Awhile back Warren Buffet made mention BNSF would look at it’s peers that are using the PSR model, and adopt it where it makes sense. Well it looks as if not only have they adopted PSR. In the process created their own version of it. Here’s a clip from Youtube. I must say I’m impressed at 15,000’ trains running at 60-65 MPH!
BNSF has been running “mega empty” coal trains for more than a year now. They’re two empty coal trains coupled together, and have caused all the problems one would expect being longer than the railroad was designed to handle.
NorthWest - specifics please
Ditto for sure!
Two questions:
As each car of the first train passes there is a high-pitched sound. What is the cause of it?
In the second train, why are there so many cars single stacked?
Thanks!
I’ve seen this in two places; Colorado and Washington.
Here’s one on the Front Range Sub (not my video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLXrN6aRDTY
I’m not familiar enough with the Colorado operations to comment on the specifics, but in Washington, the mega empties are generally empty coal trains from Roberts Bank that are combined in the Seattle area to run east over Stampede (more often) or Stevens Pass back to Wyoming. I’m not sure if they are split before that point or not, but they run at least through Hauser, ID. Since they are longer than most sidings, there are limits to where they can meet long trains headed west, but the congestion seems to have been managed so far (granted, traffic levels are down).
Bruce Kelly would know. Maybe he’ll chime in with specifics.
Just the wheels singing on the rails.
I believe this has been asked before. When these extra long train operate can the mid train loco being controlled pass commands further back ? So how many separate loco consists are being controlled this way if it is being done ? I would expect that if not now it will become available in the future. Then Australia has those monster long coal train up to 5 miles ?w
You can have up to 4 remote consists, plus the lead consist. It’s been done a few times. Our instructions require the remote consists be placed no more than 6000 ft apart.
Back in March they ran a manifest in that matter. I forget how many engines each consist had. One or two were single engines, the other two and I think the lead might have had 3. It broke in two, or three pieces. As I recall, I was with my boss when he heard about it, the first 1/4 of the train was going down into a sag, the second 1/4 was coming out of a sag, the third 1/4 was going into the sag the second part was coming out of and the rear 1/4 was still on ‘level’ track. Since the engineer didn’t have the fence up (operating some of the remote consists independent of the lead consist) they said it was ‘human’ error.
The real human error is thinking that you can slop together the different types of cars that go into most manifest freights, barely taking into account where loads, empties and long cushioned drawbar cars are placed, and thinking they are going to be OK. (Nevermind about equipment that may have components that are stressed and getting ready to fail.) They may meet the system special instructions for train placement, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t have problems. Distributed power is not always the panacea that it’s made out to be.
Jeff
Jeff: Thanks for the analysis. It appears that train routes with multiple sags cannot really operate with with loads of all types and empties. Need more thought on these problems. With PSR this might cause the RRs to even try to eliminate more loose car services.
More than likely the container weight has maxed out the wells rated weight capcity only allowing single stack.
Sounds like the rail grinder has been through recently.
But why just the first train?
I would agree.
I can hear it on the second train - but there’s some other noise (points, rail joints) that somewhat overwhelm it.
Thanks NW.
The poster that started this thread was showing trains on the BNSF southern transcon which is double track and triple or four tracks in places; and with 50 mph crossovers. Quite a site to view if you may be traveling along I-40 or old hwy 66 at Amboy as shown.
You’re right. I rewatched it and paid better attention. I heard it from the third train as well.
I know labor isn’t cheap, but it seems counterintuitive to me that gumming up the railroad with these land barges saves money because you only need the services of two humans vs. four or six.
Wait, what??? So the railroad encourages the engineers to let the software run the train, but they blame the engineer when he/she does just that by leaving the fence down? How does your head not explode from that BS?
Double-length trains on BNSF’s Northern Corridor have been eastbound empty oil, coal, and grain trains. Sometimes two of the same type coupled together, sometimes a mix of oil/grain, grain/coal, what have you. There have also been a small number of double-length loaded manifests, intermodals, empty intermodal/repositioning trains, and combinations thereof, running either direction. Standard set-up for the eastbound double empties has been 2 or 3 units on the front, 2 in the middle, 1 on the rear.
As mentioned above, the double empties on the Northern Corridor have been coming east primarily via Stampede Pass and occasionally via Stevens Pass. The Stampede route has the advantage of being a mostly one-way, eastbound railroad these days between Auburn and Pasco, WA. Once those trains reach Pasco, the rest of their run to Spokane, WA, and eventually Hauser, ID, does offer a number of long sidings or stretches of double main where they can pass opposing traffic (see caveats in next paragraph below). The Stevens Pass route has only one place where these trains can fit between switches and that’s the double track between Lamona and Bluestem, WA.
Two caveats to what I just said are: 1) These trains can obviously meet an opposing train at a conventional-length siding when the opposing train is able to fit between switches, and 2) Stopping a double-length train anywhere, even if it fits between switches, must also take into account any crossings it will block.
So far, most of the double empties have been staying intact east beyond Hauser. Those which get refueled at Hauser can not have their head-end power fueled there because doing so would leave the rear of their train hanging out past West Hauser on Main 2, blocking McGuire Road.
https://goo.gl/maps/CEnH82RNziLMa7Da9
Instead, the inbound road crew stops on the Hauser fuel pad, and a K crew takes over and pulls the train east to spot the mid-train power for fueling. Af
Jeff, I’m surprised he wasn’t letting Trip Op or Leader run it. Funny how they never seem to get statements…
No matter what you were doing, when an incident happens it is always the crew’s fault. I’d say you get used to it after a while, but you don’t.