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[CBQ] Doubleheading and Shoving.

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Subject: [CBQ] Doubleheading and Shoving.
From: "Karl L Rethwisch" <qrailroadman@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:44:50 -0000
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Burke !!  Someone with a track profile handy correct me if I'm wrong but stays 
in mind that Burke was .87%, against eastward trains, not even a a good ol', 
full fledged ONE PERCENT!
Leo brings back "fond" memories of that darned "hill". 
 
In the mid-seventies we were introduced to the "98" syndrome.   Seems that 98 
was now handling all leftover 82 and 182 traffic out of the Cities, carrying 
"shorts" and, generally, everything else that somebody thought should end up in 
Cicero.

I knew somthin' was up due the fact that an RFE was waitin' for us at the Yard 
Office when we showed up for 98 that morning.

Seems that after a few months of extraordinarily substandard performance and 
numerous stalls and Engineers' complaints, a Company officer, I C Ethington, 
hooked a business car on the rear end of one of these gems at St. Paul to see, 
first hand, what all the "noise" was about.  His trip to Savanna was, I'm sure, 
uneventful.  The "event" most noticeable to all who were interested in train 
performance occurred less than 10 min. after our departure from Sav.  
"Departure" is actually incorrect.  I couldn't get the rear of the train out of 
Yard Limits.

Well, Jimmy Palmer had been called for 82, about 15 min. behind us so, since he 
couldn't go anywhere with us tyin' up the RR, he was selected as the most 
logical cure for an illogical situation.   With Ivan's business car sittin' 
dead on the main Jim cut his engine off and came up behind us to "assist".  In 
the usual, informal practices of the day, Jim locked horns with the business 
car and started shovin'.  As soon as I felt a nudge I started pullin' and away 
we went.  Now, with 7 units dedicated to serving the "wonder train", we made a 
very impressive attack on "the hill".

As my engine passed beneath the overhead bridge that was midway between siding 
switches and a sign that the hill was "made", I asked Jim to pull the pin and 
"give me my train back" which is to say, ease off the power until all the slack 
had been stretched outta my train and we could be on our way.  As my train 
started down the east side of Burke, toward Dagett, I hadn't felt the slack run 
out and inquired of Jim, "ya gonna let go of me or what?".  Jim responded that 
they couldn't pull the pin on his engine but the "Boss" was commin' outta his 
car and was gonna pull the chain, attached to the pin, on the business car.  
Soon we just so many ton-miles-per-freight-train-hour again.  All went well 
'till, after leavin' Milledgeville where, as Leo mentioned, lies Hazelhurst, 
another hill.  We managed to grunt over Hazelhurst and make a gallant run 
through Polo to conquer Stratford hill.  This train had NO problems with 
downhill I might add.  As we climbed up Stratford hill the speed really took a 
dive.  We were instructed by the "Boss" to do EVERYTHING the engine could do to 
get over the top which, I concluded, put a temporary moratorium on the ol' 
"Short Time" ratings on the motors.  Well, "all" the engine could do simply 
wasn't good enough, we stalled again.  Jimmy to the rescue, again.  Have you 
ever smelled "toasted" Mylar??

The remainder of the trip was every bit as lackluster as the part just 
described but, for about a month or so, we had considerably better power on 
sweet 98.  Soon, same-ol', same-ol'.   

Karl



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