Tales from the CAB CONT.

I won't say the engineers name, he was a good friend and a good engineer, but here is a story he wrote about a night at work.

It all started out nice, the night was calm, about 70 outside, traffic on the line was not to heavy, but about normal. When I received the call it was for a empty coal train, or atleast that is what the symbol was. As I arrived at work, the moon was out in full bloom, lighting everything up like the sun. I met up with my fireman and we got our paperwork together, and walked across to the conductors shanty, all road trains stopped directly in front of the conductors shanty at that time.
Soon the train came around the bend at the west end of the yard, slowly creeping to a hault, the smell of brake dust was full in the air. I thought it couldn't be right, empty trains fly up here and stop they don't drag up here.

Sure enough, when the engineer stepped off the motor, he told me the truth. It was a return load going toward the east coast. 100 loads of coal heading back east, wow.
I never once thought about coal heading back east because on our line it didn't happen. We always had a saying on my line "Heavy Train" meant that the train was to heavy for the motors to hold back. Well this would prove to be a heavy train indeed.

So with all our people stowed away, we made the slow pull, with the train hitting the marker limit I knew my conductor was on the rear (the marker limit was a signal at the bridge for eastbound trains. The yardmaster would push a button once he saw that the rear brakie and conductor were on the crummie and the signal would light up. No signal, Stop because you missed your conductor), so I began to throttle it up. The night was uneventful until we got toward the south end of the line. This stretch had many curves and many grades on it, the most severe being the 2% about half way.
As we made our way all went fine, some leakage but nothing unusual. We came across a bad signal, but got that resolved. Now came the fun part.
As we started down listeen hill, the train seemed to be gaining more and more, so I took away a full 8 pounds of air. This seemed to have little effect, but I allowed it to work for better the a minute still nothing. Soon I became all to aware of why they didn't run 100 car loaded trains back east, well atleast on this line. Train speed was rising, I had already hit the 40 mph mark and could see the speedo going toward the 50 mark. It was now or never so I added another 5 pounds, still nothing. The curve at the bottom of the hill was a 35mph curve, but from past experience I knew it could handle 45 at its best (the old speed limit was 45mph until the new signals went in). We were still to fast and the curve loomed in the headlight. I knew if I big holed it I would set cars all over in the curve. Mother nature will do this you know the little thing called gravity.
Well the motors took the curve, then about 20 cars into the curve I heard the sound I didn't like. The pop of the air, the train was in emergency. The noise became very noticable, you could hear metal on metal crunch after crunch finally it came to an end. I don't recall how long it lasted but it was long enough.

I looked at my fireman and we both headed out of the cab. The head brakie was on the second unit and we told him to go flag ahead.
We soon came to the first cars that had derailed, what a mess that was. In all 40 loaded coal cars had laid over on their sides, all of the units stayed upright and the derailment didn't occur until the 12th car.
Soon we saw the conductors light, he was walking up along the embankment, as he approached I could hear him yelling. When he came down the embankment he told us how bad it was. Even with the full light of the moon, you could not see how far the derailment went back.

It took them 3 days and nights to clear the mainline and they laid all new rail and ties over the entire derailment site. As it turned out the General Office made a huge mistake, routing the car over the "southern line" instead of the "northern line". I do not have to tell you this, but they never ran another loaded coal train east over our line again. As for the crew well we all got a standard 10 day for it, and everyone returned to work.

 

Here are some views on the way to Allentown one early fall pulling a mixed freight up over the Poconos.

The many curves allow us to look back along our string with a better view than usually is possible on average runs.

This morning we are heading into the White Haven tunnel on the RBM&N Lehigh Line. Modelers may want to note the scenery details around the tunnel portal. Trees partially hide most tunnels from nearby roads.



On the way up you notice most of the trees have lost their leaves, and the little stream looks cold and black in the morning shade. We are beginning to lean into it now, starting up grade. Our exhaust racket is waking up every sleepy head along the valley.



Mostly over the top now, down to a crawl at about 10. The evergreen trees are more easily seen standing out from the background too. Got to play throttle jocky now, since all the cars are strung out way behind. There is some curving track down grade, so it is fairly important to pay attention to gather up the slack and get setup for the down hill run through the gorge below. This river is pretty gentle up here, and we really don't want to skatter any of our cars along it. (Or parts and pieces of ourselves either).



Almost down through the gorge now, 9500 tons pushing toward the bottom racing the turbulent creek. By now our knuckles are white and we have lasting finger prints left on everything solid to hold on to. Just a few more miles and we can exhale. The evening sun shows us that not all the trees have lost leaves down here, and that is a welcome sight . We have made it down safe once again all in one piece, and no hot boxes or broken knuckles. The train looks good from here. We thank God for allowing us a good run today!



I hope you enjoyed our trip through the Poconos.

 

Thanks for the photo journey Watash! I love seeing the views from inside the cab! It gives us "regular" folk a chance to see what it looks like along the line, and some pretty countryside as well! Thanks.

 

Thanks Jerry. Just for your enjoyment....

Here is another view from the engineer's seat showing what it is like most of the time in the lower hills. Its like in a canyon of trees.

You can occasionally see some wild life way up ahead crossing the tracks, but hardly ever close by of course.

This view shows what a "Green" signal looks like. Do you see it way up ahead, the tiny green spot on the right side of the tracks? Now you know why they have the big flat black "Hat" around the light. That far away, the light would blend in with the haze and distant green of the woods, but the black hat blocks out enough to make the light stand out clearly.



Here is something else you might not see often.

I asked a friend who makes inspections to see if he could get me some photos of this little switcher or one like it, so I could super detail the HO model I have. I told him mine was really old and wasn't sure there was one still around anymore. Well, he found "an old one" sitting at the end of track somewhere. He got this photo and the next one for me.



Here is what you would see if you were the engineer. This old girl has really been rode hard and put away wet looks like. Look at all the wear and tear and add-ons! Pretty sorry sight for a good old engine. I don't think I want to weather mine this badly! WOW!

 

WOW! Thanks again Watash. I see what you mean about the signals. I couldn't imagine what it would be like trying to discern a signal if , say, the sun were setting behind the signal!

I really enjoy the "view from the driver's seat!" Thanks for taking us along for the ride.

 

It is probably hard to believe but that signal has a 10 volt 25 watt bulb to provide the light. That is the standard for most railroads although the B&M used to use a 11 volt 11 watt bulb. The searchlight type signals gave a better light than the color light type. Some signals use fiber optic to bring the light from the bulb to the lense and the latest color light signals use LEDs instead of a bulb.

 

YEP!

That is ice frozen to the tree trunks from the icy winds blowing down through the gorge.

Most of the snow has melted enough through the day, to be blown away, but the sun doesn't get over to those trees, so ice accumulates on that side of the right of way.

[ 21. February 2003, 05:49: Message edited by: watash ]

 

thats an interesting story, i like hearing things like that, if anyones got more it would be great if you posted them

watash, your photos are excellent, that signal is pretty hard to see!

signalguy, I noticed the other day while i was riding the train home that some of the signals were what looked like LED's, but i wasnt sure.
you cleared that one up