Union Pacific No. 844
Load Weight on Axles

In March 2006, Wasatch Railroad Contractors performed an evaluation of Union Pacific No. 844's load weight on axles. This evaluation determines whether or not the weight of the locomotive is distributed properly across all axles, and can help to find faults in the suspension system. Below are pictures of the weighing process taking place at the UP Steam Shops in Cheyenne, WY.

To properly weigh the load on each locomotive axle, a few modifications had to be made. The blue canister or "cell" is one part of the scale. Two cells (one for each side of the locomotive) are propped into position by fabricated pedestals. Directly above each cell is a short section of rail called a "Dutchman". The Dutchman is allowed to float between the rail sections and the joint bars.	Once the scales were set up and calibrated, the locomotive was carefully moved into position with each axle resting squarely on the Dutchman. As seen here, a laser line assists in making sure each axle is centered over the scales for an accurate measurement. Once a load weight on axle was measured, the locomotive was moved for the next axle.

After comparing the measurements with manufacturer's specifications, an overloaded axle was discovered, and the problem was traced to a spring hanger of the wrong size. While No. 844 has not had a critical bearing or suspension breakdown since its return to service last year, this discovery affords shop crews the opportunity of fixing a potential problem now instead of giving the chance for a breakdown to occur while on the road. A properly balanced suspension system will go a long way to making the 844 a reliable locomotive for years to come.

These scales provided by Jackson Aircraft Weighing Service are normally used for weighing many different types of aircraft, but also work well for use in railroad-industry applications.