Rich: How would the 765 handle this?

hello guys and gals.........

 

I don't think the 765 has enough tractive effort to pull train that size on hilly land like the picture shown but maybe the U.P. Challenger #3985 can. The S.F. 5011 can do the job if it was running today.

 

the woman who loves the S.F.5011

Tiffany

I doubt that it's anywhere near as bad as it looks in that picture.  Note that the photo was taken with a 900mm lens, and that results in a significantly distorted/compressed image of the actual topography.

Probably just leave the throttle wide open, and let the train resistance regulate the speed.  

 

But, as stated above, those hills are NOT as bad as the foreshortening of the telephoto lens makes it look, and that just may be too big a train for 765.

i dont think anyone could give a realistic answer until more information was known:tonnage of the"train in the picture" and the ruling grade if any of the track. if you can tell by looking at  that picture ,you are far more gifted than i am. alan brings up a good point about the 900mm lens.-jim

Actually "looking at that picture" DOES reveal a few things:

 

1) The train has only two diesel on the point, and since we can NOT see the rear end, we don't know if there is a DPU there.

 

2) The actual terrain really is NOT that bad.

 

3) The NKP 765 with some 4200 HP at 45MPH, would have trouble with a train that long, due to wind resistance and tonnage, but she may just surprise some of you.

looking at the area around Bellevue,TX it seems to mostly be low rolling terrain at approximately 1000 ft altitude ---- at least according to google maps. So the "rollercoaster" really isn't. Most of the google street view pictures that i looked at show really flat terrain along the ROW and nearby(50 ft or so) US287.

YES!
Thus the root of my question.
I respect Mr. Melvin's expertise in how one handles a steam locomotive.
I am sure there is more to it opening the throttle and letting her roll down one side and struggle up the next.

51, give or take a couple...

 

---

 

First of all, "Mr. Melvin" was my father. 

 

Opening and closing the throttle is not how it's done.

 

Before I talk about running the 765 in this scenario, let's take note of something about that photo...900mm lens. That is an EXTREMELY LONG lens, which exaggerates the steepness of those grades by dramatically compressing the distance in the photo. That terrain is actually gentle rolling hills that are not that big a deal.

 

Typically in rolling territory like that, you run the train exactly as Wyhog said, leave the throttle open and "...set a little air and drag 'em..." You won't need wide open throttle, but you have to keep pulling on the train. Opening and closing the throttle (on steam or diesel) would constantly run the slack in and out. Get a little too aggressive opening the throttle and WHAM! You just got a knuckle and broke your train in two..or three.

 

Also...take note of what the train is actually doing in that shot. About half the train is going up hill while the other half is going down. The net overall effect is not that tough a pull...at least not what is shown in that shot.

 

Now for those of you who think this train might be too big for 765, towards the end of steam, the NKP routinely dispatched the 700's out on the road with 6,000 ton trains, which they could roll at 50-60 mph. The design specifications for the 700's called for the Berks to be capable of handling 4,000 tons on level track at 70 mph...something they did quite often. When we pulled the New River Trains on CSX years ago, we had 34 passenger cars (about 3,000 tons) behind us and could achieve 50-55 mph going up a .4% grade. I ran that same 34-car train on level track at 79 mph and had to back the throttle off a little to keep from exceeding that speed. On the level at 79 mph the throttle was open about 2/3...maybe 3/4 at best. You might be surprised at what a Nickel Plate Road Berk can do.

 

No sir, the 765 ain't no bread truck.  

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