GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER The Official Newsletter of the Great Plains Transportation Museum and the Wichita Chapter National Railway Historical Society September 2006 Volume V Number 9 NRHS ANNUAL BANQUET When: Saturday, September 16, 2006 Where: Rock Island Depot Old Town Martini Steakhouse 711 E Douglas Time: 6:30 PM Cost: $20.00 per person Buffet (Chapter will pickup the Tip) Reservations: Mail checks to Lloyd by Saturday, September 9, 2006 Contact: Lloyd Hurst 6730 Loconia Circle Wichita, KS 67209
GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 2 SEPTEMBER 2006 THE MISSION OF THE GREAT PLAINS TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM To be THE Railroad Museum Of Kansas. Dedicated to record and exhibit the importance of railroad transportation in the human, agricultural, commercial and industrial heritage of Wichita, Kansas and the Great Plains. To showcase that heritage with an Action Display of rail equipment operation. Giving visitors an exciting learning experience through motion, set in an unique, historic and scenic urban location. LOOKING BACK ON KANSAS RAILROADS SEPTEMBER 1966 By Lloyd Stagner Freight cars ordered for 1967 included 300 70 ft. flat cars, 100 100- ton hopper cars, 500 50 ft. and 300 60 ft. box cars.. All would be built by Pullman-Standard Car Co. An order was placed with EMD for 20 SD-40 3000 h.p. diesel units February and March 1967. units to be delivered by the end of 1966, included ten more GP-40s from EMD. Nos. 352-361 also 20 U-28B units. Nos. 262-281 from General Electric. These 30 units would be financed by Union Pacific which had an application filed to control Rock Island. Passenger train service to Wichita ended September 29, 1966 with the last runs of Trains 17-18, Twin Star Rocket, between Kansas City and Fort Worth. Earlier passenger service at Wichita ended on the Frisco October 16, 1960 and on the Missouri Pacific January 3, 1965. Santa Fe passenger train service continued until May 1, 1971, the advent of Amtrak. To enhance the action display with significant and appropriate railroad locomotives, rolling stock, equipment and structures; through interpretive displays, dioramas, exhibits and media; and educational and community programs. The GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER is the official monthly newsletter of the Wichita Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc. and the Great Plains Transportation Museum, Inc. Members receive the DISPATCHER as part of their membership. All material submitted for publication should be submitted by the 25th of the month for publication in the next months DISPATCHER. Submissions may be sent to the editor at: Fradt@cox.net, 316-744-7259 or 700 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS 67202-3506 The Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey circus train passed through Hutchinson at 340 PM September 12 enroute from Denver to Tulsa. Three F-7 units handled 25 cars and caboose. Perishable traffic was still important on the Santa Fe. On September 1, Train 32 handled eight refrigerator cars of lettuce from the San Luis Valley in Colorado,, also two SFRC mechanical "reefers" of frozen fruit. Train 42 had five TOFC and 5 refrigerators of meat from Garden City and Dodge City, also one frozen vegetables, one lettuce and three onions from the D&RGW connection at Pueblo. Twelve GP-40s 340=351 were placed in service. Alco Century 415s Nos. 415-419 would follow. Other new 4-8-4 8444 handled a Rocky Mountain Railroad Club excursion between Denver and Laramie on September 25. The 13 cars handled included one baggage car, one passenger Boxcar, one lounge car, one diner and nine chair cars. U.P. line-ups at Cheyenne September 25 showed 19 eastbound freight trains from 1230 AM. to 6 PM.. All were manifest and perishable trains as no coal was moving East from Wyoming mines in that era. Five of the trains were powered with 8500 h.p. gas turbine electric locomotives.. Steam locomotives on hand at Cheyenne were 4-8-4 833 4-6-6-4 3985 and 4-8-8-4 4023. 3985 was returned to service in 1981, and 833 was placed on display at Salt Lake City and 4023 at Omaha
GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 3 SEPTEMBER 2006 COUPLER CLATTER By Jayhawk Old Power BNSF is still sending some solid trains of SD40-2s. Especially trains like the H-KCKBAR1 get solid set of SD40-2s. One such train was the H- KCKBAR1-28 seen at Mulvane, KS on July 29 th. It had BNSF 6879, 6730, 6873, and 7912 for power on 45 loads and 64 empties weighing 7846 tons. That BNSF SD9 6101 that was running all over the BNSF system that I reported last month, finally made it s way back to Galesburg & Chicago where it normally operates. It did not get back to the Chicago area until the end of July. In its place, the 6138 has been out and running across the BNSF. It was seen moving through Newton, KS on train H-KCKDEN9-24 on July 25 th. While the 6101 was only still seen in a very grungy green & white paint scheme, the 6138 is somewhat more modern. It is a chop nosed loco with BNSF Heritage paint on it. Renumbering BNSF is renumbering some locomotives to make room for the new ES44ACs. The SD9s, SD39s and SD38s are being renumbered from the 6100 6299 slots to allow room for the new units. As of August 3 rd, BNSF SD39 6208 has been renumbered to BNSF 1918 at CEECO in Tacoma. This unit is also in the new BNSF logo scheme. The 1918 was originally the ATSF 4018 that became ATSF 1564 on December 23, 1985, and then became BNSF 6208 on March 17, 2000. BNSF SD38P 6262 was renumbered to BNSF 1802 also on August 3, 2006. It was BN 6262 until it became BNSF 6262 on October 27 th, 2001. I suspect this unit may be in the new BNSF logo scheme as well. The fleet of SD9s will also be renumbered into the 1704 number series behind the trio of GP9Bs. BNSF s 6 axle B units will be re-numbered also. The SD40-2Bs and SD45-2Bs are all in the 7500 series right now. They will become the 1900 1909 group of locomotives. I have also heard that the SD40-2s that came from Alstom that are now the 7300 7339 will be renumbered into the 6960 group where the SDF40-2s were retired from. This will give the BNSF a gap of numbers from 7300 7599. This is probably for more of the ES44DCs at some point in time. BNSF also has 6 locomotives numbered from 5838 5843. They are protection engines from GE and were numbered in that group to keep them away from other locomotives. Now that BNSF has engines numbered all around them, there will be a change here as well. The 5838 5840 will remain the same as they are AC4400CWs and fit with the rest of the AC units. The trio of Dash9-44CWs numbered 5841-5843 will be renumbered to 5530 5532 behind the rest of the Dash 9-44CWs. New Power BNSF is still getting new ES44ACs as I mentioned above. The newest locomotives are now up to 6027 with more on the way. There are still over 100 of them to be delivered with this contract. The new SD70ACe s numbered from 9330 9369 are on the way from London, Ontario. At least three of them have been reported seen out of London but not yet lettered, they are the 9331-9333. They are being delivered with BNSF paint and numbers but no lettering. One thing about these compared to the first group of SD70ACe s is that the new group of locomotives has the headlight in the nose instead of between the number boards. There are still only 6 of the 40 GP38-2s on the property that NRE is delivering to BNSF. There are 5 more in the computer, but not delivered to BNSF yet. These engines have been very slow coming from NRE. BNSF is in need of 4 axle power for use on locals and road switchers. These are in the 2000 class. Leased and Odd Power The newly leased SD90MACs and AC4400s are showing up in coal service across the BNSF. CEFX 1006 was seen in Colorado Springs on the 2 nd on empty coal train E-IOGCDM0-41. The AC4400CW was in the company of a trio of SD70MACs. The power for this train was BNSF 9654, CEFX 1006, BNSF 9816 & 9591. Four of the CEFX SD90MACs are actually being leased by EMD for use on the BNSF. They are in essence protection locomotives for the BNSF until all the SD70ACe s are delivered, then those four will become BNSF lease units. A real oddity for the BNSF has been the sighting of MPEX 5000 an SD50-3 that is leased to CSX. It is built from a Santa Fe SD45B with a cab on it. The locomotive came to the BNSF from CSX on June 22 nd and has been to Washington, California, Texas and Illinois. It has been on most of the BNSF system except the Transcon since it arrived in June. According to the BNSF computer, it is rated at 3000 HP instead of 3500 as it was built and is classed as an SD40-2 in the BNSF computer. Once in a while there will be two locomotives in the same consist with the same number. This spring, BNSF 6940 and WC 6940 ran together for quite some time. On August 4 th, BNSF train Z-ALTWSP8-03 was seen at Joliet, IL with BNSF 4882 and UP 4882 for power. One other odd BNSF consist that I want to report this month is train H- DENBAR1-26 was seen in Colorado Springs then the next morning in Amarillo with BNSF 549, 343, 337 & 7856. This is an A-B-B-A consist of an Dash 8-40BW (red & silver), 2 GP60Bs (Heritage 1), and an SD40-2 (green & white). Service Interruptions On July 18 th, train S-LPCLHT1-17 was traveling west on Main 2 at MP (Continued on page 4)
GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 4 SEPTEMBER 2006 (Continued from page 3) 102 just west of Neosho Rapids, KS (East of Emporia) at 16:15. The train went into emergency and the crew found that lines 6 through 17 had derailed due to a sun kink in the track that happened under the train. The derailment was actually 41 car lengths of containers blocking both main tracks. There were five containers that contained hazardous material, but none were compromised. Due to this derailment, several trains were fleeted in directions through Topeka. Main track one was opened at 06:30 the morning of the 19 th and main track two was opened at 19:20 on the 19 th. The manifest trains between Tulsa, OK and Temple, TX have had problems during July. Three of these trains have derailed in Oklahoma during July. At 17:15 on July 17 th, train H- TULTPL1-17 derailed on the Stillwater Central (Former Frisco) derailed near Wellston, OK. (About 40 miles from Oklahoma City). In all, 13 cars from lines 17 29 derailed including 12 loads. There were no haz mat loads involved in this derailment. About 800 feet of track was damaged along with a small bridge. The track was out of service for 48 hours. US 177 and Oklahoma hwy 66 were blocked for about an hour until authorities were sure there were no haz mat spills in this derailment. Due to this BNSF had to detour its traffic off of the SLWC which is normally just the H-TULTPL trains. The cause of this derailment was also a sun kink. At 22:55 on the 20 th, train M-TULTPL1-20 derailed 25 cars in the Arbuckle Mountains between Gene Autry and Dougherty, OK blocking the former ATSF main line through Oklahoma. The only hazardous material involved in this derailment was four loads of molten sulfur that turned on their sides but were not compromised. The main track was returned to service at 01:00 on the 22 nd. Cause for the derailment was blamed on the car at line 16 on a broken side sill of the car. Again, traffic was detoured off the main line with the hot Z trains running via Madill and Tulsa. It is a good thing they had passed Ada, because at 16:40 on the 21 st, train H-TPLTUL1-20 derailed 15 cars due to a sun kink in a curve. Some of the Hulcher equipment from Gene Autry was transferred to Ada to clean up that derailment. The Creek Sub was out of service from 16:40 on the 21 st to 13:30 on the 22 nd due to this derailment. Both BNSF lines across Oklahoma were out of service at the same time due to derailments. At 20:13 on July 16 th, the Transcon was blocked due to a derailment west of Needles. Train S-ALTSCO3-14 was taking a high wind warning from the dispatcher when their train went into emergency. Inspection of the train found that lines 5 20 were derailed due to the high winds. There were 42 car lengths involved that included 130 containers. There were 50 loaded containers and 80 empty containers involved with none having haz mat compromised. Main 2 was returned to service at 10:25 the next morning with main 1 out of service until 23:25 the next evening. Amtrak train #3 was stopped at Needles and passengers were bussed to Los Angeles. Amtrak #4 was held a Barstow waiting on the track to open and was about 14 hours late out of Barstow. There was a lack of busses to move the passengers to Needles and turn the trains around. Amtrak #3 ran empty from Needles to Los Angeles. An unusual incident occurred at Slaton, TX at 06:05 on the 16 th of July. Train Q-CLOPEA3-15 had the door on a BNSF Startrack reefer came off and fell into the DP units on train H- PTRBAR1-14, BNSF 4887 & 4997. The reefer was loaded with potatoes that had partially rotted due to the door being open and not keeping them cool. As the door struck the DP units it fell off the car and onto the main track. Grab iron damage was about the only damage to the DP units. At 05:20 on the morning of July 20 th, train H-GALSTL1-19 derailed the rear two cars two miles east of West Quincy, MO at Quincy Jct. The rear car was an empty covered hopper that was leaning with a an empty gondola right ahead of it with all wheels derailed. The small derailment blocked access to both the Brookfield and Hannibal Subs. The cause of the derailment was excessive build up on the wheels of the gondola due to the brake shoes sticking to the wheels. The main track was opened at 17:00 the same evening. BNSF and UP traded derailments on each others railroads in California at the end of July. On the evening of July 29 th, BNSF train H-RRBPAS1-18 derailed 22 cars at Hammer Lane, CA 37 miles west of Sacramento on the UP Sacramento Sub. BNSF re-routed the H-BARPAS1-28 train via the Transcon to Kansas City and Galesburg. At Galesburg, it ran north on the former BN to LaCrosse, WI and to Northtown then west via Fargo, Minot, Havre, Whitefish and Sand Point to Pasco. The UP derailed train F-ITIG3-1-30 at San Bernardino at 11:30 AM on the 31 st. The train derailed lines 5 9 which was 5 five packs all leaning on Main 2 with Main 1 fouled due to the leaning cars. On July 19 th strong storms across eastern Missouri cause a couple of unusual delays for BNSF. Train H- MEMGAL1-19 running north on the River Sub at MP 23 (south of Lindenwood yard in St. Louis) struck a tree across the tracks damaging the grab irons and ditch light on lead unit BNSF 4986. The incident occurred at 20:50. The train stopped at MP 22.1 with another tree across the tracks. Two more were found across the tracks at MP 19 and MP 16. Track was not cleared for train movement until 01:35 in the morning meaning that this train and two more went dead on the law, an empty coal train and an empty taconite train. A little earlier at 20:35 on the 19 th, BNSF train E- STLETT9-25 (empty coal train to store at Etter, TX) stopped at MP 45.9 (Continued on page 5)
GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER PAGE 5 SEPTEMBER 2006 (Continued from page 4) with a roof off of a house on the tracks. The roof was cleared and the tracks cleared at 22;15 that evening. Traffic At the end of July some new train symbols for BNSF were activated. Actually, they have been used before, but not lately. Emporia, KS is doing some blocking of manifest traffic westbound making pure trains of a certain destination. Train symbols M- EMPAMS, (Emporia to Amarillo South yard) M-EMPGAT (Emporia to Galveston) and M-EMPEAP (Emporia to Eagle Pass, TX) were all activated and used on July 27 th. The train symbols had no days of operation and are being used as needed. Another train symbol that has been used lately is the H-KCKGOL4-xx symbol returning mostly all Coors empties from Kansas City to Golden, CO. These are empty tank cars and box cars. This train is another train that is used as needed. The week ending July 29 th gave BNSF a new record for the number of units (cars, trailers and containers) handled eclipsing the mark set on July 8 th. This week was 6.4% higher than the same week in 2005. As a comparison, in 1980, the ATSF ran approximately 24 trains per day through Wellington on the Transcon, in late July, this average was about 59 trains per day. In addition to the transcon being heavy laden with traffic, BNSF set records for coal loading out of the Powder River Basin as well. In June, BNSF loaded an average of 50.4 coal trains per day out of the Powder River Basin. This was up from the previous mark of 50.1 trains per day set in May of 2006. For the year so far, BNSF has averaged 48.8 coal trains per day which is up over 10% from 2005. System wide, BNSF has been loading 56.1 coal trains per day for 2006 which is also up 9.6% from 2005. As of the first of July, the BNSF manned helpers that are used to push the Red Rock coal trains up Wakarusa Hill south of Topeka are history; at least for now. UP is delivering the trains to the BNSF with a DP unit on them that runs all the way to the Red Rock Generation Station and then back on the empties to Topeka. The BNSF crews from Ark City south are not really trained on DP and are having to learn on the job with the Road Foreman going along for the ride on many of the trains. These are extra board crews that handle the coal trains from Ark City to Red Rock. UP has also been leaving their power on the loaded grains they ship to DeBruce Grain southwest of Wichita, KS. DeBruce is the former Garvey Elevator and was located on the Missouri Pacific. Since 1991, that track has been operated by a shortline which is now the Kansas & Oklahoma. In July, at least two trains went to De- Bruce with the big UP AC4400CWs for power. The power sits at DeBruce while the train is being unloaded. Some traffic has been disrupted on the Panhandle sub this summer due to a tie gang working between Waynoka and Shattuck, OK. This is a wooden tie gang replacing the original ties on the original main track. Those delays are normally minimal due to the fact that this is all CTC two main track territory. TWO MAJOR ADDITIONS ON TRANSCON ARE FULLY OPERATIONAL This week, the second of three major 2006 southern Transcontinental ("Transcon") double-track additions was cutover and is now fully operational. The Transcon is BNSF s 2,239- mile long mainline connector between Southern California and Chicago and points in-between. On the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 16, the 8.5-mile segment between Mulvane and Cicero, Kan., on the Emporia Subdivision was completed one month ahead of schedule. The first of the three additions nine miles between Roland and Milan, Kan. was completed in the spring, and the third 14.5 miles between Attica and Hazelton, Kan. will be completed later this fall. All three segments are part of the 2005 capital plan and are designed to increase capacity and improve velocity of trains operating over the Transcon. According to Tom Schmidt, director, Engineering Services, this recent cutover will expedite container trains, which dominate the pre-holiday or "peak" season for BNSF. "There should be a noticeable improvement in velocity with this cutover as it will help alleviate some of the bottlenecks that occur on this portion of the Transcon," says Schmidt. "Those who had a hand in its construction, especially the construction Roadmaster Mike Bailey, really deserve a pat on the back, not to mention the crews, which completed the project ahead of schedule." By year s end, 2,188 miles of BNSF s Transcon will be doubletracked and in some locations tripletracked. After 2006, only 51 miles of single track will be left, with plans to doubletrack those by mid-2008. BNSF Today
September 2006 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 GPTM Board Meeting 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Labor Day NRHS Board Meeting NRHS Meeting GREAT PLAINS DISPATCHER Great Plains Transportation Museum 700 East Douglas Wichita, KS 67202-3506 (316) 263-0944 Return Service Requested