BNSF Coal Train Battling up Agency Hill 5/11/24

In the small town of Agency, Iowa is BNSF's Ottumwa Subdivision. In this area, trains have to tackle a 5 mile hill that ranges from 0.5-0.9%. While not the steepest, heavy freight trains are still often seen on their knees, clawing at the rails to get a grip up and over the summit. After a day of chasing CP 2816 through southern Iowa, my friends and I ran into BNSF C-BAMCEJ with two GE's bending through the superelevated curve at Cemetery Road. We could hear the rumbling of the engines quite a ways away as they struggled up the hill. Overtime they started picking up more speed and had a bit more momentum as the heavy coal hoppers pushed them over the nearby crest. At the back was an SD70ACe putting in a good bit of work as a helper. To those unfamiliar with Iowa, one might thing its flat as a pancake when in reality, it's actually quite hilly. Also I hope you enjoy the clip of the Baltimore Oriole at the start!

Train Info:
ID: BNSF BNSF C-BAMCEJ EB
Subdivision: Ottumwa
Time: 4:37 PM (16:37)
Origin: Belle Ayre Jct, WY
Destination: Centralia, IL
Locomotives:
BNSF 5825 - GE ES44AC
BNSF 5794 - GE ES44AC
BNSF 9316 - EMD SD70ACe (DPU)

Links:

[AlikStansberry]

All 3 units gave good sound on that coal drag! Also liked the K5HL.

[m_railfan]

Decent K5HL on that thing. Almost thought it was a K3LA

[TheWinnipegRailfan]

fascinating, ive never seen a baltimore oreol before! i like bird!

[chrisdaniell]

What's the reoccurring squeaking sound that sounds separate from the train consist? (could be my ears playing tricks on me??)

[keirastrains]

That crossing was going for a while before the train showed up. Do trains normally go faster through here?