WAF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rjonas52@gmail.com Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > With So much power on the train, why did they
> need
> > a helper? Was
> > there some disabled Locos?
>
> Protection against one or more Fs failing on the
> mountain

And just to add to what WAF said, the SD45 isn't actually a helper. It was added in M.U. to the F unit consist. It was not uncommon to add a freight unit (or sometimes two freight units) at Roseville on the eastbound trip, and before departing Sparks on the westbound trip, particularly when Oakland had been unable to assign six F units to the train. On the westbound trip, the freight unit(s) stayed with the train all the way to Oakland. Another not uncommon problem was one or more steam generators failing enroute.