cool story, thanks, I'm cc-ing this to the DRGW list too.
Terry
Message: 7
Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2001 22:45:23 -0000
From: wulrich@a...
Subject: Re: Run throughs
--- In BRHSlist@y..., okt@j... wrote:
> I've really enjoyed reading all the EL run through posts. What I'd
like
> to hear more of are what you guys remember about those EL (and
others)
> running on the Q. There was a short discussion of this earlier but
it was
> fairly general.
> Terry
>
terry,
this tale concerns other power running on the Q, not el tales.
was clerking midnights at creston in 1966 and when crews were changed
the clerk usually yelled on the radio instructions where the
footboard yardmaster had told him where to tell crews to stop and
change crews. usually it was 'stop to clear elm street.' the west
ottumwa crews stopped the headend around the depot where the yard
office was. Q power would rattle every pane of glass in that depot as
they approached the depot and then really get 'em to shaking while
they sat outside idling while changing crews. they could not sneak up
on you cause the windows would give them away. about 3am on a cold
february/march morning a hot shot with all d&rgw power was arriving
in creston, so no radios that worked with the Q radios, the west
bound creston crew had left, the rear end hauled out to the east end
of the yards, the headend end walked on over to the depot waiting
room.
deadly quiet around there then. was busy writing up a train, remember
dead quiet. a door slammed, scared me, jumped out of my chair. a west
ottumwa engineer,fireman and headbrakman walked into the yard office
area, startled i asked 'where did yall come from' the engineer
replied 'from that 5 motor, 100 car 5000 ton train setting outside
your window.' those d&rgw motors never made a sound, had to listen
real close to tell they were outside. never rattled one window in
that old depot. amazing. enginemen said they were so finely tuned,
ran and pulled well. plus they had flushing water toilets. dont
remember them being around too long maybe another year or 2. can
understand why, if d&rgw power had to be so well tuned to run in the
high country imagine the Q power would not hardly pull themselves
when they got up there.
warren
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