459: Q326 Stalled on Saugatuck Hill - N903 to the rescue!

[Saturnalia]

Ep. 459: CSX Train Q326 Stalled on Saugatuck Hill

What happens when a freight train stalls on the steep and winding Saugatuck Hill?

Either you set a bazillion handbrakes and double...

...or you add more horsepower!

On the morning of October 4th, 2015, CSX Q326, enroute from Barr Yard in Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI, stalled out on the steep and twisting Saugatuck Hill, near New Richmond, MI. Luckily, following behind them was an N903, with crew time available to give them a shove to the summit.

We pick up the action as N903 has tied onto the rear of Q326. The crews make up their plan and are soon rolling up the hill, but not before gravity rolls them back first!

To make things even more interesting, Amtrak #371 is enroute. As we'll see, they hole up in the siding at Saugatuck, for a saw-by meet with Q326/N903.

When everything is all set, Q326 continues their run to GR, and we see them roll by Vriesland.

CSX Q326 Saugatuck Stall
Consist:
- CSX 7805 [C40-8W]
- CSX 7523 [C40-8]
- 97 cars [Mixed]
Location/Time:
- (a) CSX GR Sub, New Richmond, MI, 55th St xing, on 10-4-15 from 7:00 to 7:25 EDT [stalled out]
- (b) East Saugatuck, 136th Ave xing, from 7:26 to 7:32 EDT
- (c) Zeeland, 76th Ave xing, at 8:05 EDT
*(a and b) N903 assists stalled train uphill; (b) meets AMTK*

CSX N903 on Q326 assist
Consist:
- BNSF 9026 [SD70ACe]
- BNSF 5993 [ES44AC]
Location/Time:
- (a) CSX GR Sub, New Richmond, MI, 55th St xing, on 10-4-15 from 7:00 to 7:25 EDT
- (b) East Saugatuck, 136th Ave xing, from 7:26 to 7:32 EDT
*(a and b) helping 815 [stalled] up the hill; (b) meets AMTK; afterwards, they returned to their train at Wells*

AMTK #371
Consist:
- AMTK 90200 [NPCU]
- 3 Superliners
- AMTK 32 [P42]
Location/Time:
- CSX GR Sub, East Saugatuck, 136th Ave xing, on 10-4-15 from 7:26 to 7:32 EDT
*goes into the hole for saw-by meet with Q326 & N903*

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Recorded with a Sony PJ790 Camcorder
Edited with Cyberlink PowerDirector 13

Copyright 2015 Thornapple River Rail Series

[hoborich]

Was that the first time CSX has run trains over that route?

[AARR]

Nice video, MQT.

I've asked that same question as hoborich a million times about every stalled train on every railroad. I'm sure there's a lot of good reasons and probably some dumb ones too.

Was that the first time CSX has run trains over that route?

[SousaKerry]

From what I've seen it usually due to an already under-powered train that has a mechanical failure and has to cut out a unit. Kind of like the old Penn-Central rule send 3 units hope 1 makes it.

I've seen trains stall between Attica and Republic on the B&O Williard Sub which mind you is a pretty tame grade as far as grades go.

[Typhoon]

Was that the first time CSX has run trains over that route?

Yep.

[hoborich]

They might want to add another unit. Ya think? Do they have any extra units laying around? Maybe they could borrow one somewhere.

[Typhoon]

Or they could use the coal train power to shove it over, seemed to work just fine.

[Saturnalia]

Two tired C40s with near-maximum tonnage on a somewhat damp morning. They got pretty close, all things considered. Just needed a little something extra

[hoborich]

Or they could use the coal train power to shove it over, seemed to work just fine.

Well, there ya go. Just keep a coal train on standby.

[Typhoon]

Or they could use the coal train power to shove it over, seemed to work just fine.

Well, there ya go. Just keep a coal train on standby.

Do you know if the coal train was going to be shoved over the hill with that crew? Was there room in the plant for the train? There were obviously no pushers at the bottom of the hill for the coal train, or they would have been the ones to push 326 over the hill. But whatever, you watched a video, so you are an expert on the operation.

[hoborich]

so you are an expert on the operation.

Correctamundo! But I cannot reveal my sources. They need to beg, borrow or steal a locomotive from someone, and run three units on that train.

[Saturnalia]

If there had been two AC units (CW44s or ES44s) on point, this train would have been very likely to make the hill unassisted. AC kicks butt at slow speeds when DC will beg for mercy.

[hoborich]

this train would have been very likely to make the hill unassisted.

Saugatuck hill is the ruling grade on that route. Why not just put ample power on the train and be done with it.

[SD80MAC]

this train would have been very likely to make the hill unassisted.

Saugatuck hill is the ruling grade on that route. Why not just put ample power on the train and be done with it.

The train was amply powered..... on paper. Also have to factor in things like weather, leaves, power problems developed enroute etc.

I'd imagine that when that train left Barr yard, the crew/yardmaster/Trainmaster/dispatcher had no reason to believe the train would stall. Stuff happens. At least this time there was a train behind them that was able to assist.

[hoborich]

The train was amply powered..... on paper. Also have to factor in things like weather, leaves, power problems developed enroute etc.

If the train was amply powered, it would not have stalled on the hill. An extra margin of error on the plus side will prevent this from happening in the future.

[Saturnalia]

The train was amply powered..... on paper. Also have to factor in things like weather, leaves, power problems developed enroute etc.

If the train was amply powered, it would not have stalled on the hill. An extra margin of error on the plus side will prevent this from happening in the future.

Easier to put enough power to get it over the road with 98% confidence and shove/double the failing two than waste 4,000 horsepower everyday to grab those extra 7 or 8 trains a year. At that point you're actually losing resources.

They could build you an unstoppable train, but at that rate all you're gonna have is wasted resources.

[hoborich]

Not trying to beat a dead horse here. But since the discussion is already going, here's my take on it. Two units working full out, may be enough to get the train over the road most of the time. But three units would not be working as hard as two units, since the load would be spread over three units, instead of two, and you would have some reserve power when it was needed due to unforeseen factors. That would not be wasting 4000 HP. What is so difficult about that. I see trains with three or four or five units on the water level route, which is pretty much flat. Why is CSX so stingy with power on a route with a major grade?

[Typhoon]

Locomotives are not cheap, carting a multi million dollar asset around just in case is not very cost effective.

[Saturnalia]

Even with crew expenses these days, it'd probably be cheaper for CSX to keep a helper crew on duty 24/7 (2 crews per day) in case this happens, than adding an extra locomotive to every eastbound train.

[SD80MAC]

Those trains you see on the Waterlevel route with more than 3 units are usually ferrying power from one terminal to another that will be needed on other trains.

On a somewhat related note, I was reading somewhere once that the UPS trains have to have 3 units as part of the contract.