab locomotive) and the IC 2455 with 38 loads, 25 empties, 5289 tons and 3356 feet of train. After wending our way across the terminal some 32 rail miles, we arrive at Markham at 2355 hours. As we approach the Homewood control point at the south end of Markham, the General Yardmaster instructs us to pull the entire train across the plant at Homewood. He further instructs us to use 7 Lead when we get the signal, shoving our entire train back into the yard and right onto our pick up, which is located on track 13 in F Yard. Aside from the fact that JJ has to ride this cut of cars into the yard, nearly three-quarters of a mile in the refreshingly brisk weather, this plan might not be too bad. This could have us in and out of the yard in an hour or a little less. Could have, but didn't. "Coulda, shoulda, woulda." As we are shoving the train down 7 Lead towards F Yard, the Markham General comes on the radio and informs us that we are also supposed to pick up some engines. So now instead of coupling onto our pick up, we need to shove our entire inbound train onto track 16F (which is clear), cut off, then work our way over to the A Yard side and the Woodcrest lead and get four more engines to take with us. While not exactly a difficult move it can be time consuming. We couple on to the IC 6122, IC 1021, IC 3120 and CN 9523. I make up all the multiple unit connections, give them all a quick look over and we then head back over to F Yard to commence with the pick up. Before beginning to make our moves in F Yard we perform the locomotive brake test. Anytime you add locomotives to your engine consist, you are required to perform a locomotive brake test. This too is Federal law and also a company air brake rule. Being that the Woodcrest lead is on the side of a short steep grade, I do not perform the locomotive brake there as everything will roll backwards down the hill. Instead, I perform the test after we couple back onto the train where it will stay in one place. I had some problems with the brakes on the IC 1021 as they would not release properly and had to check it out. This is one of the reasons you perform a locomotive brake test, to assure there will not be problems. Should there be any, you can take care of them right away instead of discovering them down the road and perhaps after you have caused some damage. A few nights earlier I had a similar problem that I could not correct and the boys from Woodcrest had to come out and attempt to make repairs. As it worked out this time though, I was able to get the problem resolved without the assistance of Woodcrest and we finished up the test. Another factor I have to take into consideration is having all of these locomotives on line and working. I was going to have a manageable sized train and would not require this much horsepower. Also, there comes into play the total number of powered axles. Too many powered axles can create excessive draft force, also referred to as drawbar pull. Too much draft force can literally snap a coupler knuckle in two, or even break a drawbar. In milder weather you can just isolate or even shut down any of the excessive power. However being that it was very cold and getting colder, simply isolating or shutting down the excessive power was not an option. The 1021 is an SD70 equipped with a microprocessor. I can isolate this unit and should the engine temperature drop to a point that it too low, the computer will automatically rev up the prime mover (diesel engine) to keep everything warm and prevent freezing. So the 1021 got isolated. The 6122 is an SD40-2, originally part of the Burlington Northern fleet. BN ordered these units with a winter isolation feature. When set to "Winter Isolate" the prime mover automatically revs up to throttle setting Run 3. This prevents the prime mover from freezing up during bitter cold weather. The 6122 was also isolated leaving us with four working units and sufficient horsepower that would easily allow us to make normal speed. With the locomotive air test completed, JJ cuts the air into train and we begin the task of doubling up our train. Being that we were originally instructed to couple our train directly onto the pick up, we go about doing it that way. We pulled the cars we had originally shoved into track 16F out and doubled them to the pick up on 13F. In doing so, the end of train telemetry had to be removed from the tail end of our inbound train and then hung on the tail end of track 13F. Based on the make up of the inbound train, doubling 16F to 13F was also beneficial to me. For train handling purposes it got a bunch of loads of rock off the very rear of the train and into the middle instead. With everything doubled up and then after completing out air test, JJ then had to wait on the paperwork for our outbound train and also a ride to bring him up to the head end. He only waited about half an hour. We finally departed about 0245 and began our journey south to Champaign. Things rolled along uneventful for a while. We were run through the siding at Kankakee without stopping to get around the Kankakee Switcher. The Switcher was working on the main track working at Nucor Steel. We headed on up to Otto where, for some strange reason, we held the main track to meet 339. As we were coming to a stop at Otto, the Desk Two Dispatcher calls to inquire about the engines we were supposed to set out at Kankakee. Set out engines at Kankakee? Hmm, it would appear that "They" neglected to inform us of this move. I informed Desk Two of receiving no instructions with regards to an engine set out. "Stand by" was the response. This is one of the things we do best. After all, a stopped train is a safe train. After several minutes passed, from across the ether came the instructions from Desk Two informing us to set out the 9523 and 3120 at South Otto. I suggested that she could zigzag us into Otto Siding and then run us into the Otto Pass so that we could set the engines out at the south end of the stone yard at Otto. No, that was not to be, too logical I guess. I was told to contact Champaign Freight (the Clerk that handles all clerical duties between Steunkel and Champaign) to see where they wanted the engines. Let me fill you in on some background about Otto at this point. At one time, after the double track was ripped out and this became a single track railroad through here, there used to be a set of crossover switches that allowed southward movements from the main track to the Otto Pass. This crossover was deemed unnecessary and removed in the 90's. For a southward train to access the north end of the stone yard at Otto or to access the north or south legs of the Otto wye, you must either go down to South Otto and back in, or zigzag across at Otto. This move requires that you pull south of the signal at Otto, get lined into the Otto Siding and then proceed nort h into the siding. Once clear of the signal, you would then be lined to proceed from the Otto Siding into the Otto Pass. south wye north wye
__pass________/_____\________siding___________
main /________________________/___main____________\_______
South Otto (MP 61.6) Otto (MP 60.3) Gar Creek (MP 57.5)
This little diagram might help. From right to left would be southbound. A northbound train can pull right into the siding and then back into the pass or onto the north leg of the wye which is routine when setting out cars here. A southbound setting out cars would have two options to accomplish this move. One option is to enter the Otto/Gar Creek Siding at Gar Creek which is about 2.8 miles north of here and then pull the set out into the pass, cut off and come out the south end at South Otto, then back up the main, through the turnout and back into Otto Siding back onto the train. The other would be to take the train down the main track to South Otto, make a cut and pull the set out south of South Otto and then shove it into the pass. The method used depends upon traffic and any possible meets to be affected at Otto. And although not shown here, the stone yard is a small two track yard that extends from just south of the south wye to about half the way to South Otto off the pass. Also not shown is the B&P Main, an industrial line that is the reason the stone yard and the pass are here in the first place. So what we proposed was to zigzag us through Otto to get to the pass and then set the two engines out into the stone yard. I talked to Champaign Freight and he thought that sounded good to him, but it was not to be. Instead we were instructed to make the set out at South Otto. So we did as instructed figuring we would set the engines out onto stone yard two, shoving them up to the north end to allow easier access for the crew that would be getting them. Here is where the fun begins. Desk Two informs us that she cannot get the switch at South Otto to line, so we are given instructions to hand operate it and line it for our movement. Along with these instructions came the permission to pass the stop signal at South Otto as well at being instructed to put the switch back in motor when finished. So JJ heads out, does the proper hand operation procedure and brings me back. When he attempts to place the switch back in motor, the selector handle won't budge. He requests my assistance and a hammer to "persuade" the lever. The ball peen hammer; industry's most accurate precision adjustment tool. Further examination showed the lever to be hung up on the latch the locks it into place. I had to beat on the selector lever to get it to move back from the latch enough so that it could be moved back to the "Motor" position to give the Dispatcher control again. With that task accomplished, we perform the engine set out. In the meantime, northbound trains 193 and 337 were coming and we would affect a meet with them both at South Otto with our engines and Otto with the rest of our train, No problem, except for the fact that now the switch at South Otto will not line for the main track either. So 193 has to stop get permission to pass the signal at South Otto, hand operate the switch for their move and restore it to motor. They encountered the same troublesome selector lever that we did and after some persuasion on their part, they got it back in motor. Once they cleared, 337 came along and the switch actually worked for them. Then it was our turn. Again, the switch will not respond and again, we were given the instructions to hand operate it and again, the selector lever needed persuasion to restore the switch back to motor. Now before we even attempted this move, I requested that we be allowed to hand operate to not only come out of the pass and back onto the main track, but also to make a straight away movement from main to main northward before restoring the switch to motor. In the face of the reality that this switch was obstinate and not going to work properly I felt this idea to be the most logical. Logical. But alas, logic was not to prevail. We were instructed to line ourselves onto the main, restore the switch to motor and pull south of the plant at South Otto and Desk Two would line us up for the main to main move. She seemed to believe that the switch would now work properly. "I hear and obey." After several minutes of waiting, we get yet another call with still more instructions to hand operate the switch, this time for a main to main move and permission to pass the stop signal. I must be psychic, pr perhaps psychotic. I guess there was a plus side to hand operating this switch three times and my having to beat on it an equal amount though. A thirty-two ounce ball peen hammer swung say thirty times does provide a pretty fair cardiovascular workout. With that task completed, we finally get back against our train and eventually leave town at 0605. While I didn't write down the time we arrived at Otto, I know we spent well over two hours there. Time was now becoming a factor and we would not have enough sand left in the hours of service glass to make Champaign. I informed Desk Two that with no additional episodes we could make Rantoul. We did, barely and wound up passing away quietly there. We then waited an hour for a ride to come and get us. When the van showed up, the relief crew came with it. When all was said and done, we tied up after some thirteen hours and thirty minutes on duty. As strange as it was, this trip was still was another good one; nothing got wrecked, nobody got hurt and best of all, nobody got fired. And so it goes. Tuch |
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