Chris Walker Wrote:
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> BOB2 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > And, having taken a train down the
> > Acolita grade with a dynamiter and one
> operating
> > dynamic at 90 mph., I can attest that no half a
> > mile of 4% grade, would have delayed us
> much....
> >
>
>
> Bob2,
> can you give us the whole back story on this; just
> what is the gradient, normal tonnage braking limit
> etc and detailing what lead to you getting in that
> situation please.
>
> Chris
> in New Zealand

Well, you take about 7,000 feet (2,000 + plus meters for you folks on the upside down part of the planet...)... And, it weighs in at about 5,500 tons or so of the BSMFF, with a whole lot of pig flats with a notorious problem with "dynamiting" (going into full emergency with a minimum application, which we had... Then put 12,000 hp of locomotives on the point, with only two operative dynamic brakes, supposedly just enough per tons per operative brake on that grade, and have one of them crap out coming down grade. And on the down grade into the Salton Sea, westbound into Niland, passing old Tortuga (famous for bad accident and rule change back in the 1920's) and you can go from 70 mph. to 90, real fast...

There is a long distant signal as you approach Niland, that always started it's cycle with 7 flashing yellows, before turning green for the next CTC A signal at the east end of Niland, where the grade ends... Mu brekemen and I counted to seven and then when it turned green, we both relaxed... Had I needed to use the air, and it went into full emergency, we would have probably have easily taken most of the way to the west end of Niland, where the next A signal would have been red, to stop...

Truly one of my more memorable experiences, because it was one of those "whoa" moments, where your butt really grabs the seat, and things don't present "good" options, plug the train now, or count the flashing yellows? Because RRing can sometimes have a few "unexpected" events wher you where you don't always have "good" choices...