Repost--Fallen Flags: SP works hard up Cajon--turn it up Loud!

Southern Pacific SD40R 7341, SD40T-2, SD40T-2 with midtrain helpers SD40T-2 8232, SD40R 7331, SD45T-2 9308 and SD45R 7450 in Cajon Pass, CA 5/19/85. Better rez and longer.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• SP
• Southern
• Pacific
• railroad
• railway
• freight
• train
• diesel
• locomotive
• Cajon
• SD40E
• SD40T-2
• SD45T-2
• SD45E
• Gort

[pablof59]

Are the helpers commanded from the front end or they have radio communicated engineers? Before and after the helpers the wagons are in pull or push mode?

[e44e33]

That would be the Locotrol era. It's possible that it could have been remotely controlled. I don't know enough about SP's operations although I seem to recall that they borrowed some BN units for testing. Couldn't quite make out if there are any extra antennas on the lead helper, although there is what looks like an antenna platform. Maybe.

[huettmr]

ahhh...the days when you could actually hear the engines!!

[o00o00ozy]

Watching videos like this make me want to cry because you can't see things like this any more... and thank goodness for CSX Sand Patch and NS West/East slope to see things comparable with grinding 645's/710's, but it's not the same. ATSF and SP (and Conrail for us in the east) were definitely the golden years, and now everything is declining.

[ChachaChapati]

Ah, yes; watching SP's "long and slow freights" policy in action. My favorite RR nonetheless.

[Joshuajlawn]

@Joshuajlawn UP (that great and mighty flat land bean counting railroad trying to run in mountains) after they took over for SP in Oregon , went a head and ran remote helpers. Well a train was going up the hill. And the lead locomotive set had to go into emergency breaking. Well when they did it they were in a tunnel so the helper set didn't receive the signal. So instead of slowing down they were still in run 8 and cause a huge accident. That was the main reason SP didn't use remote helpers.

[Joshuajlawn]

@e44e33 From what I have studied SP experimented with localtrol, thats what the SD40T-2 "snoot" noses were all about. But the problem SP ran across, at Tehachappi, Cajon, Donner, Natron Cutt off, and pretty much any mountain pass they ran through. The rail line is curved and goes through tunnels, so the signal from the lead locomotive to the helper set can be disrupted and cause accidents.

[Joshuajlawn]

Great Video! Its good to see doing what it did best. Dragging heavy trains over the mountains!

[RRYankfan]

This is perfect for MSTS sounds

[tugaman1000]

Yamaha Power.

[HotZTrain]

@pablof59 No remote helper there. Those are "Through Helpers," to Bakersfield. They will be cut out of the train just east of Bakersfield at Bena. I once worked one all the way from Beaumont to Bena, then ran light ahead of the train north of Bakersfield to a place called Delfar, put the power in the spur track there and deadheaded ALL the way back to West Colton. Biggest helper payday I ever had.

Paul from Green Valley, Arizona

[wastedapathy22]

@e44e33

The helpers should all be manned. None of the units in the helper set appear to be Locotrol receivers (a "snoot" 8300-series SD40T-2, odd-numbered). Also, the lead unit would have had to have been a Locotrol master (another "snoot" 8300-series SD40T-2, but an even number) to send commands to a receiver unit in the helper set. From my understanding, use of Locotrol in the 70s-80s on the SP was very, very limited, what with radio signal continuity issues.

[MrCzechers]

Great video. Loved the BW caboose at the end. Bring back the caboose!

[megatwingo]

@alladinmoua

Thank you very much for that information! :)