Fallen Flags: BN coal drag and helper cutoff

[CaptNemo100]

Were the helpers for braking or for pushing?

[railroadjay1]

Joint Line railroading at its finest!

[40ouncekneegrow]

You are correct cabeese couldn't handle that strain and that was the only way to do it back then

[JDeereGP]

The old F45!! I can still remember when those were still painted in sky blue colours!

[TRailvdo]

Wow! Nice! Loved it!

[JadedRomantic]

Why did BN have to merge with ATSF? I miss that BN evergreen with the white stripes.

[htc6600]

Amazing how fast the Thrall coal gons disappeared on prototype railroads.

[Rtchugg]

Now it only takes like 4 engines all together

[nigsyzz]

sound just like polish class ST43 Rumun 060DA Sultzer engine

[art28332]

@nigsyzz Daleko mu do Sulzera

[BudmanPackfan]

A lot more fun to watch than today. The coal trains today are 120 ton aluminim cars with 2 GE's on the lead and 2 GE dpus on the rear. They still run a heck of a lot of trains on this line every day, mostly Powder River basin coal from WY.

[TLew01]

kinda has the alco sound great video

[JDWP254]

Colorado railroading at it's finest

[justkiddin08]

great video!! love the sound of those old locos!!

[Landaux]

3;46..Cool sound! Why dont todays GEs have that hard "CHUG,CHUG" sound?

[BudmanPackfan]

@Landaux the EPA emissions and muffler requirements wiped out that great diesel sound.....

[packerphan66]

Thanks for sharing these great vids man. Never did get to see the BN during the days of the U33C and F45/SD45s. (wasn't born yet)

BTW, I have a least one of every type engine in this tape except for an SD40-2. (which is bad for someone who models the BN)

[lowriderman74]

Boy I just luv the sound of them locos pullin n pushn, I remember those GE U33Cs, here along the BN line in Alliance to Bridgport, Bayard, Scottsbluff, Nebr. thru the Gunsey,Wyoming line, They sorta sound like my ol 1951 John Deere (A) model!!! Thanks for sharing this I didnt even think anyone would of actually videod this!!!

[JackMomma78]

Man, I love the sound of those old GE's! Too bad they all seemed to have died out along with the caboose.

[huettmr]

Does BNSF still roster any C30-7's?

[csx2295]

I talked to one of the track crew he told me all of the C30-7's were retired two of the C30-7's went to West Tennessee Railroad which is a short line railroad and one to Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois the others were sold for scrap metal.

[ktraptor]

most c30-7 were sold to other countries. Cheap.! Type in c30-7 on youtube and you will see a lot of them in south america, central america , and over seas.

[csx2295]

i agree the C30-7's are built so cheap they are so old type in b36-7 on youtube you will see csx b36-7 across csx's main line in different parts of the south, east, southeast and northeast.

[setherey]

Sweet! a C30-7 I have three of those on

my layout.

[mrsooline]

Nice to see an F45.

[BNSF9250]

was the lake behind you

[e44e33]

In the opening shot, it's behind me about 70 yards or so.

[icecardinal]

All that power for one caboose...must've been really heavy! LOL j/k

Neat vid.

[stuntedcards]

6624 looks like a metra engine

[e44e33]

Close cousin--it's an F45.

[BNSF9250]

what so important about ditching the caboose?

[e44e33]

Well, you don't actually see it but the helper crew attached the caboose to the end of the train.

[BNSF9250]

that makes sence!

[rainman29]

@e44e33 , so let me get this straight they break the train to insert the helpers ahead of the caboose, then push the train up the grade, then break away bring the caboose back down onto the siding run around it then push it back up to the rear of the train???? Why not just hook onto the caboose in the first place then break off on the fly and save all the extra moves??? or am I missing something somewhere?

[peiyuwhu]

@rainman29 Maybe because the caboose has the device that must be used at the end of the train.

[chestateegold]

@rainman29

apparently the cabooses cant handle the strain that the engines put on them when being pushed. i read that somewhere

[1234djmtz]

what does the yellow beacon on top of the engine signify? are these still used?

[e44e33]

As far as I know, it's a warning beacon, most likely for grade crossings. BN had them, so did GN and NP on some of their units, although the later ones, such as the NP U25-33Cs and SD45s had, instead, red nose lights. UP used to have the roof-top beacons, as well. I don't think they're in use any more.

[DASCO2136]

Music to my ears.

[Bellwestern80]

Before the GEVO's and Dash 9's, you had SUPERPOWER that came in a big happy package, lots of diesels of the 80's. Superpower beasts!

[railfanalways]

Love the old BN.