Union Pacific tests 3.5 mile long intermodal train

[Lunican]

Earlier this year, Union Pacific quietly ran a record-setting "monster" freight train over its Sunset Route, from Dallas to Long Beach, using the 3.5-mile-long behemoth during a one-time test of new distributed-power configurations that may help make long trains even longer. Distributed-power units (DPUs) are extra locomotives that are placed between or behind freight cars on very long trains to help them haul long, heavy loads without derailing.

295 cars with 618 shipping containers hauling 15,500 tons.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/transportation/4345689.html

http://www.youtube.com/v/jdIzRFOaTCY&hl=en_US&fs=1&

[Captain Zissou]

Wow.

I'd hate to have to load or unload one of those.  Do the trains break apart at the DPUs and serve different destinations, or does the train stay completely intact the whole time??

[Ocklawaha]

Wow.

I'd hate to have to load or unload one of those.  Do the trains break apart at the DPUs and serve different destinations, or does the train stay completely intact the whole time??

No Captain, they can, but usually a "unit train" is one unit, one customer, one route, and nearly non-stop. The DPU'S or helper locomotives are necessary on such tonnage as the train will pull out or break couplers and draw bars. The DPU's help prevent a slack run out which in 3.5 miles, is enough to break a man in half (goodbye to cabooses).


OCKLAWAHA

[Dog Walker]

Isn't that also a pretty straight, flat route? 

Ock, how are the intermediate engines controlled by the engineer in the first locomotive?

[buckethead]

They must've had to hit the breaks in Albuquerque.

I always wanted to use the albuquerque thing in a post!

[Ocklawaha]

Isn't that also a pretty straight, flat route? 

Ock, how are the intermediate engines controlled by the engineer in the first locomotive?

Not really, it crests the divide at 4,500 feet +/- in New Mexico, with other passes in (Beaumont) California, and Arizona. There was once a second mainilne from El Paso to Phoenix via the El Paso Southwestern Railroad, which crossed about 160 feet higher but closer to the Mexican border.

Control? In the old days it required a full "helper" crew to run the remote locomotives. Today that can be done either through hard wire cable connections or most likely on freight, radio control.

Sorry buckethead, but it doesn't get any closer to Albuquerque then Jacksonville is from Miami! The Sunset Route being... Los Angeles - Phoenix - Tuscon - Deming - El Paso -  SIERRA BLANCA - San Antonio - Houston - New Orleans. The old "Texas Eagle Route" ran from SIERRA BLANCA - Midland - Ft. Worth - Dallas. So reality is this train ran over two of the old named routes.


OCKLAWAHA