UP #844 Southbound to Denver today

Hot Water posted:

Dominic Mazoch posted:

OGR Webmaster posted:

The diesel is doing a nice job shoving her along...

Next year they can use UP 4014 without the helper?

Nope. That train is VERY heavy, and they have a tight schedule, so there is always additional horsepower required.

It was my understanding that the diesels in these trains are there mostly for additional braking.

It may be that the 844 could well handle this consist on its own. I'm not going to take the time to compare pulling power, but years ago, when the Challenger was here in Dallas (pulling a fairly long consist), I asked the engineer if that was a significant load for the engine. His reply was "Nah, it's just loafing."

I suppose it depends on the route. I recently saw a video of the J getting "stuck" on a sharp curve when pulling a very long consist. It eventually made it, but the problem was not power, but traction - keeping the drive wheels from spinning because of the additional friction incurred as the cars rounded the sharp curve (I assume that was the cause).

breezinup posted:

Hot Water posted:

Dominic Mazoch posted:

OGR Webmaster posted:

The diesel is doing a nice job shoving her along...

Next year they can use UP 4014 without the helper?

Nope. That train is VERY heavy, and they have a tight schedule, so there is always additional horsepower required.

It was my understanding that the diesels in these trains are there mostly for additional braking.

No, not the the Cheyenne to Denver and return route. There are some pretty good grades, in either direction, and the added diesel provides much need additional HP, as well as dynamic braking on the down grades.

It may be that the 844 could well handle this consist on its own.

No, not by a long shot, especially trying to make 70 MPH with that heavy train. I was Fireman on the July 2010 CFD train, and even with the DDA40X #6936, we had 844 at full throttle and the 6936 in run 8, and it was no picnic!

I'm not going to take the time to compare pulling power, but years ago, when the Challenger was here in Dallas (pulling a fairly long consist), I asked the engineer if that was a significant load for the engine. His reply was "Nah, it's just loafing."

In Dallas, that would have been true. But NOT between Denver and Cheyenne, when trying to make such a tight schedule (the goal is for the CFD Special to arrive in Cheyenne in time for the Frontier Days Parade and then the opening ceremonies).

Rode behind 8444 (844) on Memorial Day weekend,1973, Denver to Laramie (north bound), using the Dent Subdivision. With no diesel helper. As we approached the state line, the 8444 was down on her hands and knees, doing about 3-4 mph. Working so hard that the steam heat had to be turned off - - - and it got cold in those passenger cars! So, yes, that's a taxing bit of geography for the UP.