Re: Re-Positioning the helper in Antonito . . .

Don McGovern Wrote:
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> Double headed trains from Alamosa to Antonito
> have both locos on the head end but then would
> place the helper part way back in the train.  I un-
> derstand why they would do this from Antonito
> west but why to Antonio.  Because of higher
> speeds Alamosa to Antonito?

gregcoit Wrote:
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> I'm going to take some guesses here.
>
> I think the the reason for putting the helper mid-
> train or even just in front of the caboose was to
> reduce the chances of pulling a drawbar on the
> grades.  This would be less likely between Ala-
.> mosa and Antonito.
>
> The question then becomes why wait until Anto-
> nito to setup this configuration?  I'm not coming
> up with any decent guesses here.


Don, Greg et al -

IIRC, it had to do with the different jobs assigned to hostlers, yard (switching) crews, and over-the-road train crews.  The hostlers would service both engines and couple the helper in front of the road engine, then they (or the road crew?) moved the two engines through the yard, coupled them to the front of a train previously assembled by the yard crew, and pumped up the air.  Neither the hostler nor the road crew was allowed to insert the helper into the train, as this would involve some switching and was therefor the job of the yard crew.  Once they were out of the yard the road crew was authorized to do switching as necessary, so all flanger trains and any freights long enough to justify moving the helper to the middle or rear of the train would be re-arranged during the fuel and water stop in Antonito.

- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender