--- In CBQ@yahoogroups.com, "broken bolster" <therrboomer@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Another problem with the GE's was if you had an all GE consist and
> had a wheel slip dragging uphill you were likely to end up in two
> pieces due to the resulting jerk when they decided to load up
> again. With SD40-2's you hardly felt the wheelslip and they loaded
> back up smoothly.
>
> Dick Haave
Hi Dick, long time no see.......
My favorite coal consist was a C-30-7 on the point, with 4 SD-40-2's behind.
The C-30 was comparatively quiet in the cab, the terlet and reefer were handier
to the Engineer's seat. After you got into the motor through that skinny door,
I liked 'em fine. They did have two aggrivating habits.....the handrails were
always rattling, and when the cab would twist, the doors would pop open. I
call it "GE door", we usually solved it by sticking the broom handle through
the grab handle on the door to hold it shut :>)
I ran the first load with EMD slaves too. They had two leaders and two
slaves....AIR, they were 7200 & 7201 for the leaders, and two different 7000's
for the slaves. They'd put a slave leader, four other SD's and a fuel tender
on one train, and then a slave trailer, four other SD's and tender on another
one. Sometimes they'd come up mty as two trains, and sometimes as one train
with all ten motors on the point.
After the two trains were loaded, they would bring them down to Donkey Creek,
and set one waycar over, then double the trains together. They'd pick up the
"spare" waycar, and "link" the whole thing up. Then, away you'd go with 2-1/2
miles of train with 5 motors and a fuel tender in the middle. The Division
Superintendant rode the slaves on that first train I ran. I thought he was
nuts, but he's the boss :>)
They got over the road pretty good, except for some occasional radio
problems....but we still have that with the new slaves :>)
When I was down at KC for the re-certification class that they sent us down
for, my instructor....a Frisco guy...says: "Mike, your going to like those new
DP engines (MAC's)". I said: "you mean the new slaves?" "OH, they're not
slaves, you run them from the buttons on the screen." My response: "Lemme get
this straight, they're on the rear end of the train, and I'm runnin' them with
a raido ain't I?" "Yes" "Then they're slaves."
My next question:: "Wo's going to keep that MAC back there running?" "Well, he
says, the roundhouse will keep them running." So I said: "Ten you ought to
consider putting automatic drains on them, because by the time the roundhouse
gets to one in the winter in the middle of Wyoming, it'll be froze." So he
allows that "I guess we'll have to have the Engineers take care of them." Ni
fibnal response was: "Then you damn well better put drains on them, account I
guarentee they'll be froze before I get back there in the Winter." I wasn't
his favorite student :>)
Mike Decker. Edgemont
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