The story: The Laurel - Missoula (LM) takes a good run at Mullan Pass, as can be seen at the start of the clip. However by Skyline the crew are calling saying insufficient power has them stalled. Unfortunately a coal train had already started out up the hill, and did not want to stop at the Austin siding, so no helpers could get up the hill to help.
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Fun to watch! Thanks
Guess I don't understand your title question. Since those are NOT model trains, and Mullan Pass is better than a 2% ascending grade, that all looked pretty "prototypical" to me.
Obviously prototypical, but how about when some remarks about my O gauge train pulling 20 cars with 3 diesels and says " doesn't look realistic all them engines to pull just 20 cars.
Obviously prototypical, but how about when some remarks about my O gauge train pulling 20 cars with 3 diesels and says " doesn't look realistic all them engines to pull just 20 cars.
Hobbyists making those kinds of comments, doesn't surprise me. But, please remember, that this is the "Real Trains Forum", and professionals wouldn't think of making comments such as those.
If I took off my boots, I still wouldn't have enough digits to count how many times I've had more units than cars in a train.
On the assigned freight train that I work, we usually have way more power than we need. Extra units just get isolated to comply with horse power restrictions for fuel conservation. BNSF seems to revolve railroading around fuel conservation these days.
Almost sounded like the trailing unit (#290) was offline after the helper tied on.
BNSF seems to revolve railroading around fuel conservation these days.
At $4 a gallon wouldn't you?
Here a while back I had a C420/C424 set of power and was called upon to help a 30 car loaded sand train up over our divide. On the head end was 5 C420's as I recall. I hooked on at the yard in Ft. Smith, and helped as needed until we hit the foot of Boston Mountain grade (some 11 miles of up to near 3%), where it became a footrace, litterally. We didn't lay down on account of lack of power, but we did have to stop once to cool the engines. (It was a steaming hot Arkansas summer day.)
Information on some of US Railroad mountain grades, including Mullan Pass.
Check it out, some it is interesting!!
BNSF seems to revolve railroading around fuel conservation these days.
At $4 a gallon wouldn't you?
The $4 per gallon price is for "highway #2 diesel", not #2 diesel for "farm use" nor railroad fuel. The railroads don't pay near that much what with contract purchasing in million gallons at a time, their cost is less than half of "highway" #2 diesel fuel.
However, railroads have been on the "fuel conservation" path ever since #2 railroad diesel exceeded 50 cents a gallon, years ago.
There's nothing that can't be fixed with a suitable application of Diesel power!
There's nothing that can't be fixed with a suitable application of Diesel power!
Well, not exactly true. An "application of diesel power" to either the C&TS or the Durango & Silverton railroads would promptly put them right out of business! Just two examples.
BNSF seems to revolve railroading around fuel conservation these days.
At $4 a gallon wouldn't you?
To "A POINT"..yes. Not to the extreme that they have, like they always do by taking things to the extreme. The term "common sense" has been removed from our Glossary Terms! 
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