Hi! An alarming number of the new Evolution series locomotives are having computer failures in cold weather. Coal trains are often held for power after lead units shut down. Crews are dying on the law waiting for power, and the white van crew shuttle service is way behind. Interesting...
I like the new GEVO units. They have a screen for the conductor and it is fun to play around with it, you can get all kind of neat info about them. I was on one the other day and and it was not a year old but already had 197,000 miles on it! Kevin
Got info 2nd hand thru santafelist. Source was a BLET local chairman out of Denver CO. Take any info on internet w/ a grain of salt. Even the local railfans, much the RRers themselves, can't even get outside.
Well I dont know about failures but there have not been many trains running through Denver lately, let me see 4 hours Friday, Saturday Sunday and yesterday only 1 train and 1 lone locomotive the 6044 in helper service.
The Evolution Series units are crap.:thumbs_down: I don't like them, the mechanical department doesn't like them. They've had failures while in DP remote service. They're a pain in mountain grade territory. You can't use sand of your over 15 mph, and I've lost my dynamics descending Tehachapi because of that. You hit the greasers and start slipping.....mg: 23 mph to 27 - 28 mph in seconds Oh, and if you have any brake cylinder pressure over 10 mph, you'll get an alarm bell Just my opinion.
Interesting--new technology always has teething troubles at first, but these units have been serving since 2005 or earlier!
Joe Are you old head enough to wish you could have a dash 2 again. Back in '99/'00 the old heads I ran w/ hated dash 9s & loved getting a dash 2! At least the dash 2s could be fixed by the hoggers instead of having to be a computer expert. You guys still staying at the Stuper 8 in Barstool? <G>
Ah, ye ol' Stuper 8, yup, still stay there They've changed owners and the new owner has dumped quite a bit of money in the place. Now have a fridge and microwave in every tomb, uh, I mean room. I'm not quite "old head." 25 years old, though I have been with BNSF for 6 years, and shortlined before that. I do love the dash 2's though. They ride good, they respond quick, nothing beats the 26L brake valve. Much better than these "CCB" valves that have no "feel". There's a whole new generation of "railroaders" now. I think I was born about 40 years too late:teeth:
Used to be a conductor but learned more from hoggers than most conductors. Worked the yards & ID pools. Liked yards better cause you "had a life." Sounds like Super 8 has improved. Do you still have to buy the TV remote? And hows the crew room these days?
I liked working the road switchers best in the short time I spent in LA. As for the Super 8, the new owner decided to trust us with TV remotes:angel: The rec. room was refurbished. They put wall north/south across the room, and put some excercise equipment in the west half. Better furniture, etc... And they just put in wireless broadband:teeth:
