I live beside probably the hardest pull BNSF has between Birmingham and Memphis. When they started the 100 plus coal trains years ago they tried all engines to the front and pulled many knuckles out either in front of the house or back down the line. Complete shut down and lots of time to get it to the side tracks or repaired then help to push it in over. Those engines idling for hours can be annoying but I understand. Then they started taking engines off other sets and helping push to past the house then disconnecting. That stopped the knuckles pulling apart and now it’s all remote controlled with usually 2 in front and 3 pushing. No I don’t work on the RR but I’ve lived by them all my life and still enjoy the big powerful machines
Dell Sims yea I think the limit is 8 max to have on the headend or it’s just too much pulling force. Even with 8 it’s still too much that’s why I believe there’s at max maybe 5 in some cases maybe 6? But at point I think one or two of those locos are probably shut down and are just there for possible extra help if needed. Most of the time it’s probably just extra locos being moved in a slight power move to be brought to a service shop or being returned from one. Regardless more locos spread throughout the train works better.
How do you explain those old films of Gas Turbines and Big Boys snatching trains over the top of Sherman Hill at high speeds? Think those ever broke a knuckle, etc.? Or did they do better calculations or better train management?
I'm a retire engineer. I ran trains on the Joint Line from August 1978 to October 1981 for the ATSF. About 85% of the trains we operated were the BN trains. A couple of times a month you will run one of your own ATSF trains. That was the Joint Line agreement from the 1930's. When I worked there cutting off on the fly was a serious NO NO. The DRGW guys were allowed to do this.
Those 2 units had to have been manned helper units. The headlight turned on on the front unit. And then stopped and reversed travel. The switch lined them off of the main track. Cool video. 👍❤️ I’m a retired engineer as well. They wouldn’t let us cutoff on the fly either. But apparently they can on this line. Lol.
Nice video. Also thanks for explanation in below comments how the un-coupling is done. I guess the disconnection takes place at more or less the same location, so you can just go there and wait for the next train. Here in Denmark the disconnection of 2 IC3 (passenger) trains also takes place in - slow - motion, say 5 - 10 km / h Cheers Adam (from Denmark)
The first train showed was indeed powered by EMD locomotives but the helpers did not uncouple! The second train showed(bulk grain) was all GE locomotives powered and the helpers(manned) that uncoupled were GE’s not MACs!
If you look VERY carefully at 2:39, the airbrake hoses are looped under the helper's coupler and aren't connected between the last car and the first helper.
I thought so too, thought maybe the train was in emergency... and then then the two locos were severed... the trains front locos CPU would have registered the separation and engaged e-brake? unless this was scripted...
Wheel flanges are rubbing the inside of the outside rail as it goes around the curve. It's a little more complicated than that, but I hope it makes sense.
Not DP power. Loco equipped with an automatic pin lifter. Conrail used to have them. That box you see hanging on the handrail is it. You link up also to the train your shoving marker so if it goes in emergency the helper set will too.
Wow, what a shock… I’m watching this video for the first time, wondering why in the hell I’m seeing a gap in the rear set of locos! Did a coupler break in the rear set of DPUs- is there a second train trailing the first (unthinkable)? The tip-off for me was seeing the headlight on on the trailing pair- I then figured it must be a manned set of helpers. Big thanks to the poster for this video… never seen anything like it!
Looks like Palmer Lake is where all the good spotting action is at. Nice video! It's good hearing kids around too. I would have loved for my dad to take me trainspotting when I was a kid.
I'm old enough to remember seeing a steam engine WORKING the old Texaco Refinery at Lawrenceville, IL. Not a historical society, or excursion, but actually doing revenue work. God, did I just date myself?
MikeInPlano While the engineer is still pushing on the rear of the train, the conductor goes out and pulls the uncoupling lever, then he tells the engineer on the radio that he's got it cut and the engineer then slows the helpers to separate them from the train and then comes to a stop. Then they call the dispatcher to get permission to run back down the hill and wait for their next job to come along.
MikeInPlano the helper engine is equipped with a Helper Link device. It is radio linked to the end of train device during the push. There is no physical air connection between the train and the helper engine. At the place where the helper is to cut off the engineer operates a switch in cab which pulls the uncoupling pin. The helper engineer applies the brakes and stops while the train continues on. Saves lots of time because the train need not stop to uncouple the helpers.
The other thing the HelperLink controls is that it monitors the train air so if the train goes into emergency, the helpers go into emergency as well. When I worked for Wabtec, HelperLink was one of the products I repaired.
HelperLink has always interested me and I can't seem to find info on it, so your the man to talk to!! Does the pusher engineer operate the device or the head end engineer..I assume the pusher does? I saw helper locos at Essex when I was in the US and they had Hlink on the front , so always wanted to know how it worked . How does it monitor train line if not physically connected? Cheers Gregg.
Someone's going to be really pissed when that train gets to where it's going and they find out someone jumped on the end of the train and unhooked two of the engines and stole them taking off in the opposite direction.........
There was a engine crew in the last two DPUs on that train. No one stole anything as I doubt that anyone would know how to get those units running. One can see the crew in the right window if one looks closely.
Ben there is exactly the reason train service crews dislike foamers. You don't know when to shut the camera off nor do you know what to edit. I guess it don't matter much now I'd say they all got dismissed years ago. Thanks to you . That's about as serious as running a stop sign somebody put his self at risk to make that cut you tumbleweed !
I live beside probably the hardest pull BNSF has between Birmingham and Memphis. When they started the 100 plus coal trains years ago they tried all engines to the front and pulled many knuckles out either in front of the house or back down the line. Complete shut down and lots of time to get it to the side tracks or repaired then help to push it in over. Those engines idling for hours can be annoying but I understand. Then they started taking engines off other sets and helping push to past the house then disconnecting. That stopped the knuckles pulling apart and now it’s all remote controlled with usually 2 in front and 3 pushing. No I don’t work on the RR but I’ve lived by them all my life and still enjoy the big powerful machines
Dell Sims yea I think the limit is 8 max to have on the headend or it’s just too much pulling force. Even with 8 it’s still too much that’s why I believe there’s at max maybe 5 in some cases maybe 6? But at point I think one or two of those locos are probably shut down and are just there for possible extra help if needed. Most of the time it’s probably just extra locos being moved in a slight power move to be brought to a service shop or being returned from one. Regardless more locos spread throughout the train works better.
How do you explain those old films of Gas Turbines and Big Boys snatching trains over the top of Sherman Hill at high speeds? Think those ever broke a knuckle, etc.? Or did they do better calculations or better train management?
In Memphis I see these huge BNSF coal trains and every single one had a rear dpu
The steepest grades are all on the west coast, mainly Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming.
I'm a retire engineer. I ran trains on the Joint Line from August 1978 to October 1981 for the ATSF. About 85% of the trains we operated were the BN trains. A couple of times a month you will run one of your own ATSF trains. That was the Joint Line agreement from the 1930's. When I worked there cutting off on the fly was a serious NO NO. The DRGW guys were allowed to do this.
Those 2 units had to have been manned helper units. The headlight turned on on the front unit. And then stopped and reversed travel. The switch lined them off of the main track. Cool video. 👍❤️ I’m a retired engineer as well. They wouldn’t let us cutoff on the fly either. But apparently they can on this line. Lol.
Good to here the kids in the background tomorrow's rail fans well done dad !!!!!
Nice video. Also thanks for explanation in below comments how the un-coupling is done. I guess the disconnection takes place at more or less the same location, so you can just go there and wait for the next train. Here in Denmark the disconnection of 2 IC3 (passenger) trains also takes place in - slow - motion, say 5 - 10 km / h
Cheers Adam (from Denmark)
Awesome Man Nice new pumpkins at the start
Giyu
The first train showed was indeed powered by EMD locomotives but the helpers did not uncouple! The second train showed(bulk grain) was all GE locomotives powered and the helpers(manned) that uncoupled were GE’s not MACs!
If you look VERY carefully at 2:39, the airbrake hoses are looped under the helper's coupler and aren't connected between the last car and the first helper.
MACS are my favorite coal haulers. And those are manned helpers not DPUs
spacecalander thank you captain choo choo.
The helpers are GE’s not MACs!
@@daviddowling9830 guy hu7
Mac's are pos
Great seeing the younger crowd enthusiastic!
Seems like a lot of wheel squealing as the hoppers start passing around 4:40. Unusual, or should they consider greasing a rail?
I thought so too, thought maybe the train was in emergency... and then then the two locos were severed... the trains front locos CPU would have registered the separation and engaged
e-brake? unless this was scripted...
Axles are solid, when going around a curve, one wheel on the axle must travel farther than the other causing the squeal.
+Ralph Craig that makes sense...
Wheel flanges are rubbing the inside of the outside rail as it goes around the curve.
It's a little more complicated than that, but I hope it makes sense.
I understand the cause. Just wondering why they don't grease the rail.
wow those radiator fans are humming at 7:45, awesome.
Dynamic brake fans
@@travismartin4740 Dynamic brake grids are radiators, Anything that radiates or transfers heat/energy is a radiator.
Great catch!
Not DP power. Loco equipped with an automatic pin lifter. Conrail used to have them. That box you see hanging on the handrail is it. You link up also to the train your shoving marker so if it goes in emergency the helper set will too.
It's called Helper Link
Bullshit
Wow, what a shock… I’m watching this video for the first time, wondering why in the hell I’m seeing a gap in the rear set of locos! Did a coupler break in the rear set of DPUs- is there a second train trailing the first (unthinkable)? The tip-off for me was seeing the headlight on on the trailing pair- I then figured it must be a manned set of helpers. Big thanks to the poster for this video… never seen anything like it!
7:47 that white box is the remote cutout, no one leaves the cab, engineer’s probably sitting in the other unit headed back the other way.
Looks like Palmer Lake is where all the good spotting action is at. Nice video! It's good hearing kids around too. I would have loved for my dad to take me trainspotting when I was a kid.
I'm old enough to remember seeing a steam engine WORKING the old Texaco Refinery at Lawrenceville, IL.
Not a historical society, or excursion, but actually doing revenue work.
God, did I just date myself?
Well your screen name may have given that away too. ;)
Ouch! ;
I think your NAME did a better job of dating you than your comment...just saying.
Great Video!
7:20 how is that possible?
Someone had to have pulled the pin
Cool! ☺
Looks like those helpers were only coupled to push the consist with no brake-pipe connectivity.
Did they just butt knuckles? I didn't see anyone to pull the pin...
Damn those EMDs storm the gates like they mean business 🔊...🔊...🔊🔊🔊🔊
Sounds like a heavy ass train I wonder if them units are maxed out in throttle?!?
Whoa! That looks *Dangerous!?* Trailing? - 7:36
What happens to the end of train device while being pushed? Once they disconnect, who puts the device back on if they are still moving?
The ETD is on there already, the helper loks are not physically tied to the brake line.
How the bell is that accomplished??!?!
amazing catches.
Never seen that before on the Tube.
Beautiful
Manned helpers and DPUs are not the same thing.
How do they uncouple in motion? Person on the engine pulling the handle, or some form of remote control uncoupling?
MikeInPlano
While the engineer is still pushing on the rear of the train, the conductor goes out and pulls the uncoupling lever, then he tells the engineer on the radio that he's got it cut and the engineer then slows the helpers to separate them from the train and then comes to a stop. Then they call the dispatcher to get permission to run back down the hill and wait for their next job to come along.
Thanks! I thought that had to be it, but wasn't sure.
MikeInPlano the helper engine is equipped with a Helper Link device. It is radio linked to the end of train device during the push. There is no physical air connection between the train and the helper engine.
At the place where the helper is to cut off the engineer operates a switch in cab which pulls the uncoupling pin. The helper engineer applies the brakes and stops while the train continues on. Saves lots of time because the train need not stop to uncouple the helpers.
The other thing the HelperLink controls is that it monitors the train air so if the train goes into emergency, the helpers go into emergency as well. When I worked for Wabtec, HelperLink was one of the products I repaired.
HelperLink has always interested me and I can't seem to find info on it, so your the man to talk to!! Does the pusher engineer operate the device or the head end engineer..I assume the pusher does? I saw helper locos at Essex when I was in the US and they had Hlink on the front , so always wanted to know how it worked . How does it monitor train line if not physically connected?
Cheers Gregg.
New Subscriber!
Love the BNSF motive power
FFwd to 7:20
Oh, OK. Manned helpers... not DPU's.
Hey guy what about us?
SD70ace are great!!
SCrailfan 463 No they aren't. They're a lousy unit. Nothing more than a gussied-up SD90, and those were junk.
SD70ACes have and will always be pieces of garbage, new EMD is trash
@phillyslasher why do you say that
Interesting getting a running disconnect.
Tanks Brasil 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
was that intentional?
Do the EMD models pull harder than the other models ? Every time I see a coal train it’s always most times EMD pulling em
Not DPU's
Damn, love me some ACEs.
UNSTOPPABLE 7:21
That's quite a bend at 3min.🤣
cannot find good help these days
we needs tracker and charge to experience.
This where the couple breaks.
Wow never seen that before
Someone's going to be really pissed when that train gets to where it's going and they find out someone jumped on the end of the train and unhooked two of the engines and stole them taking off in the opposite direction.........
rico334 l
That white box is a auto coupler. The engineer presses a button and it uncouples. But yes someone stole the locomotives. 😱
There was a engine crew in the last two DPUs on that train. No one stole anything as I doubt that anyone would know how to get those units running. One can see the crew in the right window if one looks closely.
Relax mate their taking the piss
They think you’re serious..... lol
Quite against the rules where I come.
so much wheel slip
Does anyone besides me hear that awful squeal--- NARROW ON THE GAGE!!!
0:39 RIP earphone users
i like the echo
Notch 8 and HAMMERING !!]
SD70MAC all day
Ben there is exactly the reason train service crews dislike foamers. You don't know when to shut the camera off nor do you know what to edit. I guess it don't matter much now I'd say they all got dismissed years ago. Thanks to you . That's about as serious as running a stop sign somebody put his self at risk to make that cut you tumbleweed !
It was intended!
wimpy coal train
Ben bu oyunu bozarım Ercüment .
junk EMD ACE's