Riding the Rails in Denver

Back in January 2007, I went to work in Denver, CO. spent 7 months there... I did this because I was on the edge of being furloughed in Richmond, California. I had a excellent time working in Colorado. I met some great people, made friends, and had a glimps of some beautiful scenery.

I worked 4 directions out of Denver. Going east I went to Mc Cook, Nebraska/ Sterling, CO. North I worked to Cheyenne, Wyoming, west I worked to Kremmling, CO through the Moffat Tunnel, and on south I worked to Trinidad/ La Junta, CO on the joint line.

BNSF 5992 Pueblo, CO to Provo, Utah junk train. I put this train together in the yard at Pueblo, did a class one airtest on everything and took off for Denver.

One of my many trips... this was back on July, 12 2007 just leaving Denver, sliding through the Lodo district. This particular coal train I was on originated in Wyoming and was bound for a Texas powerplant.

Heading southbound alongside Santa Fe Ave. Littleton, CO.

Still southbound, only about 45 miles out of Denver passing through Greenland, CO. I thought this was a cool shot with the barn in the backround, and the feel of speeding down the tracks... we were only doing about 15mph, our coal train was 18000 tons... we only had 16000 horsepower for the climb up to Palmer Lake.

Making our way towards Palmer Lake... in the distance a thunderstorm builds, this very storm produced lots of lightning and golf ball size hail.

Passing through the thunderstorm, right after I took this picture we got pounded with hail... the engines started slipping on the rail and almost stalled out as we approached the summit at Palmer Lake.

Back In Illinois

I finally made it back to Galesburg, IL on December 9th 2008. I marked up on the Brakemans board and made my first trip the morning of December 23rd. I was called for a dogcatch... went out to Biggsville, IL to get a loaded coal train and bring it into town, tied up and went home... not a bad morning.

The morning of December 24th I was called to work as a Brakeman on the GALBUR this train runs from Galesburg, IL to Burlington, IA. my trip was 12 hours plus some. We had so many problems with the snow, and trains going DOL in front of us. We made it back to Galesburg and tied our train down in the yard...

With no more than 8 hours rest I was called Christmas Eve December 24th on a dogcatch to Chicago. Train was the GALIHB. The Engineer and I caught the train at Logistics Park and brought the train into Blue Island, IL. I think we were on duty for a total of 11 hours and 55 minutes.... tied up and went to my hotel room for some much needed rest. I was woken 8 hours later by the hotel phone... picked it up and low and behold it was the railroad calling me to deadhead back home on Amtrak. I took my 2 hour call, got up, watched some tv, and had dinner. I made my way down to the lobby where I found my other crew members... I was told Amtrak wouldn't be running due to mechanical problems so we caught a ride on a Z train out of Willow Springs back to Galesburg. I was only on duty for about 5 hours tied up and went home for the evening.

My next trip out was the morning of December 27th. I was on duty at 0600 for a empty hopper train to Creston, IA as a conductor. These trips are sweet. Mileage on the trip one way is 233 miles not too shabby on the money part. The engineer and I had a great time all in all it was a good trip. Our trip back home was on a loaded coal train we were on duty December 28th at 1400.

I ended up making one more trip to Chicago on December 30th. I was on duty at 1300 for a stack train to LPC Logistics Park Chicago. We had a fast 70mph run on the transcon and made it to LPC in under 4 hours. On the 28th I deadheaded back home.

Things were really starting to slow down in Galesburg traffic wise... There were people already on the furlough boards and I knew my time was coming to be placed there too. I managed to make a trip out to Ottumwa, IA on the local and that was it for me. I was bumped off the Brakemans board on January 2nd and furloughed January 8th 2009.

Bay Area Railroading

While I was on my recall in California I managed to work round the clock. In my earlier post I talked about the pool turn I was on. I lasted on it for a good 4 months until I was bumped. I really got used to it and enjoyed it....

I took my 48 bump and ended up placing myself on a yard job located in Oakland, CA This particular job was a swing shift. It worked the following days WED THR starting at 0630, FRI SAT starting at 1431, and SUN at 2230 rest days were MON and TUE. I held this job for 2 months straight which was great. Each day we would usually build a baretable train, or start on a stack train that would eventually head off to Chicago, IL or Clovis, NM. All the switching fun came to end when I was bumped, I placed my self back into road service on short pool....this was the middle of November and made a few quick trips to Stockton and back to Oakland.

I was bumped again and placed on the Brakemans extraboard in Richmond, with that being said I was the lowest in seniority on the Brakemans XTRA list I was forced to the 2nd Pittsburg Roadswitcher out in Pittsburg, CA as the brakeshoe..(just another name for the brakeman) I worked it for about 2 weeks and was bumped. I made a ton of money out there... 12 hour days not too shabby.

On December 8th 2008 almost 6 months working on my recall in California, I was notified by crew support that my recall was lifted and that I could go back to the midwest. I left that day... I was so excited to go back home.

Railroading

I haven't posted in a while. I've been very busy bouncing around the country being in Chicago, IL one day and all of a sudden getting a recall notice to head back to Richmond, CA for work, this was due to a shortage of manpower . This event took place back on June 5th 2008. I ended up taking my notice and had 5 days to report to Richmond. I packed a couple bags of cloths and headed out to California. The drive was alright, I made it in 2 days. Once in Richmond I contacted my manager and was placed on the familiarization board. I was only allowed 2 trips to Fresno and 1 trip out of the OIG to Stockton via the UP. I finished familiarizing and marked up on short pool Oakland to Stockton via the BNSF. Due to contract issues with the UP we were not allowed to run up to Sacramento and down the valley anymore.... this particular turn I was on went out every day sometimes on my rest, and when your only making a basic day per trip this is very nice thing....