Re: Braking?

John West Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the train had work to do going up the hill,
> would the added cars come in handy for braking?
>
> Or it might have been one crew helping another
> out. I can remember instances of doing stuff on a
> handshake because everyone came out ahead (no time
> slip, ok?). Maybe it saved the freight crews
> making an extra turn and got them home to Alamosa
> faster.
>
> JBWX

I saw an example of this in South Africa in 1984 John. We were on the Bethlehem line on a Friday doing some scouting. We headed away from Bethlehem on this single track 100% steam line, but it had light traffic.
We ran into a freight that was doubleheaded en route to Bethlehem. When It stopped at Fourisburg I got a cab ride. It turned out that it was 2 trains which decided to combine for the last portion of the run. Doubleheaders were not often seen on this line. Maybe an example of that handshake deal, or a dispatcher suggested it.
Greg