Bags of power

[martyn williams]

I was involved in coupling up these locos, the reason that there are so many.They were required for weekend ballast trains in the Southampton area, so 9 were sent from South Wales. When they finnished their weekend work they returned to Wales, four staying at Newport and five for Margam.The locos then resumed their normal duties on coal, container and steel trains.
[video]http://youtu.be/OUr_rtycs00[/video]

[modelman093]

That's pretty impressive. What's involved in that couple up, presumably brakes but what else?

[martyn williams]

Just Buckeys couplers and two air pipes and the brake E70 unit isolated when towed.They are fitted with jumper cables but we did not use them as the locos were towed. Each loco is 3300 hp. They are sometimes run in a top and tail formation on some jobs.A loco at each end of the train so no run rounds to do.
Martyn

[modelman093]

Just Buckeys couplers and two air pipes and the brake E70 unit isolated when towed.They are fitted with jumper cables but we did not use them as the locos were towed. Each loco is 3300 hp. They are sometimes run in a top and tail formation on some jobs.A loco at each end of the train so no run rounds to do.
Martyn

Is that for the need for power or just convenience?
Seen pictures of double, triple and even quadruple headed diesel hauled trains in the USA; do we ever double head over here?

[topkit]

We certainly do double head over here, i don't know about know but we used to couple up or locos on the southern region in to ways - multiple which is where you couple the locos together using a screw coupling connect both brake papes and an electronic jumper lead this allows you to operate both locos from 1 set of controls there is nothing better than being at the controls of a double header and pulling away from a standstill withh all of that power and best of all the noise, the other way to couple up locos was known as Tandem which is were the locos are coupled up together including the brakes but you have a crew on each loco we only used this when we ranlocos light (which is railway talk for just the locomotives) no train behind them it was an easy way to get two locos back to the depot so one crew could get away home early!!

[martyn williams]

We used to run three class 37's in multiple on iron ore trains in the 1970's 3000 tonne
With locos these days on 3300 hp its is not as common as it use to be
These Colas class 56 's are a regular sight now. each loco is 3200hp
[video]http://youtu.be/rm48joT0VhE[/video]

[martyn williams]

A pair of 37's that I had worked on ,on a coal from Cwmbargoed to aberthaw If you had a jumper cable fault it was possible for the locos to go in different directions
[video]http://youtu.be/vlNX2V9KQJY[/video]

[martyn williams]

This shot has everything , cranes and trains.Bob Masterman takes some gread video. See my mate in the banking loco giving this heavy train a shove up the bank
[video]http://youtu.be/fL4hQRNRnsM[/video]

[modelman093]

Found this on another forum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoIu_cs03Tw

[martyn williams]

With heavy Cats they could have damaged the track more than the derailed wagon. In the UK they use hydraulic jacks and beams.Much easier and quicker. Good video , must be a specialist re rail gang on that job with track pad fitted to the tractors.I guess that happens a lot in the USA. On tank trains you have to be very aware of spark risks. Last Thursday we had Network rail managers and firefighters asking us about the wagons. It seems that the don't do many rail incident training days any more .This is not good and alarming.
Martyn