Tales From The Krug
July 22, 2000
Copyright AA Krug

Three Double Red Views
Finally today we have three different views of the double red CTC signal at East Ranchester, Wyoming. I am stopped on a grain train 13 miles after departing Sheridan waiting for MOW forces to clear. The power is 2 BNSF C44s and a Norfolk Southern C40. There are of course the usual two SD40-2 helpers on the rearend.
The 2nd C44 unit went belly up on me 100 miles later as we climbed Toluca hill. It got 8 ground relays in a row. I had to reset it 3 times to get us over the hill and could smell hot electricals. I tried cutting out all 3 traction motors on the lead truck but it tripped again anyway. Then I put those back in and cut out the rear truck. It still trippped. I called Fort Worthless Mechanical and he said that C44s don't really fully cut out their TMs when you put the switches in the "cut out" position. Well great, I get grounds even with the TMs cut out and on other trips I have gotten alarms and a computer message that says "High resistance in TM #4 while cut out". Just what do those "cut out" switches do and what good are they? On SD40s, SD45s, and SD60s when you cut out a TM it is CUT OUT. Once over the hill the unit then worked OK for the remaining 50 miles to Laurel.
Over the top

On the ground

From the catwalk

After that last shot I had to boogy back up to the lead unit because the signal went high green just after I clicked the shutter.

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