Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
I am a train engineer on UPRR. On Monday night I was taking a 15 thousand ton train down a canon from Steamboat to Denver (2% grade). It was snowing, raining and windy. This canon has 2000 ft drop offs. For some reason I slowed the train down from 20 mph to 6 mph, 1/4 mile later came across a rock slide covering the tracks 10 ft high w/ rocks the size of coke machines. Placed the train in emergency (FULL BRAKES) and got stopped 15 ft before it. Scared the He!! Out of me. If I would have been going 20 mph, the slide would have derailed and train could have gone off the cliff. Now for the part in believing, I took couple of days off to relax and spend time at home and reflect on life. I come across a 1892 Winchester 24 inch in 45 lc. I have wanted for some time. NIB - 700 shipped. GOD has blessed me. THANKS [img][/img]
Last edited by Jay Bird on Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I really love to hear such experiences, and look forward to each issue of Guideposts magazine for similar stories. Go a few of my own to tell . . . but that's for later. Thanks for sharing.
Your post gets extra points for the last paragraph, which makes it an on-topic post!
Seriously, I am curious -- what make and model UPRR power units were heading up that train?
Reason I ask, my late maternal grandfather was a B&O engineer and retired in 1962. I get my interest in trains from him, and have all of his old EMD manuals for FTs, F3s, F7s, E7s, E9s, GP7s, GP9s, and SW 1s and SW7s. I also have his old ICS course books on air brakes and steam locomotives. At one point, I knew the engine RPM of a Series 567 in each throttle position. And I recall that on old EMD equipment, throttle position 1 is idle, and position 2 was idle with the traction motors switched in.
My grandfather was in the first class of B&O engineers who were sent to EMD at LaGrange to learn how to operate the first diesel-electrics purchased by the B&O. After being there several weeks, the class of engineers brought back to Baltimore the first A-B-B-A "covered wagons" with B&O colors.
Noah
Might as well face it, you're addicted to guns . . .
In the winter of 1959 I saw the remains of a heard of mule deer that were on that track, blocked by the piled snow and canon wall.
Not much left of those that got under the train.
Not a pretty sight but there was a pretty sight, about 5'4" and built like a body should be, at the end of the trip to Kremmling.
Dude Jr.,
Now that you told the story to the whole world and your Mother has seen it, I am once AGAIN in the dog house for supporting your decision to move to Colorado to work on the R.R. I demand that you send me that new '92, plus brass, primers and some Keith 452190's. (250 gr. RN)
Anyway, good snag on the rifle (good price too )and listen to your pappa. Slug that bore before buying bullets and as I have no experience in loading these new '92's, maybe some of the boys here can suggest a proper cast bullet design. And no, I'm not casting them for you
BTW, did you find us a good elk huntin' spot along the tracks that no one else can get to?------------Yo Pappa
1st. Gen. Colt SAA’s, 1878 D.A.45 and a 38-55 Marlin TD
Jr.,
I had a friend of mine who has since passed on, but his dad was an engineer back in the 1930's. He always said he never wanted to run a passenger train because he didn't want the responsibility. He was killed when his engine derailed even though it was a freight train.
If you're gonna be stupid ya gotta be tough-
Isiah 55:8&9
It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
Sixgun wrote:I demand that you send me that new '92, plus brass, primers and some Keith 452190's. (250 gr. RN)
Hmmm,
A bullet cast from a .452 mould will work in a 45 Colt?
I have a vintage 4 gang Ideal mould 452374 (225gr RN)
for 45ACP I believe will clean up nicely. I don't have a 45
and won't for awhile, anyone interested in it?
Jay
KI6WZU
NRA member
"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'present' or 'not guilty.'"
--President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
“Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner”
Great story! Great engineering! Great rifle! Glad ya heard the Voice, too.
You can post all the railroad stories you want and I'll read 'em all. I love that kind of stuff!
I could have sworn that the SD series was a GM (EMD) engine series and the GE's were the big AC4300's?
I am not much of a GE fan, but I sure loved the SD-45's and SD40's. They were pretty engines made by EMD. Over my computer I have a painting of the EMD (GM) FP-45 and the SDP45F.
Glad to hear you were fine. I envy you as an engineer. That is my alternative career choice if the oil industry tanks some day.
Sixgun wrote:I demand that you send me that new '92, plus brass, primers and some Keith 452190's. (250 gr. RN)
Hmmm,
A bullet cast from a .452 mould will work in a 45 Colt?
I have a vintage 4 gang Ideal mould 452374 (225gr RN)
for 45ACP I believe will clean up nicely. I don't have a 45
and won't for awhile, anyone interested in it?
Jay
PM sent
Jeremy
GySgt USMC Ret
To err is human, To forgive is devine, Neither of which is Marine Corps policy Semper Fidelis
Whew! That was a close one, Sixgun Jr. I think Someone must have some plans for you.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester. Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
Sixgunjr,
I ran trains for 33 years. Operated in the Appalachian Mtns. of Western North Carolina for most of that time. Spring of 1997, or there abouts, a cloud burst occured between Old Fort and Ridgecrest. A culvert stopped up with debree and dammed up a good sized pond on the north side of the track. I had 7 GE Dash-9 locomotives in the consist and noticed when I rounded a curve that the track looked odd. As I crossed over the culvert, the whole fill gave way and washed out under me. I got the train stopped after the whole consist plus three cars passed over the slide. When I went back to look, nothing was there except the rail and the crossties hanging to it. Wash out was about 150 ft wide and 150 ft deep. All 7 locomotives went across plus the 3 cars. Old rail sagged but never broke. That CWR 132 lb rail is tough. 'Spect God was under there holding things up also.
Continue to trust the Almighty! He took care of me for 33 years out there. He'll look after you too. One thing I found out--He looked after me even when I didn't know I needed looking out for.
Best Wishes,
ole pizen slinger
Are you sure they were GE SD90's?
Sorry, had to look it up, Time table say's EMD made sd90's. I like guns and motorcycles more then locomotives. olo pizen slinger, God might be a rail fan.
If you look back at the post I believe you will see that I said they were GE Dash-9's. You are correct that EMD manufactured the SD class of locomotives. Yep, hope God has trains in Heaven otherwise what will all us old hoggers do?
God Bless,
ole pizen slinger
Sixgun jr wrote:I am a train engineer on UPRR. On Monday night I was taking a 15 thousand ton train down a canon from Steamboat to Denver (2% grade). It was snowing, raining and windy. This canon has 2000 ft drop offs. For some reason I slowed the train down from 20 mph to 6 mph, 1/4 mile later came across a rock slide covering the tracks 10 ft high w/ rocks the size of coke machines. Placed the train in emergency (FULL BRAKES) and got stopped 15 ft before it. Scared the He!! Out of me. If I would have been going 20 mph, the slide would have derailed and train could have gone off the cliff. Now for the part in believing, I took couple of days off to relax and spend time at home and reflect on life. I come across a 1892 Winchester 24 inch in 45 lc. I have wanted for some time. NIB - 700 shipped. GOD has blessed me. THANKS [img][/img]
Glad yoy folks weren't hurt!
Looks like it worked out very well though. Are you Jack's son?
Terrorists: They hated you yesterday, they hate you today, and they will hate you tomorrow.
End the cycle of hatred, don't give them a tomorrow.
I've had more than a few Train guys tell me - It's not "IF" you derail/hit a car it's "WHEN" you derail/hit a car...
Providence favors those who lisen to the wind...
C2N14... because life is not energetic enough. מנא, מנא, תקל, ופרסין Daniel 5:25-28... Got 7.62?
Not Depressed enough yet? Go read National Geographic, July 1976 Gott und Gewehr mit uns!
Sixgun wrote:...as I have no experience in loading these new '92's, maybe some of the boys here can suggest a proper cast bullet design....a good elk huntin' spot along the tracks that no one else can get to?
I might be willing to share info on my favorite .45 Colt cast bullets in exchange for an "in" on that secret elk spot no one can get to! Just got back here to page 2 and read this story. Yep, narrow misses like that mean that someone's got an eye out on ya. Pay attention to those "gut feelings"!
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession! AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
I can remember working in a rail yard with a welder, working on some trains coming down from Canada's North East, finding Moose legs, and other miscellaneous parts stuck and jambed in things. Those trains have energy thats hard for the mind to comprehend.
Glad your safe, but most of glad you recognize why! God it good!
Glad you are OK. Monday was a rough day in the mountains with that 70 car pileup on I-70 near Vail. Was in Glenwood Springs and it was snowing pretty hard.
Scared the He!! Out of me. If I would have been going 20 mph, the slide would have derailed and train could have gone off the cliff. 
Now for the part in believing, I took couple of days off to relax and spend time at home and reflect on life. I come across a 1892 Winchester 24 inch in 45 lc. I have wanted for some time. NIB - 700 shipped. GOD has blessed me. THANKS
][/img]
olo pizen slinger, God might be a rail fan. 