Does anyone operate a layout on which they divide trains to get them up a severe grade like the real thing used to do… maybe still does?
Does anyone know of anywhere that doubling is still done regularly?
Or the last place(s) it was done?
TIA [8D]
I believe that UP and BNSF still break some trains in half and take them up the grade in two peices in the Tehachapi area which I think is in California. But I could be wrong, so someone please correct me if I am. [:D]
I suspect that ’ breaking consist’s in half’ may pertain as much to the length’s of sidings to be encountered on long grades, such as Tehachapi - which is single track main.
Santa Fe’s other mainline grades (Raton) (Cajon) (Ariz. divide) were double tracked and ran multiple engine’s in front, rear, mid, or all 3. Since AMTRAK, Raton has been reduced to single track, as most Chicago hauling has been routed via Clovis and Belen.
On Jack Burgess’s Yoseminte Valley RR layout. I believe I read onece that there is one section on his layout where he does double the hill quite frequently. He also has to perform double saw-by’s at another spot on his layout freqently to.
James
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Break the train.
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Run half up the grade.
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Clear the consist around the front half and bring it back down the grade…
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Haul the other half up the grade.
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Clear the consist around the front half.
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Recouple the two halves and consist.
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Proceed.
or…
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Couple a helper locomotive on front or back.
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Haul up the grade.
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Park the helper anywhere off the mainline and proceed.
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Return the helper downgrade.
If forced to choose, I know which option I’d pick.
I think a big reason you dont see as much “doubling” is thodat modern deseils are getting more power tot he rail. Here in central Arizona there is a nasty s curve up a grade reffered to as Shawmut ( I think). It is on the Sunset route I think they call it.
Anyways, when SP ran it, they used to have break quite a bit. Of course, SP had older and some pretty rund down power. Now that UP runs with newer and better shape engines, it hardly ever happens, if at all.
Best Regrads.
John k
I double when needed on the club layout but most of the time the power is sufficient to make it up the hill.
Most of our grades are relatively mild, about 1.2-1.5% but we do have a 2.x% coming out of one yard and that has a couple “S” curves going up the hill. Still most of the time we get out in a single pull.
Or even TRIPLING the grade. He he
In the US doubling and even helper districts are pretty much a thing of the past. In addition to trains being dispatched with enough diesels to do the job, most of the worst grades have been “merged” out of mainline service. To the railroads, it’s all about efficiency.
One of the beauties of modeling, you can choose any era.[;)]
I know of nowhere in the US, where “doubleing the grade” is routine. Occationally if an engine goes down, we have to double some of the hills between North Jersery and Cumberland.
Nick
I’ve never seen it take place, and I live not far from Cajon Pass. They run 100+ car trains up the pass all the time. I’ve also lived in Oregon, Utah, and Montana, and I’ve see some good grades but never have I seen trains be broken in half to make the grade. As for Tehachapi, I’m not to sure but every time I go up there they are runner long trains too.
Doubling the grade is no longer a planned thing anymore. In fact the only place that I know it was planned was Saluda… and they often TRIPLED the grade.
Today doubling a hill is only done if the train stalls on the grade and their are not other trains around to help. Railroads and railroaders hate to double hills as they are time consuming and tie up a huge chunk of railroad. Plus leaving half a train on a hill is a very dangerous situation.
Some short lines may double hills on a regular basis but, since they do not have the traffic worries of a class 1 it is not a major occourance.
In the 1970’s I watched a pair of Southern SD40-2’s triple the grade at Saluda, NC. It was a spectacular site. The rail up that grade was of the 150lb. variety. The rails started vibrating while the train was well out of site. Sadly all the photos I took that day disappeared during one of my moves from one city to another.
Bob DeWoody
SCOTTY! I NEED MORE POWER.
And so I order something with more Umph! Allegheny, Challenger, Sante Fe anyone?
70 cars up a 6% superelevated curve… No Sweat!
I’ve seen them (BNSF) do it up Monument Hill (The joint line between Denver and Colorado Springs), but that is only when something breaks. It is not a normal operation.