Mitch Wrote:
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> Condensation in the line that froze would be my
> guess. Angle cock not open somewhere in the train
> will be another thing to look at. NTSB will figure
> it out. Can't say I am surprised with it being CN.

Easy on it being CN!

Winter railroading at its best is still a @#$%&!. Currently here in the Portland (OR) area we are having 25-year record low temperatures. While we consider the OPR a "class act" we still got caught with our "pants down" as they say with nobody expecting the 12 degree lows. Normally we leave them running below 30 degrees but once we decided to start them they were too cold to start.

First, three of our four locis wouldn't start and the one that did was on the wrong subdivision and didn't do us any good. Next..two units had freeze plugs in the air compressors fail dumping the cooling water. Of course all of the faucets and hoses were frozen so couldn't get water to the units even if we wanted to (needless to say we did as we had 26 cars to move)!

Once the freeze plugs were replaced and $2,000 worth of special anti freeze installed we were able to get one unit up and running but this was TODAY (Wednesday) after two full days of problems.

It's now above freezing at night and hopefully the worst is over!

Dick Samuels
Oregon Pacific Railroad