Altamont Press Discussion Board :: Discussion

La Grande local

Author: SP5103

Date: 09-16-2014 - 10:04

UP fairly quiet over the Blues yesterday afternoon. I did manage to catch the local which made it to La Grande about 6 pm. Power was (all UP):

2028 GP60
2090 GP60
2265 SD60M
218? SD60
2439 SD60M

I think maybe the lead one or two units and last were running. They had about a dozen cars which all looked to me like was the INPR delivery. Once they got to La Grande, they split the power onto two tracks of the old roundhouse lead. My guess is that the SD60s are for the Huntington Local which I believe I saw a few months ago running with three SD60s and some cement cars west of Durkee.

When there was still an active mill and reload in Baker City, the Huntington local used to switch Baker and layover in La Grande at least a couple times a week. Cars for INPR in La Grande and Huntington were handled by the HKGR. If a car was out of block, it wasn't uncommon for it to go all the way to Green River, back to Hinkle, and then try again. When La Grande get congested with trains, they usually tie them up on the second main each side of the yard making it hard for trains to make setouts and pickups.

The two GP60s suggest the La Grande local must work some restricted spurs or maybe the Pilot Rock branch (last I heard it only got a train a week at most). I wonder if the local hauls any loads out of La Grande back to Hinkle and the HKGR doesn't work La Grande any more? New hours of service keep this from being a 6 day a week local at least with the same crew. So two turns a week? Mondays and Wednesday or Thursday to layover in La Grande?

Navigate: Previous Message•Next Message

Options: Reply To This Message•Quote This Message

Subject	Written By	Date/Time (PST)
La Grande local	SP5103	09-16-2014 - 10:04
Re: La Grande local	Northern Snowman	09-16-2014 - 11:36
Re: La Grande local	Jim R	09-16-2014 - 12:40
Re: La Grande local	SP5103	09-16-2014 - 12:41
Re: La Grande local	Chuck in Wallowa County	09-16-2014 - 15:26
Re: La Grande local	Bryan L	09-16-2014 - 15:44
Re: INPR Emmett & Payette	Matt Farnsworth	09-16-2014 - 16:13
Re: INPR Emmett & Payette	Rich Hunn	09-16-2014 - 17:27
Re: INPR Emmett & Payette	Northern Snowman	09-16-2014 - 18:48
Re: INPR Emmett & Payette	Bryan L	09-17-2014 - 15:19

Go to: Message List•Search

Subject:
Your Name:

Help information:

BBcode help

Spam prevention:

Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically.

 **     **  **      **  **     **   *******   **      ** 
 **     **  **  **  **  **     **  **     **  **  **  ** 
 **     **  **  **  **  **     **  **     **  **  **  ** 
 *********  **  **  **  **     **   ********  **  **  ** 
 **     **  **  **  **   **   **          **  **  **  ** 
 **     **  **  **  **    ** **    **     **  **  **  ** 
 **     **   ***  ***      ***      *******    ***  ***

Enter code:

SP5103 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> UP fairly quiet over the Blues yesterday
> afternoon. I did manage to catch the local which
> made it to La Grande about 6 pm. Power was (all
> UP):
> 
> 2028 GP60
> 2090 GP60
> 2265 SD60M 
> 218? SD60
> 2439 SD60M
> 
> I think maybe the lead one or two units and last
> were running. They had about a dozen cars which
> all looked to me like was the INPR delivery. Once
> they got to La Grande, they split the power onto
> two tracks of the old roundhouse lead. My guess is
> that the SD60s are for the Huntington Local which
> I believe I saw a few months ago running with
> three SD60s and some cement cars west of Durkee.
> 
> When there was still an active mill and reload in
> Baker City, the Huntington local used to switch
> Baker and layover in La Grande at least a couple
> times a week. Cars for INPR in La Grande and
> Huntington were handled by the HKGR. If a car was
> out of block, it wasn't uncommon for it to go all
> the way to Green River, back to Hinkle, and then
> try again. When La Grande get congested with
> trains, they usually tie them up on the second
> main each side of the yard making it hard for
> trains to make setouts and pickups.
> 
> The two GP60s suggest the La Grande local must
> work some restricted spurs or maybe the Pilot Rock
> branch (last I heard it only got a train a week at
> most). I wonder if the local hauls any loads out
> of La Grande back to Hinkle and the HKGR doesn't
> work La Grande any more? New hours of service keep
> this from being a 6 day a week local at least with
> the same crew. So two turns a week? Mondays and
> Wednesday or Thursday to layover in La Grande?

This message board is maintained by:Altamont Press
You can send us an email at altamontpress1@gmail.com