Selkirk Yard photos

Another highlight of the PCRRHS convention, was a visit to Selkirk Yard. Forget about what you think is "big." Trust me, this place is HUGE! 8,000 freight cars can be spotted here! First stop was the dispatcher's office. All of the track that Selkirk controls is depicted as lines up on TV screens around the room. Track switches are blue, and trains show up as various colored rectangles. Very cool place. After that, we drove over to the hump yard. Not *that* kind of hump!

A hump yard is used to sort cars into freight trains. A cut (group) of cars is pushed up a hill by a locomotive. When they get atop the hill, the couplers are disconnected, and the car rolls down the hill. Momentum carries the car down. Retarders are used to slow them, so they don't hit too hard, and damage merchandise. Locomotives used here are EMD SD38s, paired with slug units. Slugs are engines without prime moves. They just contain traction motors, which get their power from the SD38.

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A cut of cars is shoved up the hump. This was a pretty long group... for just one engine and slug set.

A Wisconsin Central boxcar prepares to go over the hump. Coupler hasn't been disconnected yet.

Another shot showing some disconnected couplers. These must be separated by pulling on the lever, while the air hoses come apart by themselves.
The cut of cars has to back up. Something jammed ahead of it. Since they've lost momentum, they reverse down the hump. Eventually, they'll head back up it.

A trainload of garbage-hauling cars is shoved up the hump. These cars are destined for a waste-to-energy incinerator. In the distance (behind the light pole) is another SD38 and slug set.

I took this shot from the massive tower that looms over the hump. These are two ex-Conrail engines. From here, I haven't a clue what they are. Notice the white-painted cab roofs. This helps keep them cooler in the summer.

A CP Rail train approaches the yard. It will pass under where I'm standing... thru a *huge* culvert under the hump. The next few shots are of the same train.

Same train, just a bit closer. The lead unit appears to be an SD40, followed by an SD40F "Red Barn." Just a few more feet, and it'll be in the tunnel.

This is acually the lead unit. It's an SD40-2, built in the late '70s or early '80s. CPR just *loves* EMD SD40s!

This is the trailing unit, right behind the "Red Barn SD40F. I'd assume this one to be an SD40 as well. It has a winterization hatch on one of the radiator fans. This hatch has shutters which can be adjusted to help heat circulation in the winter.

Central Penn Station

Photo Galleries

	A cut of cars is shoved up the hump. This was a pretty long group... for just one engine and slug set.
	A Wisconsin Central boxcar prepares to go over the hump. Coupler hasn't been disconnected yet.
	Another shot showing some disconnected couplers. These must be separated by pulling on the lever, while the air hoses come apart by themselves.
	The cut of cars has to back up. Something jammed ahead of it. Since they've lost momentum, they reverse down the hump. Eventually, they'll head back up it.
	A trainload of garbage-hauling cars is shoved up the hump. These cars are destined for a waste-to-energy incinerator. In the distance (behind the light pole) is another SD38 and slug set.
	I took this shot from the massive tower that looms over the hump. These are two ex-Conrail engines. From here, I haven't a clue what they are. Notice the white-painted cab roofs. This helps keep them cooler in the summer.
	A CP Rail train approaches the yard. It will pass under where I'm standing... thru a huge culvert under the hump. The next few shots are of the same train.
	Same train, just a bit closer. The lead unit appears to be an SD40, followed by an SD40F "Red Barn." Just a few more feet, and it'll be in the tunnel.
	This is acually the lead unit. It's an SD40-2, built in the late '70s or early '80s. CPR just loves EMD SD40s!
	This is the trailing unit, right behind the "Red Barn SD40F. I'd assume this one to be an SD40 as well. It has a winterization hatch on one of the radiator fans. This hatch has shutters which can be adjusted to help heat circulation in the winter.