Helper – Part 2

13th Sept – Soldier Summit

Was up early on the 13th to go train hunting. Nothing happening at Helper Depot, and Utah Railway looked quiet too. Headed up to Wildcat loadout to check for any trains there, but nothing their either. Not looking good. Drove up to Soldier Summit and endured the perpetual US-6 road works. Was only waiting at Soldier Summit for a few minutes before a BNSF manifest (assorted freight) showed up headed by 3 locos.

 
Three BNSF locos roar up to the crest of Soldier Summit on a dreary Sunday.

 

 
Emerging from one of the twin tunnels on between Soldier Summit and Helper.

Followed this train down, but just as we approached Helper it crossed a Union Pacific manifest heading back up the hill! I chased this back up to Castle Gate where it was passed by a train of Herzog hoppers full of ballast; mountain railroading was a live today! The UP/Herzog train had 3 big GEs on the front and another two pushing on the rear, although cos they were loaded and headed downhill there wasn't much to hear. Followed the UP manifest up to the summit

 
Uphill UP manifest / downhill UP/Herzog ballast train.

 
Struggling up towards Soldier Summit in inclement weather.

 
And again / easing downhill through Gilluly.

Watched it through the curves of Gilluly where it folds back on itself to gain elevation. Then shortly after it had passed me another train came round the corner, heading back towards Soldier Summit. This was a very long train, working very hard with three GEs on the front (on in Southern Pacific colours). At first it looked like a normal train, but then I saw that it was a complete maintenance-of-way train, with everything needed to do all sorts of track work. It went on and on and on. The first half of the train had all the support vehicles, busses, trucks and so forth. The second half had dozens and dozens and dozens of specialised yellow track machinery. I only recognised a few of the machines. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more track maintenance machines in that train than ALL of NZ!

 
Wagon after wagon of UP maintenance vehicles

 
Wagon after wagon of track maintenance machines

 
Part of the train..!

While watching the train pass at Gilluly the rain set in quite heavily, and apart from a grumpy wet video camera, the dirt road we'd driven in on had become very sticky mud, and we went for a bit of a slide in places on the way out. Poor car left a trail of mud up the highway for a while!

The train arrived into Helper and sat for an hour or so while they changed crews. The entire time it was blocking the crossing outside our motel; no wonder they have such quiet bells fitted to it! Luckily there is an underpass just up the road so it's no big deal.

 
Arriving into Helper yard / Front nose door open (this is how they get into the cab). Note how the loco towers over the person.