From Railway Age…
http://www.railwayage.com/B/xfromtheeditor.html
Quote of Note:
“This twin-645E3A-equipped, 6,600-hp, 273-ton behemoth rides on two four-axle Flexcoil trucks that are rather sensitive to track problems. Steamrolling down the rails at speeds up to 79 mph, she’ll feel everything going on underneath her, and throw it back down the train consist with a disconcerting ripple. If something’s amiss, Bill Wimmer will feel it, right through the seat of his pants.”
Interesting!
So THAT’s what that special was all about!
EC-4…
EC-5…
and 6936!!! [swg]
I’m sure that the Mudchicken and his colleagues would not be too happy with 6936 testing (and destroying) track geometry.
Actually, the 6936 doesn’t test it–it just makes sure the EC-4 and EC-5 got it right.
The fact that they brought that sucker all the way into Chicago suggests that they did, on our end.
Just a slightly different way of testing lateral gauge restraint. We’ve seen AAR 110 in its formative stages roll a piece of curve rail out of its plates at Pueblo by accident. (Hard to believe that rascal used to be an SP SD45X when it went into AAR/TTC)
Still doesn’t do much about the ground pounding you get chasing those things.
Just another way that 6936 can earn its keep on UP.
I’d love to be trackside when that thing roars by at 70 mph! Or even better…IN THE CAB!