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The other night I was talking to an acquaintance and sharing some of my experiences as a dispatcher here in Terre Haute, and it dawned on me that I might share those experiences with others. So I decided to try to put together a journal of sorts. I cannot put this out every day but I will try to do one at least once a week.
Yesterday I had the honor of ushering a 781 coal train on its way to Calumet Park. 781's are typically a big train, in the 100 + car range and this one was no different. My Latta radio rings up and I answer. The crew advises me that the train is put together, air tested, and ready to go. So I get his track warrant ready on the Brain Box. While I'm doing this, to stall for time I ask him for his counts. I already know loads and empties (108-0). The conductor comes back, "I show 108-0 13,955 on the tons and 5900 on the footage with the power, over". I then look at the power. 3 CP SD40-2s. HMMMM. Things might get interesting. I took a look at my CTWC and then the panic light slowly comes on. The train has to stop and hand line the North Siding Switch Keller back to normal (I had a meet there earlier).
"CP Indiana Dispatcher to CP 5825 North, over."
"5825 North, over."
"Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I can take you up to the tower with no opposition. The bad news is that you'll have to stop and line the North Siding Switch Keller back to normal, over."
There was an ominous pause. Keller is in a small dip and with such a heavy train and only 3 motors....well, you get the idea.
"OK dispatcher, we'll stop at Blackhawk and my conductor will go ahead and line the switch and then we'll start 'em up, over."
"Sounds like a winner to me. Those motors will get you moving OK from Blackhawk in a timely fashion, over?"
"That's why they have 8 notches and sand, over."
"All right. I'll be looking for you soon. CP Indiana dispatcher out."
So I line up the CTC at Blackhawk and wait. And wait. And wait. No sign of this train. HMMMM. Maybe he fell into the Hoosier Triangle. I put my Spring Hill radio in monitor mode and listen for clues. It's ominously quiet. Then, about the time I'm ready to send out the search party, they hit up on the approach. Whew! I had already ordered the outbound crew and the CSX was ready to move the train, so it looked like the plan was going to work out pretty well after all. Another train on the move. The outbound crew arrives at Double Road crossing as the train pulls up! I guess the moral is never doubt your reliable train crews.
But about the time you pat yourself on the back for a good job done, a mess develops. I had a Maysville Turn making tracks to Linton to pick up cars from the Indiana Railroad (INRD) and take them on to Maysville on the Indiana Southern (ISRR). So I give the train its warrant and off he goes. Meanwhile, an Odon Turn is going to meet the ISRR at Beehunter and grab cars for Blackhawk. My Latta radio chimes up and I answer. The Odon is looking for a track warrant south. The Maysville still has his to the south yard limit at Latta so until he moves I can't move the Odon.
Sensing a certain amount of railroad constipation coming on, I use 110 watts of Motorola power and summon (actually, more like coax) the Maysville into talking.
"CP Indiana Dispatcher to the Maysville Turn, SOO 4452, over."
"Soo 4452, over."
"I was checking to see how your work is progressing. I have the Odon ready to depart and would like to get him moving towards Beehunter, over."
"Well, we planned on meeting the INRD here, but they're no where to be found. Have they said anything to you, over?"
"No. Let me make a few phone calls and see where they might be and I'll call you back, over."
"4452 standing by, over."
I now fire up the communications network. The planner tells me they told him they would be there to meet our guy. I call the INRD. No answer. I get this funny feeling south of the border, if you know what I mean. I look in the informal Latta Sub telephone directory and page the INRD manager of operations. About 2 minutes later my phone rings. The INRD!
"You're where? Sullivan? Trapped by the CSX? Won't be to Linton for about 2 hours!! Grab the 54 cars out of the yard and go? OK.
By this time the Odon is hot to trot. So I tell the Maysville to get in the clear in Linton Yard and let this Odon by. About this time the Crane radio chimes up. It's the ISRR ready for a warrant north to interchange with the Odon. Then the Bedford radio chimes up. It's 241 coming into Bedford and looking for a warrant. Yikes! I see a traffic jam at Beehunter very soon. And if that isn't enough, the B & B people working at the tunnel at Crane replacing the brick liner need to get equipment in place for about an hour! Couple that with about 4 track inspectors wanting to inspect and one crane operator needing to move his crane and, well, it gets kinda hairy sometimes.
This sub makes it's money in a small area, from milepost 190 to milepost 224. And it seems like everybody wants to be there all at the same time. And how did my dilemma work out? Well, everyone got to where they needed to go, and we'll leave it at that!
The south end has been heavily congested lately, and the CSX CF dispatcher has been having a hard time moving traffic to and from Louisville. He had 3 dead trains on the main and our trains kept getting stuck in behind them! It took 3 crews to move a train from Bedford to Louisville! That's about 100 miles or something like that! HMMMM. Not good.
The one bright spot I've found down there is that in Bedford semaphores still guard the MILW-Monon diamond! And I have dibs on them, too!
Power:
The CSX power is gone (7081 and 8044)
Soo 2008 booster unit is gone too (no cab interior)
Maysville power: Soo 4452 - Soo 4400
Kindill power: CP 3019 - EMDX 189 - Soo 4512
Hawthorn power: Soo 4405 - Soo 2041 - HATX 111 - HATX 402 - Soo 4435
Farmersburg power: CP 5864 - CP 5829 - SOO 6400
XL power: CP 5730 - CP 6411
XL power set: 2 SOO 6620 - CP 5024 (GP-35!) - CP 5699
Soo 2041
Soo 2066
Soo 4443
Hulman engine: Soo 4445
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Editorial content (C) 1998 Mike Dettmers
