[8N][4k] The Rescue of Coal Train N319, CSX Abbeville Subdivision, GA 01/19/2022

CSX N319-15 was a loaded coal train that departed from Evansville, IN on January 15th, 2022. It's destination was Cross, SC. On the 18th, he reached Hull, GA where he took the side track and stopped. Upon starting again, the mid-train DPU, a Tier 4 ET44AH engine, malfunctioned. The train stalled and the two lead units of AC4400CW type were insufficient to provide enough traction to get the train rolling again. Over night, three helper engines - two more AC44s and an ES44AH - were brought to Hull. They had been on the grain G303-15 train to the nearby feed mill in Comer, GA.
The new crew that arrived the next day decided to use the ES44AH as a rear DPU. This required multiple engine moves, and hence a rather elaborate operation ensued. The continuous and professional work done by the crew to get the train moving in Hull and to return the helpers to Comer consumed almost 5 hours. Enjoy this video, which shows a typical railroad operation in great detail and with stunning footage, in 4k quality!

[@mybadluckcharm]

Having high horsepower locomotives is a double-edged sword. When they work, which is presumably most of the time, it's great, but the time that just one breaks down, that's a a huge chunk of power gone. How often that happens comes down to the model's reliability, and how diligently the maintenance has been carried out. Great show, and thanks for catching it! EDIT: it was also pretty funny to the the ditch lights act like four-way flashers (or hazard lights, if you will).

[@mbmars01]

I certainly agree, but I think it's gotten better in the last couple years. Nice you like the video.

[@marciam6224]

Back in the later 70's to late 89 we lived in a mobile home park that had tracks running along side it. I loved hearing the train go by. My father-in-law worked for C&O Railroad for 30+ years. I still miss hearing the train. Some days I can hear it leaving the yard but it is about 10 miles from me.

[@mbmars01]

Cool!

[@matthewgaines10]

Running lean works great until it doesn’t.

[@mbmars01]

Haha, exactly.

[@Darkshark3296]

341s horn sounded like a dying turkey XD

[@mbmars01]

Lol

[@3006USMC]

Awesome video- thanks for being patient with the switching move, not many of us get to ever see that. Editing of explanations was right on point. Keep up the good work !

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! Great you like it. Patience is a necessary skill when watching railroad operations...

[@Max_R_MaMint]

I live about 1000 feet from this line in Coronaca on the other side of Greenwood; just before it crosses Lake Greenwood heading through Waterloo to Laurens.

[@mbmars01]

Cool! I've yet to visit this area.

[@railfanmaximstill7279]

27:33 Damnit CSX There in sync

[@joshw1687]

Nice job. The random construction equipment was a nice brief distraction from csx lol.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks. Lol, it was.

[@silurian9420]

Precision scheduled railroading !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@mbmars01]

Well, these incidents happened before PSR, too, maybe even more frequently, because there were more trains.

[@spacecalander]

I love the steerable trucks, they look awesome!

[@robertlloyd7167]

A dispatcher's nightmare! Great video and commentary. I loved the long-lens views, too, especially with those GE's under power. The heat waves they generate are fantastic!

[@mbmars01]

Cool you enjoyed the video!

[@darrelgibbs4898]

Great Video Hull Those Cars CSX Has Have Alot of Derailments Then and Now

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@RailFanRob]

man it was really neat how you walked us through this entire ordeal with the stalled coal train!!!

[@mbmars01]

Great you like it. It was quite a bit of work to put the puzzle pieces together and understand what they are doing, but also fun to tell the story :)

[@paideuma]

Complex operation indeed. Thanks for your work.

[@mbmars01]

You're welcome!

[@louispaparella5766]

Thank You ever so much!

[@mbmars01]

You're very welcome!

[@BorisLu]

Super film!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@Christiane069]

Very interesting and unusual switching

[@mbmars01]

Glad you think so!

[@Oliver61500]

Beautiful video!!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@mbmars01]

Thank you 🤗

[@roballen5670]

Another Great video my friend. Keep up the great work. 👍😎😎

[@mbmars01]

Thanks very much!

[@kraz904]

I appreciate your videos over the years. You let the sights and sounds of trains dominate the videos without the repetitive, stupid commentary on other sites. I subscribed because of your work and the Ukrainian flag on your icon. Thank you...

[@mbmars01]

Thanks very much! Some people prefer this video style and others a different approach. That makes KZbin interesting and there's always something for everyone.

[@hadesdescent6664]

@@mbmars01 You are constantly doing fine job, only wish I have to see trains from engines to last car. I don't know how many coal hoppers this train had, and especially with manifest trains their versatile mixture of interesting cars. You can cut it, but at least in one instance the whole train. In this video just once to show us the complete train! Thank you (I think it can only improve your videos) 🙋

[@mbmars01]

@hades decent 666 Thanks! These coal trains have typically 110 cars. The way I'm filming simply doesn't always allow to show all cars. I often try to catch the more interesting trains more than once, though, so that the most interesting details are captured.

[@terryjames2229]

Great video. Taken 5 minutes from where i live. Love your videos!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! Yea, I know - 5 minutes in both directions (Hull and Comer), right?

[@terryjames2229]

@@mbmars01 right across from the old freds building

[@mbmars01]

Gotcha, cool!

[@xavierthomas8311]

Belle opération de sauvetage. Merci.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks for watching!

[@steventurner820]

Really cool to see operations like this!

[@mbmars01]

Great you enjoyed watching it. It's a bit arduous at times to spend so many hours watching and filming an operation like this, and producing a video about it, but I it was worth the effort.

[@iiigraghu]

Excellent Enterprising Emerging Evolving Railfanning Endeavour on the field as well as digital documentation. Hearty Greetings and Congratulations from India 🎉🙏

[@mbmars01]

Very cool you like it. Awesome also to have railfans in India watching the videos here :)

[@YahshuaLovesMe]

those splendid machines!

[@dalton1583]

Cool ditch light pattern. Never seen that.

[@mbmars01]

I also don't remember I have ever seen that before.

[@bhproductions1061]

Amazing catch man! Just subscribed

[@mbmars01]

Very cool, thanks!

[@daveb7950]

That was very interesting. Your videos are very well done. Thanks.

[@mbmars01]

You're welcome! Good you like the videos. Keep watching!

[@sgttombailes3380]

Love that DPU and Pusher !!

[@terryallshouse3499]

Well done

[@StonewallTitlow]

Nice catch. You caught the Tier 4 that has a 1st Gen K5HL. Nice

[@mbmars01]

... and I didn't even know that lol

[@mshum538]

@@mbmars01 MB, is this sub anywhere near Laurenburg,NC?

[@GTown054]

Keep up the excellent work!!😎 You have my like👍👍

[@mbmars01]

Thanks so much!

[@trainsmachineryldegmtrains3509]

Amazing rail movie! Great rail activity! Good work, master! Thumbs Up 🚂🚂🚂🚂😎👍👍👍 All the best from Romania Andrew

[@mbmars01]

Thanks very much! And greetings back to Romania! Stay safe in these crazy times.

[@Wienerdogfred]

Well done sir! 👍

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@joebidenbites1015]

thanks, entertaining, amazing stuff and detailed description.

[@mbmars01]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@juliovanderleibuenodecamar2312]

Very good presentation! GE locos work very hard!!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@QUIX4U]

2:17 And here folks - is a PRIME EXAMPLE of a sheer lack of locomotive lighting maintenance - as we see a new train arriving WITHOUT a lower LH side lamp .. Sure the other side lamp is alternate flashing - but alternate to what an extinguish (non lit) LH side lower headlamp that obviously refuses to operate.

[@donhunking2286]

You cannot blame anyone for random light failures of any kind on an engine . The fixtures in or on an engine take a real pounding day in , day out . I think the railways do a good job trying to keep their equipment maintained and safe !

[@mshum538]

@@donhunking2286 Don, they just don’t maintain shop personnel like they use to, sorry, blue flag rules have created maintenance issues specially when the equipment is attached to a train sitting on a main track….ms~~~

[@YahshuaLovesMe]

wow what a parade!

[@tubeDude48]

3349 has a headlight out!

[@codyhilton1750]

Good Video.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@joemc111]

I think CSX has the dirtiest locomotives out of all the railroads.

[@rearspeaker6364]

CP is dirtier!! and UP locos used in tunnels are the worst!!

[@TuskegeeDan]

That was a pretty good video. Now I understand a little more about the use of DPUs.

[@mbmars01]

Nice, thanks!

[@hadesdescent6664]

Explanation of DPU working!

[@ronaldunderwood4353]

That was alotta moving

[@mbmars01]

Indeed...

[@centraliowarailproductions2810]

Nice video!

[@mbmars01]

Thank you!

[@centraliowarailproductions2810]

Your welcome @@mbmars01!

[@kraz904]

The road butchers are starting early by you...

[@rearspeaker6364]

the self steering road begins, along with broken windshields.

[@mikehowey4869]

Fantastic video,I guess this doesn't happen all that often however when it does it makes for interesting action for us railfans but not so much so for the railroaders! The consequences of running super long trains!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks, Mike. Yes, thankfully it doesn't happen that often as it used to years back, but this, to a certain extent, is due to running fewer trains. The coal trains, at least the loaded ones, usually have 110 cars. This hasn't changed over the years. Sometimes they combine two empty trains and these beasts have obviously more than 200 cars.

[@JeffreyStrader]

Dream job......

[@paulnorton5670]

your explanations were helpful; I would have been completely 'buffled'!

[@mbmars01]

Great. That's fully understandable. It was a complicated procedure.

[@tennesseerailfanner5354]

What a fantastic video MB, I can’t wait to see more CSX Abbeville Sub! I’m uploading one of my videos as well! :) I haven’t seen your videos in awhile lol.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks, great you had fun watching it!

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Excellent video!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

@@mbmars01 you are welcome!

[@sgttombailes3380]

WOW. that's a lot of coal.

[@mbmars01]

Yup, thousands of tons.

[@rearspeaker6364]

got to charge up all those tesla's🤣

[@sgttombailes3380]

LOVE This Video !! Outstanding Job Bud !!! I still offer my Porsche Convertible to get some awesome unrestricted videos in the open air. I drive you film.. Just let me know. I live right here in Athens, GA.

[@mbmars01]

Lol, thanks, Tom!

[@danielrongo2367]

Awesome job

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thanks!

[@sgttombailes3380]

Outstanding Video !!!

[@mbmars01]

Great, thanks!

[@denisetindall1487]

I like train videos on KZbin 👍

[@mbmars01]

Nice!

[@frankd.5424]

I still didn't see the need of the shuffling of locomotives.

[@rearspeaker6364]

the crew didn't either. they were following orders from Jacksonville.

[@cadenfoley4489]

Lol I might see you out there

[@mbmars01]

Probably, some day!

[@johnangelico667]

Odd, why not crew the singleton and push it forward to the loaded consist?

[@michaeljames4990]

That's was awesome 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@mbmars01]

Nice you enjoyed it!

[@k4sbb829]

The coal either come from Gibson county Indiana CSX or Hamilton county Illinois via Evansville western railroad Howell yard is in Evansville Indiana Atkinson yard is in Madisonville ky on the Henderson sub I live in the area Madisonville has two mains the earlington main which runs into Atkinson yard and the cutoff main one is east side of town the other on the west side of town Evansville western is part of Paducah and Louisville railroad that took over CSX operations west of Howell into Illinois there is only one active coal mine with railroad access in western Kentucky that is warrior coal and in Henderson there is the Texas line that runs to Louisville ky warrior river view which is barge only Hamilton county Gibson county and the rail to barge facility at Mt Vernon Indiana is owed by alliance resources partners if there is any more info y’all need just ask I’ll try to answer it this is a good video

[@christophermattox3972]

Glad you’re back. Was this in Madison County?

[@mbmars01]

Yes, this is in Madison County.

[@yankeesforlife24]

If only csx and ns would appropriately power their trains with enough power, they wouldn’t have this problem so often. On bnsf coal trains have a min of 4 locos

[@mbmars01]

I know... but the CSX guys here say it's against their rules to put more power on these trains.

[@yankeesforlife24]

@@mbmars01 yeah not a referendum on ns or csx crews and or even the power desk but totally on ns and csx mismanagement and the dreaded psr. Seems interesting that as all rr but bnsf adopted psr bnsf became the top railroad in the world by profit.

[@mbmars01]

Yea, I also generally like how BNSF runs their trains. I don't remember I witnessed any noteworthy hiccups during my visits.

[@donhunking2286]

And they seem to try a little harder to maintain a fleet of engines that seem to be cleaned regularly .

[@TheMetGuy]

Awesome video

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@iiigraghu]

I am part of your subscriber base 👍

[@mbmars01]

That's very nice!

[@LeeDfined]

Seems like a SUPER long and complicated process and you edited a lot of the dead time out. If it takes all of that to swap engines around, you can only imagine how long it takes them to make these long super trains up in the yard.

[@mbmars01]

Well, these unit coal trains are somewhat special, because many of them run between the mine and the power plant back and forth, so they don't actually need to be necessarily re-assembled in yards. At 110 cars, they are not really very long either, but since all cars are loaded, it is rather heavy, which is why thinking about the proper power arrangement is important.

[@alleghenyshenangorr2017]

Great video, interesting moves that we as fans don't get to see that often, also good example of a Leader PTC locomotive that can communicate with a DPU! Thanks

[@mbmars01]

Nice you enjoyed watching this operation. It's always cool to see trains with DPUs.

[@AR86608]

Absolutely noice!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@Klossette]

been a while since u uploaded

[@mbmars01]

Well, the production of a video like this takes about an entire week (and making train videos is not my main job, just a hobby...).

[@Klossette]

Yeah, I can understand that. But it’s nice that you uploaded in a while.

[@mbmars01]

Yeah, I try, as time permits :)

[@hombredeacero3131]

Awesome

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@dannywilliamson3340]

There are engines out there that aren't DPU compatible??

[@mbmars01]

Well, you can always put a crew on a locomotive and use it as a helper engine, of course, but not all of the older locomotives are equipped with radio-controlled DP capabilities and can be operated remotely as far as I know.

[@LeeDfined]

@@mbmars01 I learned something new.

[@BIKERDAD612000]

Conductor failed to turn the headlight on dim on the rear DPU unit.

[@norfolksouthernguy9350]

nice video wonder why the csx coal train had isseus?

[@mbmars01]

Thanks! Well, the DPU's engine cut out and the train wouldn't move with the original head power only.

[@suzylarry1]

that was like a game of chesse.

[@mbmars01]

Lol, sort of...

[@tommyhunter1817]

I live in the area and keep looking to see you out here. We don’t seem to get as many trains as we used to.

[@mbmars01]

Cool. It's true, we lost a lot of trains when CSX implemented their precision-scheduled railroading strategy a few years ago.

[@tommyhunter1817]

@@mbmars01 And they went to longer trains which means fewer people.

[@mbmars01]

... which is part of the reason why they embraced PSR.

[@tommyhunter1817]

@@mbmars01 indeed. Do you live in this area?

[@mbmars01]

I live about 20 minutes from Hull.

[@scotty4579]

Great catch , I thought CSX AC44S weren't DPU capable only the ES44AH/ET44AHs

[@cody8217]

They are. We use them all the time.

[@mbmars01]

@Scotty So I heard - and they deliberately chose the ES44AH for that job.

[@scotty4579]

@@cody8217 so are AC44s DPU capable leaders ? Last I heard it was only ES44Ah/ET44s that could lead/dpus

[@cody8217]

@@scotty4579 they are CW44AC's or CW44AH's. And yes, I DPU'd one just last night as a mid-train single unit DP. I've used others as DP lead on other manifests and unit coal trains.

[@mbmars01]

@Cody Alright, got it, but the question still remains why the crew in the video chose the ES44 as rear DPU? This choice required extra moves. It would have been easier to use one of the available AC44s. What could have been their reasoning in your opinion?

[@larrybolhuis1049]

I'm no railroad expert but it sure seems to me it would have been simpler to drive the rear DPU up to the back of the train!

[@mbmars01]

Well, it's not the crew's decision and what the reasoning was of the person at the power desk in Jacksonville, who made the decision, in not know to us.

[@cathyoldham7596]

Quite an operation! Excellent video - one of your most interesting yet! I wonder if the crew made it to Greenwood without dogging?

[@mbmars01]

Nice you like it. Yes, I know that they safely made it to Greenwood.

[@glennjohnston2267]

341 engine had a strange horn. 🤔

[@rodgodx345]

I caught the same csx coal train in this video at Gwinnett county

[@mbmars01]

Cool!

[@rodgodx345]

I have a video of it

[@arbigdog73]

No lights on that Rear DPU 929?

[@driech1]

If I've got it right on all of the switching, the very last locomotive was going to be the pusher at the end of the train. My question is, "why back up the ENTIRE train to hook up to the pusher locomotive?" That might seem like a trivial question, but when you look at all of the energy it takes to stop the forward motion of all of that mass and then backup that mass, why not just stop the train once it was on the main line, flip the switch, and then move the pusher locomotive up to meet the rest of the train?

[@mbmars01]

Well, there are likely multiple reasons why they did it this way. Note that only the engineer has the authority to move an engine, but he's a mile away on the lead loco. Also, it could be that one has to reprogram a unit like the DPU that hasn't been the lead loco previously for this short move, which would be an extra effort. Anyway, it happens frequently that what an observer may find easy and straightforward turns out to be a complex operation as there are a lot of details a crew has to consider.

[@driech1]

Yes except it was stated at the beginning of the video that not all the locomotives were automatic therefore requiring more than one engineer to be attached to that coal train, so there would be additional locomotive engineer(s) available to go back-and-forth. There was also a vehicle there from the railroad company to ferry engineers from the front to the back.

[@mbmars01]

Sure, everything you said is a possibility, but we just don't know what CSX considers most efficient for them. That's what they have their operational rule book for.

[@bruceperkins7253]

What we would consider a Logical movement on the power lash-up, the RR might have figured out a different way to do it. And they also have to take in to account any applicable Federal RR Regulations. So there's always something else to Consider.

[@Johnny64ism]

@@bruceperkins7253 good point

[@andyhe3284]

Okay, I'm a layman and I don't really have a clue, but this action seems a bit awkward to me. If I understood that correctly in my school English, the middle auxiliary engine failed. Three replacement locomotives are sent to get the train moving again. I also understand why two of the locos are placed at the beginning and the third at the end of the train. But why this cumbersome maneuvering? Why are the two traction machines decoupled from the train and the two "auxiliary" locomotives connected in between? Couldn't you have just put them in front of it? And why is the whole train set back at the end in order to couple one (!) locomotive at the end? Wouldn't it have been easier to bring the locomotive to the train than the train to the locomotive?

[@mbmars01]

It's certainly been a bit complicated, but since the engines are already scheduled for future jobs, they need to be in a certain order or left at certain locations. Also, not all engines can be used as DPUs.

[@maboozekinchel1596]

2:53 driving with one headlight

[@everettrailfan]

Why does CSX seem allergic to rear DPUs? It seems so much harder to run a 2x1x0 train than a 2x1 and add engines as needed for mountain passes. Not to mention having to dig that mid DPU out of the train at its destination in order to get it ready for another train. Also nice catch with all those AC44s! BNSF doesn't use them up here in the Northwest, mainly GEVOs and Dash 9s.

[@mbmars01]

It's a good point. There are also CSX coal trains with rear DPUs through here, so I don't know why some have mid-train and others rear DPUs.

[@dannyhaley7610]

whats wrong with the horn on 341?

[@Enjoyer.762]

0:37 Drive-by stealth railfanning lol. 3,000 bonus points. 1:21 Malfunctioning mid-DPU / PSR lol. "How Tomorrow Doesn't Move" lol. 4,000 bonus points. 1:34 Video recording the crew. Crew "harassment" achievement unlocked lol. 3,000 bonus points. 3:13 Close clearance railfanning. 3,000 bonus points. 3:14 YN2 capture. 3,000 bonus points. 3:18 Signal aspect capture plus knockdown. 6,000 bonus points. 4:04 Mid train DPU / PSR length bonus 4,000 5:10 Locomotive swap / recording the crew lol. 6,000 bonus points. 6:14 More recording the crew. Another 3,000 bonus points for "crew harassment" lol. 7:25 Locomotive shuffleboard lol. 3,000 bonus points. 8:01 Restricting signal aspect capture. 6,000 bonus points. 10:07 Road construction-fanning bonus points? lol. 10:45 YN2 capture. 3,000 bonus points. 16:06 Shuffleboard switching continues lol. 3,000 bonus points. 17:04 Maybe they were just trololoing at this point going back and forth? lol. 19:41 Chuggalicious GEs 3,000 bonus points. 20:46 How flat spots are created lol - drag those wheels. 6,000 bonus points 24:22 Riding the shove. 6,000 bonus points. 24:49 Drag those wheels. 6,000 bonus points. 25:20 Hulk Smash lol. 3,000 bonus points. 27:45 Horn salute. 3,000 bonus points. 29:41 Long-distance stealth railfanning. 6,000 bonus points. 35:56 Chuggalicious smokin' GE and horn salute. 9,000 bonus points. 224,600 Total YT competitive railfanning points awarded.

[@mbmars01]

Looks like it's been a busy day lol. What about extra points for having endured this for 6 hours :)

[@Enjoyer.762]

@@mbmars01 "enduring" railfanning... Ha!

[@mbmars01]

Well, admittedly, I had the expectation this wouldn't last for more than an hour. Watching this back-and-fourth for so many hours, however, turns fun into hard work (one somehow has to try to make sense of all these moves). But it's okay - railroads always keep surprising you lol

[@Enjoyer.762]

@mbmars01 Perhaps a beach umbrella, camping chair with dual drink holders, a cooler with food might come in handy next time, lol?

[@mbmars01]

Absolutely! Already done that lol...

[@tonyowen_seagull_guy]

What are the two white things in the opposite track?

[@michaelstone3093]

Someone bought the wrong flasher

[@jamesnorman4965]

So what's the name of the British Actor who featured in this video? Why it was Robbie Coal Traìn of course?

[@comajoebuck999]

Maybe Boris Carlost……

[@robertheinkel6225]

I have often wondered how much monitoring can be done on the DPU, from the lead engine.

[@phillipmckinney7906]

You need to change the color of your words at the bottom of the videos as they they cant be read when there is a light back ground as ya might try Red or Black

[@VinnieRozzisi]

3:50. I guess trains can blur themselves out.

[@tpep1693]

I think they should have just rebuilt the existing DPU in place, probably faster! Ha!

[@mbmars01]

Lol

[@StationRailfan]

Great video mbmars!

[@mbmars01]

Good you like it, thanks!

[@silviocardoso3950]

Eu nao entendi toda essa manobra pra coloca uma lokomotiva a mais na composição eles fizeram muitas manobras pra nada sendo que poderia ter feito uma so e bastava trazer a outra junto

[@LeeDfined]

Question: Are DPU engine doors locked. Isn't it dangerous to have an unattended engine so far from the lead engines?

[@cody8217]

They must be locked. It's a rule.

[@emwungarand]

a dead Tier 4 mid dpu, another Tier 4 with a dead ditch lamp. jeez

[@mbmars01]

Lol

[@jimmystephenson793]

Why does the locomotives on the front sound different than a DPU?

[@mbmars01]

Well, the mid-train DPU that caused all these problems didn't make any engine sounds when it went by. However, I would think that sounds can indeed be different, because the front engines pull, whereas the DPUs have to push.

[@cody8217]

They sound the same. Pushing or pulling doesn't have a different sound.

[@mbmars01]

@Cody Sure, on flat terrain. But standing next to a grade, one could potentially hear the difference, because once the bead engines are over the hill, the DPU has to push less cars up and may sound "lighter" when passing the observer. Also, at such location, the train that slows down uphill will accelerate downhill, which is also a reason for the head engines effectively sounding different than DPUs on the rear. However, I personally never really thought about it or paid any attention to it.

[@cody8217]

@@mbmars01 you're trying to tell a Conductor that works the steepest grade on CSX about my job and what I hear... You're comment paraphrased was, "However, I would think that sounds can be indeed different, because the front engines pull, whereas the DPU's have to push." You were implying that locomotives sound different whether they are pushing or pulling. Your second comment is confusing as well. They will sound different because you notch off the throttle as you crest a grade, therefore lowering the RPM's. If you're going downhill, it will sound different because you will be utilizing your dynamic brakes.

[@mbmars01]

@Cody No worries, I'm not trying to challenge you. I just found the original comment interesting and thought about the reason (after all I'm a scientist who is somewhat familiar with acceleration, inertia, and forces - and the potential impact on engine sounds).

[@bobpaulino4714]

Interesting documentation of the precision use of resources in precision railroading. Lol Wonder if all of the leapfrogging was dictated by dispatch or if this was just a 'trainmen burning on duty time' move? Seems that if the dpu was inoperative they could have used a single unit, head end, at the rear, or even broken the train and sandwiched another unit mid train in the time they spent, and had a unit sent out for the grain train if an additional unit was required for tractive effort or dynamic braking for that consist.

[@mbmars01]

As I learned here from a CSX conductor, these decisions are made at the power desk in Jacksonville. The crews don't seem to have any flexibility in making decisions by themselves.

[@cmac3288]

PSR at its finest.