Train STALLS, Helpers Save The Day! | -Santa Fe on Shortline Hill-

[@lexpo181]

Nice video Douglas! Love the sound of the twin SD60s working pretty hard. :)

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed the mixed in throwback power! I miss seeing the Soo 60s screaming up those rails. Thanks for watching!

[@MichaelNorris-m5r]

I used to visit the West 7th Community Center countless times growing up. Seeing those trains roll by it is so fun especially because CPKC is my favorite railroad. I still bike there to see those transfers as well as Amtrak. Great video!

[@Phoenixknight79]

those two BNSF bonnets normally run from NorthTown to the St. Paul yard and do work there.

[@SD457500]

Spot on; these are typically on the BNCP Transfer, and they usually make it back to Northtown. They must've died over at Saint Paul Yard the day before. Thanks for watching!

[@kenzieska9148]

You put out such great videos! I enjoy the extra details on the route you are videoing, its history and historical shots!

[@SD457500]

Thank you very much, and glad you enjoy them! :D I try and make them much more then a normal train video; gotta keep it engaging, informative, and fun to watch. Appreciate the kind words!

[@randallellison6421]

Another locomotive that's notorious for laying down on hills are BNSF's ES44C4s. Crews really have a time with those when there's wet rails, plus it doesn't help when they're put on trains they were never designed to haul anyway!

[@Railfantastic]

Great video! I love seeing trains over Shortline hill. I only recently caught amtrak going downhill at Grace Street.

[@SD457500]

Great to hear you enjoyed the video! I have MANY older videos I could dig up, and make into a single compilation video of older stuff. Thanks for watching!

[@ttangen8754]

i like the warbonnets and bluebonnets and Im happy there in Minnesota

[@RFMCabooseNP1713]

Great video.

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for watching!

[@richie5335]

BNSF 555, 909 and 920 all in war bonnet are currently sitting in Galveston, Texas dormant 😢

[@SD457500]

Well that's not good! Perhaps they still have a chance at new life with the BNSF, or another RR. Thanks for watching!

[@andrewgray986]

555 IIRC has since been scrapped after it had a engine fire when it was assigned to Eola IIRC

[@richie5335]

@@andrewgray986 it’s in Galveston as of Oct 7th

[@Seaboardsystem-t7e]

Me and millennial trainman talked about the Santa Fe locos getting staled on Shortline hill and we also talked about why Cpkc doesn’t use the hill well now I have my answer

[@SD457500]

I bet a huge factor was the lack of tractive effort on these four axel units. While CPKC uses Shortline Hill daily for J15, they typically have six axel power. The B40s just couldn't make it! Thanks for watching!

[@Th3Rambler]

The only time I’ve ever laid down on a hill was with a pair of 500 class units. Those B40-8W’s just aren’t good with any sort of weight behind them. The 542 was in Texas for some time working locals and yard jobs around here. Wasn’t very well liked and glad to see it far away!

[@randallellison6421]

The 680 local that runs on the Thayer Subdivision (north) had one of these as the second unit (BNSF 548) back in February! Let's just say the crew was glad it wasn't the lead locomotive heading back north (FYI: the 680 becomes the 681 for the return trip to Springfield, Missouri). Crew said it was rocking pretty severely when they got up to track speed!

[@scale_model_apprentice]

@@Th3Rambler They were built for z trains on the transcon. No wonder they can't drag.

[@DL541]

nice presentation!

[@SD457500]

Thank you, and glad you enjoyed it!

[@rottenroads1982]

Where is what I recommend: Those WarBonnet & FakeBonnet locomotives must have their paint fully restored. Fresh new coat of WarBonnet & Fake Bonnet paint.

[@randallellison6421]

If that happens, it won't be while still under BNSF ownership! Maybe if they both get donated to a museum. The more likely scenario is they'll remain like this until they are retired, or join the other remaining B40-8Ws in getting overhauled and repainted into BNSF's "wedge" scheme.

[@SD457500]

Speaking of, check out BNSF 537, and how Railroading Heritage of Midwest America just repainted their unit. It looks GREAT!

[@AndreiTupolev]

Looks like 542 hasn't been repainted since it was new 🙃

[@SD457500]

Its looking rather rough and beat up these days. :/ Imagine how good it would look in new paint, just like the 537!!

[@tomster_6274]

How often do trains use Shortline hill? I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve driven Along I-35E and I’ve never seen a train using those tracks.

[@Tactical5]

What is the grade or elevation climb ?

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

If the Milwaukee had kept their old route to Minneapolis this wouldn’t be happening!

[@SD457500]

Old route via Fort Snelling? I heard the stiff curves, and area flooded alllll the time. Thanks for watching!

[@douglasskaalrud6865]

@@SD457500 I think John Leuke’s book on the Milwaukee in Minnesota has a photo of a section of their bridge askew down in the river bottoms by the fort. I’ve always thought it’s six of one and a half-dozen of the other with the route of the H&D through the Twin Cities. In the end, of course, the deaths of the passenger trains and manufacturing plants in the Twin Cities made the H&D pretty much useless anyway. The TC&W generates what, a train a day? Pretty much the same that the Milwaukee did.

[@alfredbaroni2133]

Does anybody know the grade ratio to the summit or target location????

[@hunterstewarthobbies6692]

New Subscriber

[@SD457500]

Thanks for subbing, and I hope you enjoyed the video!

[@TNS17]

wheres shortline hill at?

[@SD457500]

Just west of Downtown Saint Paul; the tracks which run from Chestnut St to the Minnesota Commercial.

[@scale_model_apprentice]

My question is why they (BNSF) insist on using 4 axle locomotives for heavy drags up a grade? Thats what 6 axle power us for!

[@SD457500]

This power likely came over to CPKC's Saint Paul Yard the day prior on a BNSF BNCP Transfer, and died there. CPKC used to the power to 'return' it to NTW the next day, and then this happened. Least, that's my guess.

[@bryanjohnson2427]

What is the gradient of the hill?

[@jxh02]

This is great! Are you at Western Ave? I see the high bridge in the background. I sometimes have a hard time placing these shots in the real world, even though I live nearby, and would love a few more tips to that end.

[@brentamsden2549]

That is definitely the crossing at Western Avenue.

[@SD457500]

That is indeed the the grade crossing known as Western Ave. I am always happy to help place any location you might have a question about. Thanks for watching!

[@TomStarcevich-fb3qo]

Who's the idiots that put the lack of power on this train 🚆 🤔

[@jam00723]

That would be the NorthTown pit foreman. I’ll let him know!😂

[@TomStarcevich-fb3qo]

@@jam00723 😁😁😁🚂🚃🚃🚃

[@SD457500]

I'm going to venture to guess CPKC was trying to return the power to NTW by using it on J15 from the days prior BNCP... They saw the HP, thought it would be good to go, but didn't think of the tractive effort difference on four axel power. :/

[@winston-167-red]

how do know when these locos are coming or not?

[@SD457500]

For this one, I happened to be in the area when I came across it. This power is typically on locals that run from Northtown to Saint Paul, MN.

[@winston-167-red]

@@SD457500 oh ok then im in the area of Monticello and I’ve heard you say something about a monti local where can I usually see the train

[@SD457500]

Sadly, I don't know much about that job. They usually serve Albertville a few days a week, usually in the mid morning. They haven't been to Monticello in YEARS.

[@winston-167-red]

@@SD457500 oh ok then

[@nightrider6769]

Yeah I love the videos on Minneapolis and St Paul doesn't matter what you record I also have trouble trying to identify where you are because I lived in Egan most of my life and hung out in St Paul but I don't know these areas or what's around them.

[@LeeDavis-o7b]

a bad top track doesn't help either, someone order a Tamper.