Re: Doubleheading versus pushing

John West Wrote:
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> How would all this change (or would it change) if
> the second engine were cut in ahead of the caboose
> and pushing?
>
> JBWX


In this case it would be going back to knowing how much tonnage you had, and knowing that, you probably needed to work the engine in "this notch" on the Johnson Bar to get the desired results. With the helper on the rear, it can only push so much of the train, the road engine up front handles the rest. If the engineer up front wants to slow down, he simply eases off, and the train slows. Mid train helpers on the hill are about the same. Where it gets kinda weird is when we did Phraudo Freights westbound with only 20 cars or so, and the mid-train helper is back there for show only. Giving just a bit of help back there is bigger guessing game.

When we stopped for water with the helper back in the train, we'd transfer the air to the helper engine to make the spot. I think the "official way" of do that was to be stopping, past the spot, uncoupling and backing the helper down for water. Then after watering, pulling back ahead, coupling up, and proceeding. The big roads did it that way.