Train Operations Ep 1 Preview

"Extra 5058" is the first episode of a new video series. This new series, "Train Operations on Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision", will highlight daily freight train operations over Raton Pass.

The first episode highlights the journey of "Extra 5058", as it picks up and delivers freight cars between Raton New Mexico and Trinidad Colorado and returns to Raton after completing other assignments in the Subdivision. All the while, "Extra 5058" must stay out of the way of the high priority daily scheduled freight trains. This can be difficult because sometimes cars have to be left on the mainline during switching operations in Raton and Trinidad, and many times yard switchers must pull out of the yard onto the mainline to complete their switching chores.

After switching chores are complete and Extra 5058 is ready to depart Raton for Trinidad, the crew must take the loaded freight train over the 3.5% ruling grades of Raton Pass. Most railroads try to never construct any track over 1 - 1.5% on their mainline. Raton's 3.5% ruling grade is the steepest railroad grade in the United States for a Class 1 railroad. The steep climb requires lots of HP, but the grade going down is just as steep and dangerous. Dynamic brakes must be fully functional on all units and train brakes must be working perfectly to safely descend the pass.

The grades of Raton Pass are so treacherous for trains and crew that the Santa Fe Railway enforced a strict speed limit of 15 mph while ascending and descending the pass. Coupled with the speed restrictions within yard limits of Raton and Trinidad and you can see that nothing happens very fast on this dangerous district.

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