UP Trace shows it arrived Belvidere about 1430 yesterday.

As of this morning, it's sitting in front of Barn 2. You can see it if you go to http://irm.org and click Mainline camera.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Okay, here are some pictures from Percy.

From my phone:
view out the engineer's front window
the best reason to leave the cab between runs

From a friend:
the "driver" surveys the platform
And from a couple of weeks earlier on July 2, throwing the 50th Ave. switch back toward the West Wye. It's a very tough switch. I had to heave it several times just to get it far enough to put my foot on it.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I seem to recall someone mentioning that the Brick, as it's called, has 450 VDC traction motors, so we would have to include some resistance in the circuit to step it down.

Someone else just said they had the same trucks and motors as Fairbanks Morse Trainmaster diesels, deliberately specified for compatibility. So the motors would be 600 V.

Perhaps I was thinking of the Pennsylvania RR GG1s as 450 V.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Spent my 1st month as a postie at Mount Pleasant while waiting for a vacancy to occur at WCDO. After coming off the Underground, the LPOR was like something out of "Hobbitland" :-)

Mail Rail to reopen as a muesum

{Starting to write Sunday night. We'll see how far I get.}

Saturday: On paper (well, paper if anyone printed out the online crew list), I was a trainman on 1630, but hoping to just be dispatcher. No such luck. A-Sup decided to give that job to the newly qualified conductor... at least until he had to leave at 3:00. But I'm getting ahead of myself. When I arrived just before 10:00, the 4000s* were already out on Station 1 but unable to go anywhere because Track Dept. was out on the Main with a tamper and a regulator, fixing multiple slow orders, until 11:00. Meanwhile, a trainee on 3142 (the same one as last Sunday) was trying to qualify, unexpectedly because she hadn't known a qualifier would be present. She kept getting disrupted and restricted, first by the Track machines coming back and going to different spots to park, then by Com Ed 15 and Army 8537 switching diesels all over the place, plus additional track machines moving out of their way.

1630 was taking its good time getting out of the Service Lead, although it was making lots of smoke which hung low and I had to drive through on my way in. 4290 finally left shortly after 11:00. 1630 was finally ready to come out about 11:40, just before 4290 came by westbound. Dispatcher allowed 1630 out to the West Wye, then to the train after 4290 came in. However, there was a rather large crowd and it would take time to pump up the air and test the brakes, so 4290 went again at noon. When we finally let people on the train, it filled up quickly and we had to ask a few to get off and wait for the next trip. We got orders for a 12:30 departure meeting 4290 at East Switch, to the Grove, west to Signal 91 and call. Student Engineer (first day) made a quick but smooth departure, but about knocked the passengers off their seats starting back west from Kishwaukee Grove. A-Sup was Conductor and talked to him when we got back, and he took it easy the rest of the day. 4290 got a 1:00 departure, meeting us at East Switch and back to 91, but it was more like 1:05. We got a 1:30, but it was closer to 1:40 by the time 4290 came by.

{Now writing Monday morning. Remarkably, didn't edit anything from last night.}

When we got back from that trip, General (the streetcar qualifier; he's also a Civil War reenactor) had conditionally qualified the trainee and left her alone, and he was sitting in front of the depot. At my suggestion, he took over for me on the train and I took over for Dispatcher. The state of the railroad when I took it was 4290 was out with authority west to Signal 91 and call, 3142 was in normal rotation (a rare condition this day), and 15 was in the clear in Yard 10. I gave 1630 a 3:00, still meeting 4290 at East Switch.

Presently, 15 wanted to come out of Yard 10 and put Minnesota Transfer 200 in Track 21, but behind 1848, which was already sitting there. Diesel Guy's first idea was to shove 200 toward the Main, then pull 1848 out, grab 200, and put both back into 21. He could have done it without physically blocking the Main, but he would have dropped the signal and A-Sup would not have been happy, so he did the switch move toward the Car Line instead. I gave 4290 an order for 3:30, but they couldn't go because 15 was precisely spotting 200 inside the barn and had left the switch open. Finally, he popped back out and went into 22, closing the switch, and 4290 departed. But then 15 wanted to come out of 22, through Station 1, and up the West Wye to the South Yard Connector. I let him do it, not realizing that he would take the Brick with him. Going through 1 at that time was a bit hazardous because 1630 was coming in and people were watching it, but I figured it would be worse once 1630 stopped and 200+ more people climbed off. I helped keep people off the crossing by the gift shop. Once 15 was in the Connector, he wanted to go out the other end to drop the Brick in Yard 15. He asked to leave the switches open, promising to come right back out. I held 3142 at Electric Park and let him do it. 15 minutes and a lot of radio chatter later, he came back out and said he wanted to do some switching at the north end of the Connector. I let 3142 come around to Depot St. and let him do that; it turned out he'd brought the CNW twins out of Yard 15 for display for Diesel Days two weeks from now and the UP employee picnic the week after that (UP is also sending us 1988 and 1996 for those events). I let 3142 go to Electric Park again.

About this time, 1630 was smoking out the platforms again. I called and told the fireman to relax, the next trip is at 4:30. 15 got the twins lined into the Thomas track, but they had to tie into and shove the four coaches parked there, and the ground man had to go chase people out of those cars first. They reported being clear of the Car Line, so I let 3142 come around. I found out later she was very nervous about springing through that switch; it's only been a spring for about a year and she'd never done that before. Then 15 came out of the Thomas track and back to 10 again. Once more to the Park for 3142.

4290 came back. The crowd had finally thinned out considerably. General went back to 3142 so he could watch her put it in the barn (that was the "conditional" on her qualification, and he never did it when he qualified me), but there were so few people on 1630 for the 4:30 that they just ran with A-Sup and Eager New Guy. I wasn't sure if 4290 would run a cleanup, but they stayed out for the time being. 15 came out of 10 again, I don't remember with what (maybe nothing) and went into 23. I asked if he was going to do anything else; yeah, go home. Sounds good to me. Gave 3142 normal rotation, which was maybe two more laps. They went to bed just before 1630 got back. I gave 4290 a nominal 5:20, no meets to the Grove, no meets west to Signal 151 and call. They actually left closer to 5:25. 1630 cut off, leaving the water bottle behind, and I gave him the entire order all the way back to the Service Leads. While waiting for 4290 to come back, I closed three of the five doors in the depot and shut off the *&^$ video. When they did come back, I had to put myself inside the depot to keep people from going that way and leaving the doors open again. Once a few people had gone potty, I closed the other doors, grabbed my stuff, and went back to my car, pausing to close Barn 3. I had told 3142 to leave the Tail Track switch open, so when I sent 4290 to bed it was open for them, but they had to close it. I drove around to the diner, latched the door to Barn 7 (General said over dinner he couldn't find the latch when he closed it), and went in the diner to wash my hands. 4290 called to say they were off controlled track. I repeated it, thanked them, and announced the Dispatcher is off duty. Then I went in the office to sign out and sit down. 3142 came in, talking about getting qualified and General had said she was the museum's first motorwoman (not sure if that's true, but we're not adding a new term to the rule book). While sitting there, I remembered I hadn't taken my name off the Dispatcher board; when we finally left, I forgot again. But I did claim the three leftover bratwursts from the diner for lunch this week.

Okay, this is starting to get long. I'll write Sunday as a separate post.


* The CRT wood cars were scheduled to run, but some major control component was removed (presumably for repair) and the 4000s are subbing for them. Or another train, depending on available crews and their qualifications and preferences. I think that's how we ended up training on the CA&E steels Sunday.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Sunday: Taking turns with New Conductor as conductor and motorman trainee on the CA&E steels. I was also supposed to babysit an old hand who is just starting to line train on 415, in place of 3142. However, another guy who just qualified on it wanted to get some practice, so the old hand agreed to work with us so whichever of us was not running could observe the one who was. Just as well, considering my history of running 415 by myself is one trip and I broke it. But again I'm getting ahead of myself.

I arrived about 9:15 to find 8537 busily doing something with the coach train. I should point out that the conductor (who works for a real railroad) organized an entire crew of himself, trainmen, and engine crew all age 27 or less. Anyway, I was told he had bad ordered the water car for milky oil and a rotten pad in one of the journals. They set it on the track next to 1630 and then pulled the RPO from wherever it was and put it on the front of the train.

A-Sup asked the guy on 415 to be dispatcher, since he would always be on the property. Then he watched us inspect the brakes and turn on the necessary switches in the CA&E cars before turning on the barn power and raising the poles. The other trainee went first, taking it out of the barn. Once the power was off, we called Dispatcher, ready for service. He was also out of the barn, but he let us go first, to the Tail Track and reverse Car Line to Station 1. Since I wasn't running, I got off to throw switches as necessary. Once at the depot, I got the tool to inspect the journals. I had to ask A-Sup for his opinion on one, but another was low enough for me to decide on my own that it needed more oil. Then we got orders for an 11:00 trip. Surprise, surprise, 1630 wasn't ready yet when we got back. Much like Saturday, we went again at noon and 1630 went at 12:30. However, we didn't go at 1:00. 1630 went again at 1:30, although Conductor hadn't had time to get in uniform, so he turned over the train to someone older than me while he changed out of his grubbies, eliciting several comments about that guy not meeting the age requirement. On my first trip running the train, A-Sup thought I was pushing the edge of the speed limit and that I stayed in power too long instead of letting it coast. On the way back, there were trucks pulling trailers into the driveway at Karstens and I slightly overreacted, putting it in emergency... but that's why we go 10 mph approaching there. (Which reminds me: on 1630's second trip on Saturday, we stopped and started twice approaching it eastbound, for the same reason.) We went at 2:30, 1630 at 3:30, and I got my second chance at 4:30. 1630 had a throttle puller they were trying to track down so he could ride along and watch on the 3:30, so it ended up being more like 3:40.

Since our 4:30 was the last public trip, it was about 4:35. This time, we had an order to meet 1630 at Johnson on our way back. But before we got there, I heard a loud THUNK, then saw the front pole's rope whip past the window. I made a quick stop and A-Sup opened the door to check it. The pole had apparently bounced out of the hook and the retriever had done its job all too well -- the pole was down hard against the roof and he struggled and failed to get it back in the hook. While he held the pole down, the other guy had to get off to pull the rope out of the retriever until it reset. Once we were going again, 1630 was waiting for us at Johnson... and blew his whistle just as we were going by. Ouch. Then, coming back from Jefferson St., I didn't sit on the stool. This just slightly changed my view of the air gauge, which I think is why I overshot the stop at the depot. Lesson learned. Since the other guy had brought it out, I got to take it in, and he got the switches. Apparently, someone decided to mess with us. We knew we'd have to get the switch into Yard 6, but the 61/62-63/64 switch and the 61-62 switch were also wrong, and for no good reason. 415 also had to get extra switches as he followed us in. 460's pole likes to go from the Tail back toward the Car Line instead of the yard and I had to pull it out of retrieve. Next time, I'll make sure someone watches it. Going into the barn, inching up on the next car, I didn't realize what position I was holding the brake handle in and put it in emergency again, but at only a quarter mile an hour it's nothing more than embarrassing. I got it to within a few inches without hitting, which is the important thing. And this time I remembered to cut out the brake stand. Once the poles were down, I opened the panel to turn off the switches: Master Control, Pump, MG, and battery in 460. Then I placed the wood blocks that hold the doors. A-Sup shined his flashlight around and got me to see that the blocks didn't match the doors. The doors have an L and R above them, and the blocks are marked R and L. Yes, I had them reversed, although I thought that was how they had come out. But when I switched them, it was obvious they didn't fit matched. He conceded the point and I switched them back. Other guy had turned off the switches in 409, but we double checked. It's good mental reinforcement. We got our stuff off, finished the car cards, and locked up.

Speaking of lessons learned, I was trying not to, but I powered through a couple of line breaks. Twice, I forgot to cut out the brake stand when changing ends. Object lesson in DC not carrying over distances: at the Grove, four miles from the substation, the compressor was running whir-whir-whir-whir. Then I took the first point on the controller and the compressor went to whirrr-whhirrrr-whhhirrrrr-whhhirrrrrrrr. On the other hand, on my second trip A-Sup was checking me with the GPS on his phone and decided I wasn't going as fast as he thought. Or maybe I was going slower this time... but not that much. When he was watching and it was working, I maxed at 33, which makes me doubt I was going 40 the first time.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Thor visited
http://abc7.com/weather/flood-damages-train-tracks-delays-commutes-through-acton/2274393/

Friday, August 04, 2017 12:17AM
ACTON, Calif. (KABC) --
About 200 passengers ended up stuck on a Metrolink train Thursday, which was stopped after flood waters in Acton eroded part of the tracks both in front and behind the train.

The train itself and its passengers were not in any immediate danger, but rescue crews had to decide whether to evacuate the train or risk sending it back to departing station in Santa Clarita.

Metrolink spokesman Scott Johnson told Eyewitness News that the Antelope Valley Line train 215 originated at Union Station in Los Angeles and was heading toward Lancaster.

As the train passed through the Via Princessa Station in Santa Clarita, heading toward Acton, a section of ground near the tracks was washed out by the flood waters.

---

Oy. I sent an email saying I was available both days this weekend without specifying anything I wanted to do, and also not specifying anything I didn't want to do... like coach conductor both days. Guess what I did today and will probably do tomorrow.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Oy. I sent an email saying I was available both days this weekend without specifying anything I wanted to do, and also not specifying anything I didn't want to do... like coach conductor both days. Guess what I did today and will probably do tomorrow.

Saturday: Arrived early, a little after 9. While changing into my steel toe boots, the guy who ran 415 last Sunday (I'll call him W from now on) came out of the office with the handles for 415 again. He was also Dispatcher again. I went to sign in and found myself written in for coach conductor. Okay, fine. I ran into a couple of steam guys and asked when they expected to be ready. "Oh, the usual, 11:30 or 12." Fine. A-Sup was on North Shore 749. I got down to the train to find New Guy, who'd already checked the bearings. Last Sunday's conductor had not locked up the train, so all the doors were open... except the Santa Fe combine, which few of us are able to do anything with. I unlocked that, then went through and put in the chunk of wood that holds the front door shut. However, with only the one trainman, I closed the door and the gate to keep people out. While attaching the tailhose, I found questionable gouges and cracks in the o-ring on my last car's brake hose. I asked A-Sup to come look at it. He agreed it was questionable, but said I should try it and see what happened... partly because he didn't know where to get a replacement.

749 came out about 10:10 and posted 10:30 on the next train board. W gave them orders for a full round trip. A-Sup suggested he protect himself against 1630 coming out, but W didn't get his meaning and I told A-Sup what 1630 said, so he dropped it and accepted the order. Surprise! 1630 calls, ready for service, about 10:40. All W could do was let them out to the West Wye. I went and pushed the Gate Up button. Meanwhile, I'd been wondering what was taking W so long with 415. Suddenly, I hear his voice IDing himself 3142 calling the Car Shop. Found out later he'd found a broken brake spring on 415 and had to switch. Now there was a branch on the wire at Electric Park. He walked over to 1630 and gave them orders to go out and onto the train after 749 got back. 1630's fireman came over to throw the wye switch and I told him to also push the gate down button.

Once 749 came back, 1630 carried out the orders to come to the train. New Guy watched the rear while I supervised the coupling. I told the engineer since it was a slow day I'd just give highballs by radio, he would do the slow downs, and I would do the stops (which I usually don't; I wanted the practice). W wandered over and offered to walk the brake test on the north (uneven ballast) side. With that done, I suddenly found that my trainman had been replaced with the 749 conductor so he could take the rules exam again. Our intended 11:30 departure turned into an 11:45.

Some time after we got back, I noticed there was a bit of a hiss coming from the brake hose. I went back to A-Sup and he called the Car Shop to get me help. When two guys arrived, I properly asked my head end for 3-point before we stepped behind the train. One guy looked at the o-ring and said yup, so the other guy replaced it. No more hiss.

Both trains ended up staying on an alternating :45 schedule for the rest of the day. 1630's last trip was 3:45 because we had a diesel throttle puller. The steam guys chocked the train and cut off, but they pulled the pin on the engine, not the car, so when 411 came out I had to ask for 3-point and open the knuckle by hand, which got rust all over my hand right after I'd washed. Diesel Guy coupled on so smoothly -- with my good direction -- the train didn't move at all. He came and laced the air and pulled the chocks himself. Once he'd pumped up the train again, he called for a brake test. I groaned, until I remembered that with an engine change all we had to do was a set and release on the last car. The throttle puller and three or four others went in the cab with him, while at least eight more people took seats in the rear car. We got an order to depart at 5:00 and meet 749 at Johnson on our outbound. New Guy entertained the family while I locked the other cars... or tried to. Remove me from the list of people who can lock the Santa Fe car. I think the lock is jammed; my key turns, but won't make the bolt come out. When we got back and the crowd finally came out of the cab, Diesel Guy chocked the train again and pulled the pin. I could have done that myself, but I was really tired and stiff by this point.

By the way, B&G had been busy all day setting up signs and barricades and displays for Vintage Transport Extravaganza on Sunday. This included using the large front end loader to carry several track speeders over and setting them on Yard 4 west. Signal or Track Dept. set a hi-rail truck on the Car Line at Depot St. and tried to drive it into 43, but it couldn't take the curve. They ended up parking it next to the track. I wish I'd seen that, but I was out on a trip.


Sunday: Overslept, but still arrived by about 9:30. Was told I'd be conductor on the shuttle, then told I wouldn't because the 2200s' battery was dead. Became a trainman on coach instead, with W as conductor. Weaved my way through all the vintage vehicles, only to find that my usual parking place for when I'm on coach was blocked off. Went around the other way, but wasn't sure if vehicles would be there. Ended up parking behind the Car Shop, on Track 43. This was not dangerous; there's a shed on the track next to my spot. As it turned out, a couple others parked where I didn't want to.

Got to the train to find that two more cars had been added, a good idea. However, it was just me, W, and New Guy for now five cars. 1630 came out even earlier, so we ran our first trip at 11:00. A-Sup was on 749 again and Crew Caller, back from out of town with his other hobby, was on the Zephyr. The fourth train was the 4000s. A lot of other crew assignments had also been shuffled, which resulted in four streetcars running: 3142, 4391, VC 19 (which had been moved from its usual parking spot on 43 west before the speeders were put in place), and 972. In addition, Car Shop was doing repairs on 1797 and needed to get in the way on the Car Line a couple of times. As soon as we departed on our first trip, the Zephyr came out behind us and backed into 2. After the first trip, the pattern was established and we had the same orders on the hour from noon to 4:00 -- meet 9911A at East Switch, 4290 at Johnson, to the Grove, westbound meet 749 at Johnson, to Jefferson and return to Station 2. Also after the first trip, I managed to close off the combine and didn't need to open it again.

With not enough crew to watch all the doors, we had a little trouble with people getting on after W had given the highball. The consist was combine, Lackawanna, and three Rock Islands. With the combine closed, I stationed myself between the Lack and first Rock. The gates were closed at the rear of my Rock and the front of the second, New Guy had the rear of the second Rock and front of the third, and W was at the rear. For the last two trips W managed to get the third man off 749 to be an extra trainman for us. He was at the front of the Lack to keep people from jumping on, but several tried to get on at the closed gates and had to be shouted at. You'd think a closed gate would mean something to people, but it doesn't always. They also have a tendency to come up and ask questions without regard for the conversation you're having.

For the last trip, we got all the passengers in the rear car, so I was able to sweep out the first Rock (where someone had allowed little kids to eat, leaving potato chip and cracker crumbs all over the floor, and one kid dropped a couple of M&Ms and then stepped on them to smash them -- AARRRGH!) and close its windows. Extra Guy swept the Lack and we both closed up the combine, but the lock was still stuck. We gathered all the step boxes at a couple of locations. I moved my cooler and grip from where I'd had them in the front of the Lack, then locked that door because W's key doesn't work on that lock. New Guy swept out the second Rock. Once we returned, we were able to get closed up fairly quickly.

4290 went to bed after its 3:45 trip, so on our 5:00 we had no meet at Johnson, Grove, back to Johnson and call. When we called, we had to meet 749 as usual, but he'd been delayed a bit, so we had to stop and wait. The Zephyr made the last trip of the day, at 5:30. 749 had to go to bed quickly so the Zephyr could come into 1, which makes putting it to bed easier.

At the end of the day, I felt much better than I'd expected to. I'd managed to sit down for at least a few minutes on each trip, despite punching tickets and doing (brief) car talks in two cars. My feet were killing me, but my legs were not as bad as Saturday evening.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Okay, time to see what I can remember about this weekend.

We start on Friday this time. Soo Line 1003 was coming into town for a charity event Saturday. Intel said it would follow the 12:45 Metra out of Fox Lake on the Milwaukee North Line. I got a late start, but I made a decent guess about where to get off the tollway and check for updates. I found out it was fairly close to me (I could hear it clearly on the radio), so I high-tailed it to the nearest Metra station, Lake-Cook Road. Radio chatter indicated it was being held for a few minutes at the next station to the north for a southbound Amtrak Hiawatha to get ahead of it. A northbound freight came by, slowing down to also hold at that point. The Hi came by and I didn't take any pictures... unfortunately. New Siemens Chargers have been testing behind the P42s on some of these trains until they are certified to lead. As soon as the freight cleared, an old woman came across the tracks and parked herself right in front of my phone, which I'd clamped to a sign post to record video. She was taking pictures for her husband, who was sitting in the car. I took a bunch of pictures, then headed out to the museum.

UP had dropped off 1988 and 1996 (MKT and SP heritage units) early that morning and our guys had parked them on Station 2. I was also curious what the CTC board camera was indicating to be in Schmidt Siding (the freight train for the weekend) and a few other things. When I got there, I walked down to the depot and took several pictures. On the fireman's conductor's side of 1988, I found a large pipe just below the frame labeled TOILET DRAIN. On 1996, below the hand brake it says it was painted at NRE Mt. Vernon with Imron [code number] on 2-28-17. There were also two phone numbers to call if paint repairs are needed; one of the numbers is a suburban Chicago area code, so my guess is it's NRE's office in Dixmoor. I later found the same info on 1988. I'd heard rumors last winter that 1982 (which really needed it, lots of rust) was being repainted, so I guess they did all of them.

Then I took a stroll through Barn 2 to remind me what's lurking in there. Dardanelle & Russellville 14, CB&Q 9976 (which still mostly looks like BN 9908), Rock Island 4506 (still listed on the web site as C&NW 4160, but all the paint has been stripped to bare metal and a lot of rusty steel replaced), MILW 33C and 37A, C&NW 1518, L&N 314 (which I mentioned a couple of weeks ago), IT 1605, CTA S-105 (not listed on our site that I can find), and UP M-35. There are also several track machines and a few empty spaces normally occupied by ATSF 92, C&NW 411, and I'm not sure what else.

I watched some other stuff get switched around, and asked Diesel Guy if he was bringing out the caboose train tonight; he said it was already out. Then I left, because I had to be 55 miles away in <90 minutes and it was rush hour on Friday.

Saturday: arrived a bit late, to find my caboose train on Station 1, all other crew present. I was informed it had been fully inspected and the brakes tested. We worked out who would be in which car and held a briefing with the engineer. Our power was UP 1848. Track Dept. was out on the Main again (trimming trees, I learned later). I called the dispatcher, ready for service. He sent us out at 10:43 (immediate departure), clearing 504 into 2 onto the coach train, no meets east to the Grove, west to Johnson and call. We ran again at noon before being sent to the west end to wait for the parade. We got to within ten feet of the nose of 9911A, which was on the last piece of track. The bilevel train had pulled into the siding behind the freight train, which was headed by C&NW 1689. I sat and ate my leftover pizza, listening as other light engines and trains were called to advance to the mail crane across from the depot. Finally, we were told to advance to Olson Rd. and then to the crane. The freight train and the coach train, which had backed down on top of us, had gone ahead of us and were both ordered to short turn at Seeman Rd. and hold in Johnson Siding. We were ordered to proceed past Signal 251 and hold. Behind us, the Zephyr was ordered to come past Karstens and hold. I guess the bilevels were last and immediately went back after accelerating away from the mail crane. Then the Zephyr went back and we got an order to return west, short turn West Switch, and return to 1. 251 was still Stop, but it's Permissive, so we didn't have to be talked by it; we just went Restricted Speed to 201, which went to Clear as soon as the Zephyr got back past East Switch, before we got to it.

The Zephyr made the first trip after the parade and we made the second, at 3:00. We had to wait a few minutes at Johnson for a meet. One of my trainmen (far senior to me in the museum) had moved a chain from the front of my caboose (ICG 199458 -- I'm not sure, but the last picture might be me as conductor last year; anyway, you can see the porches) to the rear and told me with the chain up, I could allow passengers to stand outside on the porch as long as they stayed behind it. Anyway, while we were waiting, the boy who was there saw a small turtle between the rails. I called my engineer for 3-point, climbed off, and moved the turtle over the rail to the outside of the right of way. He moved surprisingly quickly when he saw me coming and didn't much like being picked up; as soon as I put him down again he took off for the ditch. At one point he flipped onto his back, but he managed to turn over again and got to the water just as we finally started to move.

At 3:55, we ran a very short trip, just out to Karstens to get out of the way for something. Then we did a regular trip at 4:20. After we unloaded our last trip, we were ordered to follow 3142 (the only non-diesel that ran at all) into the Tail Track for headroom so the Zephyr could take headroom behind us on the Car Line to clear the East Wye switch and back down to Barn 9. Then we backed into 1 again and cut off the engine. I rode the rear end of 1848 as we ran around on the Main and tied it down on 1 behind the train; it would be the freight train power Sunday. Then the coach train, after unloading, backed out and ran east on the Main, cutting off far enough back from Signal 112 for four engines. 504 came in the east end and coupled onto the cabeese. Finally, I was done. The Sunday coach power was BN-3, SLRG 102 (current pictures), BN-2, and BN-1. They went out and tied onto the train, then tied down there for the night.

Sunday: got out of the house early, but detoured to my friend Mike's house to drop off something for his daughter's engagement party. Got to the museum just after 9:30. This time I was just a trainman on the caboose train. I claimed the UP car (it's been restored since these pictures, finished in 2009). Like Saturday, we ran two trips before getting in position for the parade. I rode along in the rear car with New Conductor. After the parade, we only did two more and then Dispatcher wanted to get us out of the way early. I detached from the crew and took my stuff into the depot office, then sat and watched. The caboose train backed down the wye to the South Yard Connector, then 504 cut off and went to its current home in Barn 9. The freight train immediately backed down and coupled onto the cabeese, then shoved the whole thing down to put them away in Barn 13 and the freight cars in Yard 15. When 1848 came back out, it tied onto 1988 and 1996 (which had been sitting on the West Wye for two days, yellow caution tape all over their ladders after people started climbing on them Saturday morning) and shoved them down to the interchange. Dispatcher sent the Zephyr out for one last trip at 5:15, mainly to get it out of the way while other things went to bed. New Conductor, Eager New Guy (who finally passed the rules exam that morning) and I went along for the ride. Then it went to the barn. As I left the property, I closed the exit gate from the public parking lot (the entrance was already locked). I never got back to Mike's for the party, but he invited me over tomorrow for leftovers.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

All Aboard This 103-Year-Old Locomotive On Northwest Side

GALEWOOD — A century-plus steam engine turned heads on the Northwest Side over the weekend as the locomotive arrived here for a few hours as part of a fundraiser.

SOO Line #1003, which was built in 1913, chug-chug-chugged into the Metra stop at 2031 N. Narragansett Ave. Saturday to help raise funds for the Shriners Hospital For Children — Chicago.

The train is operated by the Steam Locomotive Heritage Association. The engine — built at a cost of $25,000 in Schenectady, New York — weighs more than a half million pounds. It has undergone a number of refurbishing efforts, the most recent in 2012.

The train came from Hartford, Wis., about 120 miles north of Chicago near West Bend. It is usually stored at the Wisconsin Automotive Association In Hartford.

YouTube Video of Soo Line #1003 in the Chicago Galewood neighborhood on 08/17/2017 *Video is 12 1/2 min long.

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SOO Line #1003, which was built in 1913, chug-chug-chugged into the Metra stop at 2031 N. Narragansett Ave. Saturday to help raise funds for the Shriners Hospital For Children — Chicago.

The train came from Hartford, Wis., about 120 miles north of Chicago near West Bend. It is usually stored at the Wisconsin Automotive Association In Hartford.

Yes, that's what I went to see Friday.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Picture taken (not by me) from Willis Sears Tower a few days ago, looking south. Amtrak (former Pennsylvania RR) yard in the middle, Metra/BNSF (ex-CB&Q) Zephyr Pit on the right, Metra (Rock Island / New York Central) main to La Salle St. Station on the left, Roosevelt Rd. (a.k.a. 12th St.) across the middle. The long, narrow building under Roosevelt is the Service & Inspection building. The rail bridge across the yard (two river bridges, one up and one down) is the St. Charles Air Line, the line seen going uphill in the background of Bernie's pics from MH Tower.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/92095601@N08/36679015215/in/dateposted-public/

Map of downtown Chicago passenger terminals circa 1950.
http://i.imgur.com/mXvDGLS.png

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

8/19: Requested to be coach trainman. This left no one on 3142, so Crew Caller said everyone qualified would take turns on it. When I arrived, A-Sup asked me to get it out. I took Eager New Guy along to help with the grunt work, and gave him half an education in setting up the car while I was at it. It was the first time this year I've run it, so after coming out of the yard I made all the stops around to Depot St. for practice, and it all came right back to me (so did my car talk, eventually). A-Sup was dispatcher and coach conductor. ENG was trainman, and an older guy doubled as trainman on both coach and the CRT woods (after the first trip, Asst. Electric Curator brought out 24 and added it to the train, so it had three cars). CC was engineer of 1848 on the coach train. I did a couple of laps with passengers and then Diesel Guy wanted to do some switching, so I went around to Barn 9 North to be out of his way. UP had picked up 1988 on Tuesday, but left 1996, and at some point in the afternoon Diesel Guy went down to get it and put it on the West Wye again. They immediately put the caution tape on it again.

A-Sup took 3142 and made me conductor for one trip on coach, then later switched us and made me dispatcher while he was out. I ran another lap or two, then sat again while Diesel Guy did more switching. CC also did a few laps on 3142. For the 3:30 trip, A-Sup offered me the choice of back on 3142 or 1848 again. I chose 1848 and gave him Dispatcher back; he ended up being the one to put 3142 away. Even with help getting it out, just running that car really tires me out. We had a throttle puller who hadn't shown up by 3:30, so at 4:25 we did a short turn East Switch, short turn West Switch to demonstrate for him, then did his trip at 4:40, meeting 1797 at Johnson.


8/20: UP Family Day. 2500 people pre-registered, plus regular public. A-Sup was in the tower. Fortunately, enough people signed up that New Conductor (let's call him R from now on) and I could switch off as conductor and trainee on the CA&E steels again. However, the coach conductor hadn't shown up by our first departure at 10:45, so I stayed behind to cover the coach train. She showed up in time to go at 11:30. Also running: 411 and the bilevels, the CRT woods again (just two cars), 3142, 4391, VC 19. Weekday A-Sup was our motorman; only recently qualified on the steels himself, he ran the first trip, and the fourth, and the seventh. When it was my turn, I turned on the GPS speed app on my phone and put it in the front window (specifically allowed as an exception to the Personal Electronic Devices rule in the Rulebook). That way, I knew when I got to 40 and could shut off. I was doing all right until I moved the brake handle too far and put it in emergency from 35, but then W-A-Sup started giving me useful tips. They really helped on my second trip; I hope I remember them next time. I timed him on the last trip (only two passengers, just to get us out of the way) and he slightly exceeded 40. It was raining just a little bit by then and the crowd was down to almost nothing. Having taken the train into the barn last time, I let R have the experience this time. I did remember that 460's pole goes the wrong way out of the Tail and stationed myself to encourage it, successfully.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

http://www.railtec.illinois.edu/CEE/pdf/PPT%27s/Spring10/Amstrong.5-14-10.pdf

Powerpoint saved as pdf about various flange bearing frogs for switches and crossings.
(Note that it's 7 years old, so the tech may have advanced further.)

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

http://www.railtec.illinois.edu/CEE/pdf/PPT%27s/Spring10/Amstrong.5-14-10.pdf

Powerpoint saved as pdf about various flange bearing frogs for switches and crossings.
(Note that it's 7 years old, so the tech may have advanced further.)

Thanks.
Very interesting read.

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Grant
Darwin NT

Angels Flight Railway, reopens on Thursday, after being closed since 2013.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

If you're wondering about the museum report for last weekend, there was really nothing worth reporting on. I was trainman on 1630 both days. Switching disrupted the Car Line for a good part of Saturday, but that didn't affect me. More people Saturday than Sunday, probably because it was raining Sunday morning. Oh, we had a group Sunday afternoon: about 30 people of African heritage who, I found out later, were steel drum musicians from Trinidad. They were in my car for their ride.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

49 U.S.C.
United States Code, 2010 Edition
Title 49 - TRANSPORTATION
SUBTITLE V - RAIL PROGRAMS
PART A - SAFETY
CHAPTER 211 - HOURS OF SERVICE

§21105. Limitations on duty hours of dispatching service employees
(a) Application.—This section applies, rather than section 21103 or 21104 of this title, to a train employee or signal employee during any period of time the employee is performing duties of a dispatching service employee.
(b) General.—Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a dispatching service employee may not be required or allowed to remain or go on duty for more than—
(1) a total of 9 hours during a 24-hour period in a tower, office, station, or place at which at least 2 shifts are employed; or
(2) a total of 12 hours during a 24-hour period in a tower, office, station, or place at which only one shift is employed.

(c) Determining Time on Duty.—Under subsection (b) of this section, time spent performing any other service for the railroad carrier during a 24-hour period in which the employee is on duty in a tower, office, station, or other place is time on duty in that tower, office, station, or place.
(d) Emergencies.—When an emergency exists, a dispatching service employee may be allowed to remain or go on duty for not more than 4 additional hours during a period of 24 consecutive hours for not more than 3 days during a period of 7 consecutive days.


And that's the simple section. If you really want your head to spin, read §21103. Limitations on duty hours of train employees.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Wow, what a day. There's a quirk in the law (see my previous post) that says a dispatcher can work 12 hours if there is only one dispatching shift in the day, and I did it. 38 orders issued for mainline revenue movements (not counting equipment positioning moves). Last train off the railroad with one minute left in my hours of service. And I couldn't fall into a pattern and keep repeating it because things kept happening to disrupt it.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.