With higher-tonnage trains traversing the hump, the Diesel Shop recently noted an alarming amount of wear and tear on normally constructed hump sets. Its solution: add more power.
By adding a second locomotive to a hump set, creating what’s locally known as a super humper, the Belt will be able to protect its power and help its longevity.
It’s been five years since this configuration has been deployed, but its use will continue into the foreseeable future with good reason. Since the dual-locomotive hump sets have been back in business, there’s been a drop in breakdowns and none have been related to overexertion.