05-21-2009, 11:28 PM
Hi guys, i just posted a thread about my new CSDU/CSDPU coal hoppers that i got. I have 14 of them, with one duplicate number.
After doing a little quick research, i found out that CSDU stands for Colorado Springs Department of Utilities. The reporting marks on the hoppers were CSDX and had the letters CSDPU on the sides of them in yellow print. The CSDU train consisted of 5-bay Rapid Discharge Hoppers that had a capacity of 110-Tons each and were a simply black body with yellow data, reporting marks, and CSDPU lettering with a lightning bolt on either side of the "CSDPU".
This long unit train served Colorado Springs' two coal-fired power plants, Drake (downtown) and Nixon (south of Fountain). It loaded on the Moffat branch near Craig, traveling loaded through Steamboat Springs and Bond, thence eastward through the Moffat Tunnel to Denver, and finishing its trip via the Joint Line along the front range. After unloading, it would return empty over the same route, to do it all over again.
CSDU first started in 1979 being served by the Rio Grande, then the Southern Pacific Line, and later the Union Pacific. When the CSDU Coal train first started, it was originally a 73 car train but later increased to a 105 car train in the 1980's from the purchase of a number of second hand cars. Before the equipment was sold in April of 2000 the there were a total of 125 cars for the CSDU, 115 being run and 10 being kept as spares.
Originally the cars were lettered with a "P" making them CSDPU with the reporting marks CSDX, but around 1986 the "P" was deemed problematic by the legal department so the cars had the "P" removed from the sides. This also made the CSDU centered better on the car.
6 Of the cars had no large CSDU lettering, and only reporting marks and data, they were 79113, 79120, 79121, 79122, 79123, and 79124
As mentioned above, the original CSDU equipment was sold off in April 2000 and replaced with all new equipment. The new cars lack the distinctive CSDU lightning-stripe lettering; they are plain aluminum 5-bay cars with a green end. Here are a few pics of the old cars:
![[Image: CSUX-99-Rainbowcut.jpg]](http://www.geocities.com/yelhayah/MOW/CSUX-99-Rainbowcut.jpg)
![[Image: CSUX79101.jpg]](http://www.geocities.com/yelhayah/MOW/CSUX79101.jpg)
![[Image: CSUX79120.jpg]](http://www.geocities.com/yelhayah/MOW/CSUX79120.jpg)
![[Image: CSUX79106.jpg]](http://www.geocities.com/yelhayah/MOW/CSUX79106.jpg)
Now for my modeling plans for the CSDU LOL
I want to model this train, yes that means 125 individually numbered and weathered CSDU cars. Exact numbers, paint jobs on them (including the ones that only have the reporting marks and numbers) and have a few DRGW locos, a few SP locos, and a few UP locos that i can run with the train at any time. Quite a project lol, and if i get the Athearn product line to sell along with the Walthers line with my business, then modeling this unit train would become that much easier as i would get 5 packs of Athearn 5-bay rapid discharge hoppers at a dealer price.... lol But i need to get settled in with Walthers stuff first, so this could be a ways down the line before i even get going on this project, but this is something i definitely want to model and would make a SWEET addition to my future steel layout!!
Well enough for now, just thought i would share a little history that i learned on the CSDU Train
After doing a little quick research, i found out that CSDU stands for Colorado Springs Department of Utilities. The reporting marks on the hoppers were CSDX and had the letters CSDPU on the sides of them in yellow print. The CSDU train consisted of 5-bay Rapid Discharge Hoppers that had a capacity of 110-Tons each and were a simply black body with yellow data, reporting marks, and CSDPU lettering with a lightning bolt on either side of the "CSDPU".
This long unit train served Colorado Springs' two coal-fired power plants, Drake (downtown) and Nixon (south of Fountain). It loaded on the Moffat branch near Craig, traveling loaded through Steamboat Springs and Bond, thence eastward through the Moffat Tunnel to Denver, and finishing its trip via the Joint Line along the front range. After unloading, it would return empty over the same route, to do it all over again.
CSDU first started in 1979 being served by the Rio Grande, then the Southern Pacific Line, and later the Union Pacific. When the CSDU Coal train first started, it was originally a 73 car train but later increased to a 105 car train in the 1980's from the purchase of a number of second hand cars. Before the equipment was sold in April of 2000 the there were a total of 125 cars for the CSDU, 115 being run and 10 being kept as spares.
Originally the cars were lettered with a "P" making them CSDPU with the reporting marks CSDX, but around 1986 the "P" was deemed problematic by the legal department so the cars had the "P" removed from the sides. This also made the CSDU centered better on the car.
6 Of the cars had no large CSDU lettering, and only reporting marks and data, they were 79113, 79120, 79121, 79122, 79123, and 79124
Quote:This train was so large that it traditionally required helpers. In Rio Grande days, that might have meant a couple of GP40's tacked onto the rear, and in the later 1980's included a swing helper cut in about 70 cars back. Up to 1995 it was common for the train to run east with three or four 6-axle units on the front, two or three in the swing helper, and even a rear helper of a couple more SD's.
After that, with AC locomotives, it usually ran with distributed power both ways (remotely-controlled locomotives)-- two on the head, one or two mid-train, one or two on the end.
As mentioned above, the original CSDU equipment was sold off in April 2000 and replaced with all new equipment. The new cars lack the distinctive CSDU lightning-stripe lettering; they are plain aluminum 5-bay cars with a green end. Here are a few pics of the old cars:
Now for my modeling plans for the CSDU LOL
I want to model this train, yes that means 125 individually numbered and weathered CSDU cars. Exact numbers, paint jobs on them (including the ones that only have the reporting marks and numbers) and have a few DRGW locos, a few SP locos, and a few UP locos that i can run with the train at any time. Quite a project lol, and if i get the Athearn product line to sell along with the Walthers line with my business, then modeling this unit train would become that much easier as i would get 5 packs of Athearn 5-bay rapid discharge hoppers at a dealer price.... lol But i need to get settled in with Walthers stuff first, so this could be a ways down the line before i even get going on this project, but this is something i definitely want to model and would make a SWEET addition to my future steel layout!!
Well enough for now, just thought i would share a little history that i learned on the CSDU Train
I just am imagining a 115 car CSDU coal drag with 3 locos on point, 2 locos half way back, and 1 on the tail end! Man that would be SWEET! All of coarse would be UP, with a couple of UP AC6000's on point, 2 DRGW SD50's in the middle, and a SP AC6000 on the tail end, ahhhhh hehe