Steve,
Years ago it was common practice at CP to have any yard engines in a
road consist to be in the trailing position. This made it easier to set
them off at intermediate points along the line if necessary. Also, most
yard units didn't have m.u capabilities or compatible air brake with the
road units. Rebuilt GP9's are fully compatible. Also, these days
trains are getting longer and heavier and train crews are encouraged to
use the dynamic brakes instead of the train brakes wherever possible.
This puts tremendous force on the draw bar of the trailing unit when
slowing the train with dynamic brake. Yard units DO NOT have alignment
control couplers and are not supposed to be put in the trailing position
of the power consist for that reason. Usually they are marshaled
directly behind the lead unit of the consist.
Paul Smith
Winnipeg
Stephen wrote:
I can't tell you if it was "alive" or "dead." It is an engine I got
excited over because I had modeled it about 10 years before from a
photo and had never seen it before. It was sitting in the lashup when
I spotted it, and the train moved out before I could get close. I also
briefly encountered it after a couple of miles of chasing, but only at
a crossing, and I was too busy trying to get what turned out to be a
poor picture to get any additional impressions. FWIW, it was not the
last engine in the lashup.
Steve Lowens
--- In cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:cpsig%40yahoogroups.com>, Paul
Smith <pbsmith@...> wrote:
Steve,
Okay, here is a few questions for you. I'm assuming that you saw 1588
with a bunch of road units? Sometimes you may see a unit in a road
consist that is isolated (on idle, not pulling), or dead (not running).
It may have been en route dead or isolated to Alyth Shop in Calgary for
maintenance or repairs.
Paul Smith
Winnipeg
Stephen wrote:
It's only a single example, but I saw #1588 as part of a lashup
pulling a sizeable grain/mixed freight train heading south out of
Edmonton in June, 2008.
Steve Lowens
