Bums time on the rails in Tales of the Jointed Track

We’re out on 8 hours rest. C&S Train 77 was my call. No, it is not the 151, but could be a quick run or a 10 plus hour drag. The phone rings at 1230 am. “Terry, 200 am on 77”. Call accepted. I am probably 27 years of age, around this time.

This is a cold winter, as I remember. When Pueblo, CO is bitter ass cold, Denver could be worse. 77 came in with nine locomotives, and 30 cars. You can bet, there is a fill and there was. They filled to tonnage. Slough and about 45 ore empties heading back. So we were around 90 cars, zero or below on the temperature. It is going to take a good hour or more to get this train charged. The yardmaster will be on our ass to get out of town. Well if it does not pass the air test. I sure the hell ain’t going.

Remember I said “NINE” locomotives? Looking at the BN roster numbers, some SD-45’s , some old SD-40’s and a mix of GE U-33 and 25 C’s. Who is online and making horsepower and who, is bad order, or past due federal inspection. Well we had four online. enough to make close to track speed, if we can this this out of the yard. Three were dead and drained, so not to freeze up. The remaining were isolated, with electrical problems, but they will help getting the air. Six air compressors, hey a small victory.

They brought this into Yard One. Yard One is the smallest of the yard tracks, about 3700 feet. We were told to cut off and go to Yard 10. Yard 10 was one of the longest tracks. This was C&S and Santa Fe slough for Denver and beyond. They will switch this out at Denver. It was mostly Ore and scrap gon empties. The Carmen had inspected and looked it over.

Yard 10:
The brakeman, brought us into Yard 10, made the coupling and cut in the air. It is a full track and gonna take a good 30 minutes to get a charge. Yeah we could have yanked ‘em, but you need the control valves to re-seat and in this cold weather try to get a good set. This will give me a chance to walk the power, and really see what I have. The first four units are SD-40 and SD-45’s, all on line. The next three are dead and drained, the next two are isolated and running, tagged with mechanical and/or electrical problems. I encountered a hobo in one of the dead units.

You know its cold when your flashlight goes dim. A BN SD-45 dead and drained, I try the cab light and it doesn’t come on. The control panel, where the circuit breakers and battery switches are located, the battery switch is pulled. I place that up, and the cab light illuminate. There is “our” passenger in a sleeping bag. “YO…where ya headed?” “Don’t kick me off mister, need to go to Denver”. “No worries, the next unit has heat, go there.” “I am fine”. “OKAY water?” “Yes I have that as well”. “I don’t know that you are here, I’ll ring the call bell, as we yard be ready to get off”. “OK” . Save me Jesus it is F’ing cold..That sleeping bag has trapped body heat, and he is okay. I drop the battery switch, and make my way to the remaining units.

We make the double over, and air test. It is 0600 am, we get a good set. Leakage on the air test, it is 8 pounds. It is colder than hell, the air hose gaskets are shrinking.. We are at a 85 to 100 empty to load ratio. The Carmen have bad ordered some cars, and the 1130 pm yard job has set them out. Been running long enough, this isn’t a problem.. We will be alright.

I get the okay from the Carmen, and the caboose says they are all on and ready. A call to the yardmaster, and to the Operator to call the Dispatcher. Up the Highline, and a High green at 29th Street. Six more hours, and yard at Rice Yard… I’ll be out on 10 hours rest.. a 152, coal load or the 495 , can’t remember. Part of the job. Our Hobo, who knows..