Full Version: Horseshoe Curve Steam...August 2012
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Anyone else planning to catch NKP 765's trips around Horseshoe Curve this month? She's in Williamson, WV this weekend...Pittsburgh on the 11-12th...Harrisburg on the 18-19th, and then back around the curve on the following Monday. The trips are NS employee appreciation schedules, and the Harrisburg trips will be over the Rockville Bridge.

I'm a car attendant for the three weekends, but not necessarily for every trip. The diesel is on the train for three reasons: power protect, head end power, and the ability to stretch the coal supply beyond the normal 220 miles. For the curve, it'll be all berk and a bit heavier than the train 759 pulled 40 years ago (reports were that 759 could have handled a couple more cars). The great show will be the return trip...on the ascent around the curve.
WoW....That ought to be some show..!!

Be SURE to take LOTS'A pictures and VIDS if possible...

And share ...

You lucky dude.... Goldth
How is a Gevo able to provide HEP?
Didn't see mention of a Gevo, but I don't think the Heritage unit can provide HEP
Charlie B Wrote:Didn't see mention of a Gevo, but I don't think the Heritage unit can provide HEP

He mentions a diesel on the train to provide head end power and the only diesel I've seen traveling with No. 765 is No. 8100, the Nickel Plate heritage unit.
Yes, that it is the diesel assigned for the entire trip.

My knowledge of contemporary diesels is minimal...I can't tell you the model number or such. Similarly, I do not know what it would take for such a diesel to be equipped with HEP...but I do know that it has a diesel generator Wink

The train does have the Mid-America power car, it is the first car right after the FWRHS tool car. The third car on the train is an ex-SP baggage/sleeper combine...but serves as the Mid-America tool/crew car. In the passed, even with a HEP equipped diesel and generators on the car, it is normal to have a backup power car. Having not looked for this car specifically, prior to the comments, I'd assumed that the diesel was equipped with HEP as was discussed after it was decided that she would be assigned to the train. Sounds like that isn't the case...but I'll check this weekend since it is a pretty obvious thing to check. With the Amtrak special at the last Trainfestival, the diesels were used on the day-long excursions purely to provide HEP despite having a power car available.

There is one other "HEP" application for diesel. 765 has been equipped with cab signals...equipment for which she lacks the necessary electrical capacity. IIRC, she is getting that power from the diesel. The alternatives would have been an expensive electrical system or to let a diesel lead as cab signals are required for the Pennsylvania Division of NS.

Any NS employees planning to ride...or railfans planning to chase? I'll be chasing her on Monday on the deadhead out of Williamson.
Some reports...photos to follow...

Last weekend at Williamson, we ran two trips per day on the beautiful Pocahontas Division of Norfolk Southern, one EB and one WB each day. Each trip departed from the former Williamson station (now, town hall). Since the first trip each day was EB, we were pointed the wrong way on Sunday afternoon, so an SD hooked onto the rear end, tooks us WB to the Wolf Creek where we turned the train and then it pulled us back to Williamson. These were 30mph moves. This Division is heavy coal business...the yard is flat, long, and winds around....90-95% of the business seemed to 100t Top Gons. The Mechanical Departments uses the 1920s roundhouse with operating turntable (not in condition for turning locomotives) for car repairs...from light running repairs to rebuilds. They use the Lubritorium as their air brake shop. The NS employees were exceedingly friendly and took great pride in their fine, historic facilities. All trains were held for our NS Employee Appreciation Special to get over the road and back. Both wyes were on 12 degree curves with bridges over the Tug Fork. The eastern one went right into a substantial tunnel. This was all on the old N&W mainline, and the locomotive sported an N&W Hooter whistle (borrowed from a very fun N&W enthusiast). A notable feature of this terminal was the abundance of cabooses...they use them on the shifters.

This weekend was on the Pittsburgh Division of Norfolk Southern out of Conway yards. Three trips yesterday (2 EB, 1 WB) and two today (1 EB, 1 WB). The employees were bussed in from off site, and boarded right by the entry to the yards. The EB trips proceeded towards downtown Pittsburgh and were turned on a really cool wye-bridge over the Ohio River. The WB trips headed somewhere...I don't know where...and gave more of a rural tour...where we turned on a wye. After the third trip on Saturday, we deadheaded WB to turn the train so that it would be all set for the deadhead east tomorrow. The contrast between the Williamson and Conways yards was interesting. Conway has a hump yard and a massive (to me) engine facility. They use (a portion?) of the old PRR roundhouse and a short turntable regularly as part of locomotive repairs. The most memorable aspects of this yard were the variety/quantity of motive power present and the variety of rolling stock: a trash train from Jersey, an assembled turnout sitting vertically on an MoW car, and a camp train parked nearby. The employees were very friendly and clearly enjoy working on the railroad. The whistle for our time on Conrail's former PRR mainline is off of a Pennsy K-4.

The ES44AC, NKP/NS 8100 is like a space ship. It rides as smooth(er) as a passenger car and is equipped with really cool features. It hasn't yet been seen to smoke. Of course, it isn't always on and rarely makes it above notch 2 when it is on (it has an auto shut-off feature...crews learn very quickly to use the manual override button to keep the AC on). The train crew love the current locomotives for their creature comforts and the management loves them for their performance...4400HP regardless as to the speed. Where the older diesels would need to be started 4-6 notches in to contribute, these modern diesels can contribute at any notch. The MU is being used to provide power for 765's cab signals in addition to usage in stretching the coal on deadheads and some engineers like it when accelerating. The usage to economize the coal is simpler...we have 3-4 gons of coal remaining...but there is diesel fuel at every terminal. The power for the train is provided by the power car at the head end, with generators on three cars for backup power.

By and large, I've been really impressed by NS. We've met many very nice people, and very many people who take great pride in their jobs. Both of these weekends had the Division Supt. and Div. Asst. Sup. on board; the four of them were nice and fun to talk with. They took very active roles in all of the trips to see that their employees had a good, safe time. I hope they receive very good feedback from their employees; I'm under the impression that they had a wonderful time.

Tomorrow, I suspect that we'll see the locomotive at Horseshoe Curve around 12-2pm. I'm looking forward to this and the Rockville Bridge near Harrisburg. I haven't chased or seen the engine from the ground yet, so that'll be nice tomorrow. I'll post some of my photos later (I have to sort through them still). Norfolk Southern has been wonderful. Both the company and its people have been phenomenal.
Michael,

Thanks for the detailed report - very interesting.

765 passed through my hometown (Columbus, Ohio) twice over the past couple of weeks - both deadheads from the Toledo area and return. I missed both - during the move south, I was in Grand Rapids for the NMRA National Convention, during the move north, I was on the California Zephyr as part of our 25th anniversary celebration.

I have yet to visit Horseshoe curve for any reason - hard working steam will be a real treat to view!

Doh.
Thank you for the very detailed reports! This year is a banner year in railfan history, I am so glad NS did this.

I find it interesting that the dynamo/turbogenerator on the 765 is enough for headlights, but not for the cab signals. Especially if the cab signals are newer electronics, and not older solid state/relay types.
Dave just a guess, but perhaps the cab signals need a more refined power supply.
Charlie
The diesel did get some work yesterday. 765 used over half her coal to reach Altoona (the diesel just provided dynamic braking coming down), so the diesel probably got a fair bit of use east of Altoona.

I don't know what the cab signals require...but they look very old and were simply too much of an electric hog for the turbo generators.

Saw Altoona RRMM today and a Mt. Union. Strasburg tomorrow...
We did the Strasburg duo...not as much time as I'd liked to have had. Still, it was fun. My wife and kids had a good time (she even was happy to see the Rockville Bridge on our trip into Harrisburg!). Afterwards, my dad and I drove them and my mom back to Pittsburgh. We left a car there, the women/kids returned home and we hopped Amtrak's Pennsylvanian back to Harrisburg. We spotted the Huntingdon & Broadtop on the trip!

The trips tomorrow (over the Rockville bridge and through the station!) are 9/12/3, and 12/3 on Sunday. Monday, we'll depart about 5-6am and probably hit the curve around 10:30-11am...far earlier than previously expected. I hope that too many railfans won't miss it. The early morning stinks, but it means we'll make Pittsburgh by early afternoon...with plenty of time to retrieve my car and make it home for work on Tuesday.

On the prior note: ascending the mountains Eastbound, the steam engine did all the work uphill while the diesel did the work downhill (dynamic brakes).
On the cab signals, the system requires a different voltage than regular control circuitry - not really a large problem - and must be wired / plumbed (on an air over electric system like an old steamer) into the Train Control / Automatic Train Stop system - more complicated...and only necessary on some territory. Usually such problems are addressed by putting an "Equipped" loco ahead (not desirable in this circumstance). I don't know if this was an NS decision (not to equip the 765), or why it might have been done - after all, the PRR ran similar steamers, including K4 #1361 which all had cab signals. Don't know about GEVOs with HEP, but the baggage car (behind the Ft. Wayne Society car) appears to have grills and roof structure hinting at a HEP unit...a common fitment under the circumstances. Doesn't the UP 844's train also supply HEP that way ? A fabulous display...didn't get to see it live...thanks to all those who posted great flicks & pics on the web ! Bob C.
Thanks again for the updates, Mike. I did a quick search and found a good quality video here:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_d4SQJ8OX0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_d4SQJ8OX0</a><!-- m -->

The exhaust is amazing!
Thanks for posting that video link flusheet.
Charlie
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