Re: C&TS added ridership

Gregg:
My memory is a little thin but I think that 463 can handle 9 cars and the 487 either 11 or 12 cars up Cumbres grade. There are generally only a couple of places I have seen the trains get into trouble, one is at the "S" curve where they tend to slip and just about Coxo. As far as East bound there would be no impedments clear to Cumbres as it is a pretty steady 1 1/2% grade. I think the 4 trip schedule is more predicated upon not running on Monday which has been traditionally a poor day and getting enough time to be sure that 487 gets the attention it needs between trips without interupting the schedules of rebuilds on the other engines. There was a most interesting analysis made earlier in the week on getting the locos back in service and the scheduling of rebuilds although I think that it left out the possibility of putting either 482 or 492 back in service as part of the overall plan in the future. My understanding is that 492 was shopped right before the end and has little time since the last rebuild on it. It it passed the new tighter inspection standards it might be back in no time.
Frank