Sorry this is a little late but I haven't been at the
computer till tonight...
Took Friday off work to do some well deserved rail
fanning. Checked out the Kamloops yard about 10:00 am
and UP 8111 was 2nd unit behind CP 9675 on a coal
loaded westbound. Photographed this train from the
TCH viewpoint over Kamloops Lake approx 3 miles east
of Savona. Train went into the hole to clear for what
I think was the VKH. CP6007 (SD40-2) with tie gons and
van from the Riverside tie treating plant east of
Ashcroft.
Instructions from RTC to the 9675 crew was to proceed
to Semlin (mi 38.5 Thompson sub) and drop the 8111
with UP 9709 which was already waiting from a previous
drop.
Comments back to RTC were that the 8111 was only half
a unit as it was not putting out all it's power.
The two UP units were then picked up at 16:00 by 764
lead by CP9666.
764 was all BC Rail forest products, which I think is
the regular consist makeup of this train.
Semlin unfortunately is tough to get to as there is
limited road access. I think you can get there from a
road heading out east from Ashcroft but this may be a
private road. You can see the siding from the TCH as
you approach Cache Creek from the East. Unfortunately
the view is about 5 miles away from the siding but it
was intresting as 764 met, I think 409, at Semlin (409
holding the main while 764 pulled the power out of the
back track). A 670 empty potash came in behind 764
after they lifted the UP power and to futher jam
things up, an empty coal pulled up behind the 670
potash.
Semlin siding is 9710' long and it looked as though
the 670 had tucked right up behind 764, yet would
still be over siding, and the empty coal had snugged
up quite close behind the 670 on the main.
764 was cleared first to proceed to Walhachin to meet
401 powered by lone SD9043 9155. The meet was timed
perfectly, or so we thought as RTC had to hold 401 at
Walhachin because the 670 had to come through in order
to get the coal into Semlin siding, and to let the 409
on its way west.
401 resumed west bound after the 670 had cleared the
west siding switch Walhachin.
It was really amazing to watch the 9155 get out of
town easily given that it was the only unit on the
train. Chris D. you would have loved the sound.
Further note the 764 crew was complaining about their
crippled UP power with 8111 only at half power and
apparently the 9709 with a broken fuel gauge. To
quote the crew, "Lets get these things back across the
line before more goes wrong."
Anyway it was great to see this semi-jam unfold and
was
one of the highlights of a very busy day off.
Doug
PS saw one of the new coal sets at Savona on Friday.
LUSX 48-- reporting marks, looks like the Johnstown
Aeroflow cars like the PROCOR sets. Very nice with
the Turquoise green rotary ends. Built date looked
like 02-99.
--- Bill Miller <bmiller@...> wrote:
UP Dash 9-44CW 9709 and SD90MAC 8111 are floating
around in B.C. currently,
not on the normal Kinsgate trains, but west of
Kamloops on the "mainline".
Bill
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