Mike,
One of the SD40-2 issues is air conditioning. That rear unit
tends to be a FURX or a NS unit. They are very leery of the
NS units 'cause of the chance that it might have the control stand
on the wrong side. The AT&SF crews will not go long hood
forward even if the unit is designed for it. Even if it is not
a factor between La Junta and Amarillo the train still has a crew
change at Amarillo to go to Hereford, Summerfield, Friona, or
what ever and if that crew makes a fuss then the Trainmaster at
Amarillo has an easy scapegoat. Can't you hear the Trainmaster?
"You have two places to turn power at La Junta, you got it cut off
from the train, why didn't you do it there so it don't screw up my
Terminal?"
Don't know how the other Dispatchers handle it but they would
find it difficult to blame me. As long as there is no other traffic
I just tell them they can use both mains, the longest yard track,
(#197), the wye or the balloon track, and any crossover and let
me know when they are done. Do not like the idea of having to
"Dispatch" trains in yard limits on track I have no control over.
It's a strange setup because to use the wye you have to operate
on three different sub-divisions but it's still yard limits.
Don't really know much about the stretch baking issue but I can see
how it could be made an issue in fuel conservation.
Russ
>
> Hi Bob and Russ:
>
> The Gillette Road Switcher turns their whole train someplace....usually at
> Coal Creek mine wye....every night, to avoid shoving a string of tank cars
> all the way from the Hilight Gas plant back to Gillette. Usually...they
> turn the motor too at Donkey Creek or Campbell on the way out...because it's
> facing wrong from the night before. A "real motor" is easier to run long
> hood front than a wide-cab, but it isn't something you want to do if you
> don't have to. Unlike those guys in Texas, I'd gladly put the SD-40 on the
> point...not to save time, of course, just because I like 'em better :>)
>
> I can guarantee that the Company is more interested in fuel economy than
> service, just look at my monthly list of "exceptions" to the stretch/power
> braking rules to prove it :>) I had a really nice V-train home a couple
> trips back...not too heavy, good air, three motors with a nice, comfortable,
> easy to run, SD-40-2 on the point, and none of 'em would rat me out for
> stretchin'...that was sweet :>)
>
> For a little "Q" interest....I stopped and saw "Big Alice" and Car 99 in La
> Crosse while I was home in August. Alice has a scaffold around her...a Park
> District employee told me that "some fellows come out and work on it every
> once in a while". But she looks pretty good for setting out in the open
> with her jacket still intact. I also went to the Dells and worked on the
> R&GN for a few days, a little section work, some running, and "history".
> After that, I went down to Milwaukee Zoo and they had both engines fired up
> for me. I ran my Pacific most of the time, and the Atlantic some. I did
> remember why I prefer South Dakota to Wisconsin....I got up one morning to
> go out to the R&GN, and looked at the Madison weather...95, feels like
> 100...humidity 100%, and it wasn't even raining :>) You don't sweat
> standing still out here, like you do there. The first of this month, I went
> down to Denver to sell books and videos at the Narrow Gauge Convention, and
> stopped out to see the 5629 and Car 96 at Golden. Boy! has that place
> changed since I was a regular in the '60's :>) Just out of curiosity, since
> the 96 is a business car, is the 99 also? I came back from Denver with a
> nice 5629 mouse pad.
>
> Later,
>
> Mike Decker
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