I didn't know where to post this, so I'll post it here. How was CGW able to run 6-12 F units with a 100-250 car train without breaking knuckles? I've never head of any units being in the middle or on the rear either, all the power was always on the head end.
I've heard about these trains. Good question. Certainly a lot must be attributed to the crew's skills. I wonder if any engineers are still around, who made these trips? :teeth: Boxcab E50
Flat territory probably had a lot to do with it. Train handling skills must have exemplary in those cases. CGW didn't have any steeper than 1% ruling grades, did it?
There were some decent ups and downs on the CGW. One of the more notable, was Nerstrand Hill, in Minnesota. Iowa isn't as flat as some folks might believe. Boxcab E50
CGW had steeper grades that other Iowa RRs because it was one of the last RRs to start in the area. I know CGW had a steep grade coming up out of the mississippi river valley but I don't know what % it was.
I didn't think they were that much later than others? Predecessors in Iowa, just like other companies? Boxcab E50
How bad was curvature in Iowa? Curvature has much to do with drawbar limits. If the track was mostly straight, or gently curved, long trains could work, with all the power on the head end.
Ya know, I'm honestly not sure on curves, they couldn't have been too sharp as they ran their long trains successfully. Boxcab, CGW wasn't charted until 1885, wheras most Iowa RRs were charted earlier, C&NW in 1865, and I believe CB&Q and RI were a bit before that.
I don't have info on Oelwein-Chicago, or Oelwein-KC. Looking at the rest of their main tracks, there were a lot of hills in the 1%-1.3% range. Just under 1.3% seems to be the steepest I could spot. Which was just north of Dodge Center, MN. And Nerstrand wasn't much better. With two serious hills in about four miles. There were some lengthy places on the line Oelwein to Omaha, with hardly any grades. But then they'd suddenly hit serious ups and downs. Many grades were miles long. So would have been a steady grind. All things considered, many of their miles in Iowa were like roller coasters. And would have required excellent skills from engineers to keep 'em rolling. And dramamine to prevent being seasick. mg: Boxcab E50
