Wow! Never saw anything like this before!!

Most likely they were being moved and not all powered.

TexasSP posted:

Most likely they were being moved and not all powered.

Correct, as there are operating rules covering how many powered traction motors can be used on the headend of trains.

D.I.T.  or offline.....

Just moving power from where it's not needed to where it is.

Likely only 2 or 3 of them were actually running. The rest are dead-in-tow...just another (heavy) box car.

Hot Water posted:

TexasSP posted:

Most likely they were being moved and not all powered.

Correct, as there are operating rules covering how many powered traction motors can be used on the headend of trains.

stupid questions, why and what is the number of powered traction motors that can be powered?

I'm never afraid to ask stupid questions.....

bigdodgetrain posted:

Hot Water posted:

TexasSP posted:

Most likely they were being moved and not all powered.

Correct, as there are operating rules covering how many powered traction motors can be used on the headend of trains.

stupid questions, why and what is the number of powered traction motors that can be powered?

 

I'm never afraid to ask stupid questions.....

Well, in reality that is NOT a "stupid question"!!!!!     However, I've been retired too long to give you the exact count, but 20 traction motors in power and/or dynamic brake comes to mind. Then again, each railroad may have their own limitations, based on their own terrain.

OGR Webmaster posted:

Just moving power from where it's not needed to where it is.

Likely only 2 or 3 of them were actually running. The rest are dead-in-tow...just another (heavy) box car.

I figured it was something like that... still that's a whole bunch of horsepower and a pretty impressive sight! 

RD posted:

OGR Webmaster posted:

Just moving power from where it's not needed to where it is.

Likely only 2 or 3 of them were actually running. The rest are dead-in-tow...just another (heavy) box car.

I figured it was something like that... still that's a whole bunch of horsepower and a pretty impressive sight! 

Well, it really isn't "a whole bunch horsepower" if only two or three are working, and the rest are dead.

Hot Water posted:

RD posted:

OGR Webmaster posted:

Just moving power from where it's not needed to where it is.

Likely only 2 or 3 of them were actually running. The rest are dead-in-tow...just another (heavy) box car.

I figured it was something like that... still that's a whole bunch of horsepower and a pretty impressive sight! 

Well, it really isn't "a whole bunch horsepower" if only two or three are working, and the rest are dead.

Well if you want to split hairs..which I think is really your hobby Jack  🤔... even if only two or three are running that's what ?? maybe somewhere between six and ten thousand horsepower.. that's still a "whole bunch of horsepower "  by most anybody's standards and whatever the rest were doing it was a pretty impressive sight!!!

Here's my favorite "repositioning locomotive" that I took way back in the 1950s.  The PRR wanted to move a J-1 to Pitcairn Yard and someone found a hopper and caboose that needed a lift. Photo taken at Greensburg about 30 miles from Pittsburgh.

Lew Schneider

Lew, that's a really neat photo. Very evocative.

In the 'There's a prototype for everything!' category....

Imagine the bug-eyes and conversation to duplicate this on a club layout?!  Here's the perfect opportunity for rounding up all those dummy units, free-wheeling those units for which the expense/frustration of repairing electronics has side-lined them, etc., etc..   Makes you wish more mfrs were continuing to offer the unpowered units. 

Keep these photos handy.....give those dummies their due...parade them proudly!

And the Pennsy picture......another 'prototype-for-everything opportunity.    One (massive, even!) engine...one car....one caboose.   'You call that a train?!!'......Why, yes!   Yes, I do!

KD (Lucas Gudinov)

Shot these in 2009.  Balancing power: 10 units all by their lonesome early one Saturday morning.

Rusty

dkdkrd posted:

"And the Pennsy picture......another 'prototype-for-everything opportunity.    One (massive, even!) engine...one car....one caboose.   'You call that a train?!!'......Why, yes!   Yes, I do!"

KD (Lucas Gudinov)

yessir!

Here's a shot I took a month or so ago of the D&I moving a few engines along with their regular train.  I've seen them move as many as 25 at the end of their season, taking them from their terminal in Sioux City, IA to Dell Rapids, SD for winter storage.  I can remember 15-20 years ago when the D&I mostly just had old GP7 & GP9 locos they would put eight to ten on the head end of their long rock trains to pull the heavy load up out of the river valley in Sioux Falls, SD.  Smoke would shoot high into the sky, the engines roared, and the very ground shook!   Last but not least is a train consisting of nothing but engines on the RCPE line near Huron, SD.  When G&W bought the line from CP they had all the engines in the system rounded up and brought back to Huron.  I can't remember how many there were--maybe 30.  This was the biggest power move I've ever seen.

Kent in SD

Two23 posted:

Here's a shot I took a month or so ago of the D&I moving a few engines along with their regular train.  I've seen them move as many as 25 at the end of their season, taking them from their terminal in Sioux City, IA to Dell Rapids, SD for winter storage.  I can remember 15-20 years ago when the D&I mostly just had old GP7 & GP9 locos they would put eight to ten on the head end of their long rock trains to pull the heavy load up out of the river valley in Sioux Falls, SD.  Smoke would shoot high into the sky, the engines roared, and the very ground shook!   Last but not least is a train consisting of nothing but engines on the RCPE line near Huron, SD.  When G&W bought the line from CP they had all the engines in the system rounded up and brought back to Huron.  I can't remember how many there were--maybe 30.  This was the biggest power move I've ever seen.

 

Kent in SD

The night photo is Awesome!

Wow Kent, that star/engine photo is priceless.

Tuscan Jim posted:

Lew, that's a really neat photo. Very evocative.

Thanks Tuscan Jim. You can see more at www.rrpicturearchives.net. Search for Lew Schneider and a bunch

of folders will appear.

Lew

Hot Water posted:

bigdodgetrain posted:

Hot Water posted:

TexasSP posted:

Most likely they were being moved and not all powered.

Correct, as there are operating rules covering how many powered traction motors can be used on the headend of trains.

stupid questions, why and what is the number of powered traction motors that can be powered?

 

I'm never afraid to ask stupid questions.....

Well, in reality that is NOT a "stupid question"!!!!!     However, I've been retired too long to give you the exact count, but 20 traction motors in power and/or dynamic brake comes to mind. Then again, each railroad may have their own limitations, based on their own terrain.

It had a lot to do with maintenance.  When I was with the NYC, my recollection is that four or five was the limit.  The CGW created a sensation by routinely running seven F3's together.  That's 28 motors.  It could be done by keeping the inside of the units very clean - not often done.

The problem was the accumulation of low voltage grounds.  Put enough units together and the accumlation of current leaks woudl trip the ground relay in one of the units.  Then the fireman would have to go back and find and reset the tripped relay. 

Dave Zucal posted:

Wow Kent, that star/engine photo is priceless.

There is a story behind it, of course.  The RCPE trainmaster had tipped me off it was coming, so I set up my flash at the bridge over the James River at Huron, SD.  I was after the type of shot shown below, only with a reflection of solid engines all the way across the river!   I waited and waited:  I was committed to getting the shot no matter how long it took.  I finally found out the crew had died about five miles short of my position!  So, I went looking and found it parked on the line.  I decided to take the shot right there.  It was about 4am and the eastern sky was already beginning to light up.  I got home about 6:30 that morning.  Didn't get what I was after, but I didn't go home empty handed either.

Kent in SD

Two23 posted:

Dave Zucal posted:

Wow Kent, that star/engine photo is priceless.

There is a story behind it, of course.  The RCPE trainmaster had tipped me off it was coming, so I set up my flash at the bridge over the James River at Huron, SD.  I was after the type of shot shown below, only with a reflection of solid engines all the way across the river!   I waited and waited:  I was committed to getting the shot no matter how long it took.  I finally found out the crew had died about five miles short of my position!  So, I went looking and found it parked on the line.  I decided to take the shot right there.  It was about 4am and the eastern sky was already beginning to light up.  I got home about 6:30 that morning.  Didn't get what I was after, but I didn't go home empty handed either.

 

Kent in SD

That's a very nice photo too!

lewrail posted:

Tuscan Jim posted:

Lew, that's a really neat photo. Very evocative.

Thanks Tuscan Jim. You can see more at www.rrpicturearchives.net. Search for Lew Schneider and a bunch

of folders will appear.

 

Lew

Will do!