2011 EWG Coload Story

Guest post by Bruce Butler.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Some of the challenges of railroading - a story revealed in emails.

Editing and additional details provided by Bruce Butler.

Subject: BNSF Notification Event for Train Departure

From: "LMSUTIL"

Date: Tue, December 27, 2011 6:03 pm

X HYDCHY1 26A departed (TDPS) SPOKANE WA at 18:03 PST on 12-27

Subject: Co-Load

From: Kelly Fritz

Date: Wed, December 28, 2011

Well last night’s Co-Load was one to go down in the books. 8924 and 375 would not start and both were left in Cheney with their Kim hotstarts running. This Co-Load train came out of Hauser yard. The BNSF train crew took it to Babb where they ran around the train. It had only a single unit, BNSF 7623, an ES44DC. After the runaround at Babb, the train arrived back at the west switch in Cheney with this unit running long hood forward.

The BNSF dispatcher had the Lind turn come up to Cheney. They left about 35 cars on the main line to do their switching at the ADM flour mill. About halfway through this operation the Dispatcher tones up and asks them if they were in the clear. They said “no they weren’t going to be able to clear before they came to Cheney”. But the Dispatcher had them come to Cheney anyway. There was the empty grain train for us and an empty coal train waiting to come by Cheney. So in the middle of their switching the Lind turn had to go back out to the main to get the rest of their train. As they went across the ADM siding Conductor Dave saw a broken rail. Fortunately they were already past it. So they went back out to the main to get the rest of their train. They had to yard it in the Cheney yard to clear the mainline. They almost plugged the yard completely full. Then the Dispatcher sent the empty coal train by followed by the empty grain train for us.

We get the 1617 hooked up with BNSF 7623 trailing, and the Lind turn is still putting their train away so we can get by. While this is going on the BNSF Dispatcher is toning up asking if they are in the clear so we could get our train on the move. Eventually the Lind turn does get in the clear and we start to pull on our train. Gregg gets about 9 cars away from the highway 904 crossing and the train stalls! Luckily the BNSF crew van was close and they stopped to assist. The MU cable was hooked up but one of the pins was pulled out. So the result was that the 1617 was the only engine working. We got that fixed and made it up the hill. Once we got on the move things went more smoothly.

Subject: No BNSF interchange again

From: Dave Phillips

Date: Thu, December 29, 2011

For the record, the X-HYDCHY1-26A was never interchanged by the BNSF to us. I called BNSF Customer service this morning (36 hours after the interchange) and they will do it sometime today. This makes the 3rd time we have not been given a coload since September.

Subject: Co-Load & Cheney cars

From: Bruce Butler

Date: Thu, December 29, 2011

Gregg & Kelly had some serious challenges when BNSF delivered this Co-Load train Tuesday evening and the only loco they could get running was the GP7. 1500hp to handle 113 empties; not a prayer of a chance! Apparently 1617 did drag this monster BY ITSELF, UPGRADE, almost all the way to the highway 904 crossing before stalling. Then they discovered a problem in the MU connection that prevented the 7623 from loading! 1617 was moving 113 empties and a non-contributing 419,000 pound GE-EVO unit BY ITSELF! AMAZING!!!

Gregg & Kelly took the train west with the 1617 leading BNSF 7623 - a unique lash-up to say the least! Apparently John arranged some sort of short term lease with the local BNSF management; I do not know the details, but it legalized (or at least officially recognized) our use of their loco.

I got called yesterday to take the 8924 and 2891 to Davenport and return the BNSF 7623 back to Cheney as soon as possible. We had some challenges getting the 8924 & 2891 running but "got lucky" and both started! 375 had further problems; we didn't fool with it and it was left in Cheney.

We didn't spend much time in Davenport. The Co-Load went west with 1617 on the point with 8924, & 2891 trailing and we headed east to Cheney with BNSF 7623.

When we got back into Cheney with the 7623 we again "got lucky". The Lind Turn was returning east and they had work in Cheney. We communicated with them - first thru the Pasco East Dispatcher, then with them directly. We left the 7623 where they wanted it and they were going to take it back to Yardley. Hopefully everybody is happy.

Apparently we "got lucky" with 375 also. Brad reports that the problem was a "bad wire connection to FPC relay" and it is now fixed. The KIM unit on 375 is running and we left it alone.

We noted on our return trip last night that about half of the Reardan cars and all of the Hite cars are already loaded.

Subject: BNSF 7623 Returned to Cheney

To: Gavin Bell

From: John Howell

Date: Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Hi Gavin,
Just to report, Bruce Butler spotted BNSF 7623 tonight at 20:30 near Cheney depot. Hopefully, Lind Turn is still out and about and can bring 7623 back to Parkwater. Final fuel reading is 1300 gallons for a fuel burn of 400 gallons.

Keenan, I will fax signed locomotive lease agreement to you first thing in morning; motel I am at does not have a printer for motel guests.

Gavin, thanks for working with Steve and our crew last night to help us out by making 7623 available. All three of our big locos are now working properly and will be able to bring the loaded co-load train in when loading is complete.

Best wishes for a safe and very Happy New Year!
John

Subject: goodbye 2011

From: Bruce Butler

Date: Sat, December 31, 2011

It crossed my mind last night as we were passing the loaded Co-Load train off to BNSF that this was going to be the last train movement on EWG for the year 2011.

It cleared our railroad at 1:50am 12/31/2011.

To the best of my knowledge we had only one derailment in 2011 - a BIG improvement over 2010. Hopefully, zero in 2012.

HAPPY NEW YEAR