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Railroads in a Giant Landscape


trisonic
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This description might help explain the the power overload: "The short train hauled up the 2.2 percent grade "[/size] still overpowered, though...

2.2% grades (1 in 45) are not particularly remarkable in western North America. Just a couple of examples in Canada:

 

- the CP mainline has stretches of 2.2% on both sides of Rogers Pass, and from Field up to the Continental Divide.

- CN (previously BC Rail) has a 31 mile stretch of 2.2% north of Lillooet towards Prince George.

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Prototype for short, over-powered train: 

 

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/657877/

 

You don't know how many cars they're bringing back! 

 

I once chased an east bound local from Barstow which had seven 4 axle units on the head end and only a dozen hoppers... on the way back to Barstow the same evening it had loaded out to 139 loaded cars!

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I remember reading an article on a line where they rostered a pair of elderly GP9s on a turn which never loaded to more than 9 cars.

This was not to provide extra power for any difficult terrain. It was just in case one broke down in the middle of nowhere.

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I remember reading an article on a line where they rostered a pair of elderly GP9s on a turn which never loaded to more than 9 cars.

This was not to provide extra power for any difficult terrain. It was just in case one broke down in the middle of nowhere.

Shades of Penn Central!

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2.2% grades (1 in 45) are not particularly remarkable in western North America. Just a couple of examples in Canada:

 

- the CP mainline has stretches of 2.2% on both sides of Rogers Pass, and from Field up to the Continental Divide.

- CN (previously BC Rail) has a 31 mile stretch of 2.2% north of Lillooet towards Prince George.

True that.  Conway Sceinic's "Crawford Notch" route is about 2%, so its not uncommon.  But, it would explain the apparent overpowering of the train.

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