Re: [CBQ] Re: GN Unit's East of Twin Cities

[<qrailroadman@yahoo.com>]

GN freight units at Clyde were a part of the landscape in the 60's.  This came 
about as a result of an agreement between the Q and the GN that allowed Q E 
units to operate into Havre to eliminate the time consuming chore of swapping 
power in St. Paul Union Depot.  In order to equalize locomotive mileage between 
the two carriers the GN placed some of its "PIME" freight power in a pool to 
run off the mileage incurred by the Q E units.  These "cream puffs" were, I 
believe, towed in DEAD from the ore fields in order to fill the needs of the 
equalization pool.  Trains 97 and 88 were plagued with these escapees from the 
torch for years !!!  An FT A unit tried to kill me at Dugan Rd. Xing early one 
morning when it suffered a MASSIVE crankcase explosion,.  It failed !!!!
  
 Usually, five unit sets were assigned to this pool and were rotated out of the 
pool as Clyde Diesel Shop machinists performed their miracles and got most of 
them running.  There was one four unit set that I for had several trips, over 
the span of one or two months, in which one of the B units had suffered a 
catastrophic mechanical failure sometime in its distant past.  Its engine room 
was cluttered with items that were once part of the prime mover and rust 
covered everything in the engine room !!  Every unit assigned to this pool had 
the filthiest engine rooms of any power I'd ever experienced.  I will say, 
however, Frisco power came in a close second !!!!!
  
 qman