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The North End has been pretty decent the last several weeks, with only the occasional problem instead of the full-blown chaos of past weeks. In fact, I can think of at least 7 trains that didn't require a recrew! I guess it's kinda sad when that becomes the highlight of your week! Of course, just about the time you think things might be getting better there is an incident that brings you back to reality. This event occurred last week when 241 was preparing to depart Spring Hill.
Now, a little background is required here. The process for departure goes something like this: first, the crew gets on the train and makes their inspections and so on. Second, after all inspections and tests are complete, they request permission to open the connection track switches and proceed onto the CSX. Finally, they get permission from the CSX to occupy their track and then begin pulling down the siding. Once they make it to the north end of the siding, they wait for the signal and then proceed north. Simple enough, right?
So this 241 goes through the ritual and pulls to the north end. When they get the signal north they will call with their departure time and then we send a mark-up sheet to the IHB and other that the train is indeed out and running. Well this 241 pulls to the north end and waits. And waits. And waits. In fact, he waits to the tune of 9 hours! Thankfully, this didn't happen on my shift. But this whole incident was the topic of conversation for job briefings the next two days. And the BIG cheese even had a few words with the CSX over that one. We were trying to pool our brain cells together in the hopes that we could find a reason for this. The only plausible reason we could come up with was that a rookie dispatcher was overcome by the Florida humidity and couldn't make rational decisions. We entertained the notion that perhaps they just wanted to flex a little Florida swamp muscle, but I really doubt they would want to play that game with us since we could very quickly shut down their Chicago main. The official reason for this little operational "glitch" has not been made known to us.
On a happier note, the day dispatcher John Hill (JWH) has been doing a phenomenally good job at moving our trains. I was talking to him and I asked where he was from. His reply: Ashland, WI.! Right in the heart of old Soo country! I told him I was originally from Waukesha, WI. And his remark: "Oh, you're a Southerner!"
The Latta Sub has been clicking right along. We have been moving that Indiana coal like there is no tomorrow. Essentially we make only a few moves with this coal. First, there is the Hawthorn Turn, which usually meets V501 at Spring Hill and takes empties to the mine and begins loading until relieved by 67. 67 finishes the loading and then brings the loads to the Hill for interchange, shoving them to the Riley Spur for the CSX to come and get. On days where there are no Cayugas to be loaded, they usually will be loading and moving coal for the XL or possibly even a boat train (783).
The next regular move is the Maysville CIPS. A Maysville Turn is called to get the empties from the INRD at Linton and take them to Maysville for loading. After they are loaded, another Maysville is called to get the loads and deliver them to the INRD for further delivery to the CIPS power plant in Newton, IL.
IPL Gibsons are also moved by the Soo. The ISRR gets them off the NS and brings the empties to Beehunter. We call an Odon Turn (59) to go get the empties and take them to Farmersburg mine for loading. Meanwhile, the ISRR parks their power on the stub track at Beehunter and the crew taxis home. When the cars are loaded, we call another Odon and go get the loads. The ISRR also gets a crew to taxi to the stub for the power. The Odon then makes the interchange and goes back to Latta. Lately, Farmersburg has been also loading for the INRD so the trip involves a pit stop at Linton for interchange. This constitutes the bulk of the interchange coal traffic that is done.
The "on line" traffic is divided between Fayette coal and trains to Chicago. The Fayette coal for the XL usually comes from Hawthorn mine, although they do load at Farmersburg, Lewis Dock, Kindill, and occasionally from the INRD at Miller Creek loadout. The cars are assembled at Latta or staged at Lewis Dock for the XL, which is train 120. They assemble the cars and take them to Fayette for delivery to the Wabash River Generating Station. They then pull empties and short work (Latta and Van Yard cars) along the way.
Wabash River also has a pilot program going on which is called the Repower Project. Essentially, it involves crushing the coal to a fine powder and then mixing it with a catalyst to remove the sulfur. It is then burnt, reburnt, and then expelled. The process yields more heat (power) with a dramatic drop in sulfur content. After the exhaust is run through the scrubbers, something line 98.5% of the sulfur has been removed. The down side of this is the equipment is VERY expensive. PSI and the US DOE split the $400 million cost 50/50 with the hopes that if it works well other plant can be outfitted. So sometimes we haul Repowers to the plant. They look the same with the exception that the coal is crushed finer.
The Latta Sub has been a busy place for the maintenance gangs as well. In particular, the crews involved with the automation of the interlocking at Spring Hill have been very busy getting the necessary cabling and signals in place and ready to go. We figure that the switch will be made on or about August 1 of this year. The building at Latta is up and getting the finishing touches. Now it's just a matter of putting in the power switches and signal electronics, cutting over, and there you have it. The fate of the tower is not known. I believe they will raze it but probably not right away. Usually they wait to make sure everything is working correctly and that there is no need for the tower before dozing it. I guess only time will tell.
The south end is pretty much constant, with a moderate level of CSX incompetence but nothing out of the ordinary. Case in point: the other day I had a 240 train working to Louisville. They got to Bedrock and couldn't raise the CSX. Well, they had CSX power on the train and the DTMF pads didn't work. The only way they could get me was on their portables, but those didn't have the CSX channel.
Now a quick word about portables. Having looked into the matter with a certain degree of detail, I came to the conclusion that a field programmable portable is the only way to go. Essentially, this portable works much like a scanner with the exception that you have to input a transmit and receive frequency. A little irritating but very useful nonetheless. I have a Motorola JT-1000 and it really is nice. I can put in channels I use here and when I travel just reprogram the little critter. Now one would think that the railroad would see the merits of this and do the same but that is not the case. HMMMMMM.
Well, anyway, I call the CSX and ask him to talk to my train at Bedrock. OK. Now the train calls me back and tells me they are going to be there a while as the CSX has something on the track ahead. What? Well, it turns out the CSX Mitchell switch engine was given permission to sit on the main during crew changes. Now there is no engineer for the night job and so the main is blocked!
I don't know how their dispatchers are trained, but the cardinal rule is do not park things on the main! Even if it's going to be a relatively short time, put the cars and power away somewhere. Of course, the only ones it affected was us so I'm sure they didn't lose any sleep over it.
So 240 takes a 3 hour hit at Mitchell! Again, a case of Florida swamp gas seeping into the Dufford Center. Oh well, when the WC buys them they can move that whole mistake to Stevens Point and let them all freeze!
Ahhh, I feel better. The medication is kicking in and the voices are going away....
The INRD is just moving right along. They keep moving that hot GE traffic to Sullivan for the CSX and then they move the CIPS to Newton and the rest is kind of secondary. Of course the Marathon complex at Robinson is also big but I don't get involved with that.
There is one little irregularity that should be resolved. The INRD has track warrants in the 1700 series, and they also have locomotives in the same series. On occasion this can cause confusion, such as when a crew calls on the INRD 1755 to release warrant 1723. You look on the sheet and there is an INRD 1723 working out there and he has warrant 1755. HMMMM. Now this is just an example but it has become a point of confusion a few times.
And the scuttlebutt for the day involves the ISRR. Our general chairman sent out his monthly newsletter in which he keeps us informed on numerous issues. Of particular interest was the blurb concerning ongoing negotiations with regards to dispatching the ISRR! Holy Cow! Another territory to learn maybe?!
"How to Vacation Courtesy of the Railroad"
I was dining at the Paris Cafe in Paris, IL., and one of the other dispatchers who I was with relayed a great story. This goes back to the middle 1970's when the Milwaukee Road was still running into Montana.
Now this gentleman, who worked in the car tracking and billing department, wanted to go on vacation and visit relatives around Missoula, MT. The problem was a genuine lack of funds as well as time.
Now there is a portion of the human brain that I call the Devious Process. It is a large bundle of neurons that when properly activated can solve almost any problem but the entire issue of rationality goes out the window. So anyway, the problem is troubling this guy until one day the Devious Process kicks in and the solution becomes apparent: take the train.
So during his walks in the yard to check cars he finds this especially clean boxcar. Noting the reporting marks, he locates the car and guess what? It has nothing important to do. So now the plan begins to unfold. The car is billed as an expedited shipment of "company material" from Milwaukee to Missoula. The car must be spotted in Missoula the second day. Now the return billing is processed, with another expedited movement east 3 days hence to be spotted in Milwaukee the second day.
The bills are processed and the paperwork generated. So the day of departure is nearing. He leaves a message with the yardmaster instructing the yard crew to spot the car promptly at the designated location. He goes home, and decides to stock up on the necessary supplies of food and water. He also brings several blankets to sleep on and an old pillow. This is all stuffed into a couple of duffel bags and later that evening are stowed in the car. The car is scheduled to be picked up at 1700, so after work he runs home and calls the relatives and instructs them he will be in town and to please pick him up at the designated place. Now he runs back to the yard, parks his car, walks out to the car and boards. He closes the door, leaving a small gap so it can be opened later. Sure enough, the car is picked up and off he goes. Now he makes the voyage west as planned. The car is spotted and he hops out. He calls the relatives and they pick him up. He visits with the relatives and at the appointed time returns to the car, only it isn't there! Frantically, he searches the yard but to no avail. So finding the agent he inquires as to the location of the car. Oh, it was moved across the yard because the track it was on was being taken out of service. Whew! A big sigh of relief. So at the appointed time, he boards and off he goes. Arrival back in Milwaukee is just as planned and the whole trip was just as planned.
Well, almost just as planned. He goes back to work and about a week goes by when he gets a call. It seems there was a question concerning a shipment made to Missoula the week before. Nobody seems to know what was shipped, and the people in Missoula say they didn't find anything. A few nebulous responses, some bogus documentation, and admission of a possible mistake and the whole matter blows over. So I chuckle. Man, this is what I should be doing! And then I hear that this individual has since left the railroad to become...a lawyer! Somehow this all makes sense now!
All power is somewhat approximate since I can't remember too well.
CP Power:
Van Yard Engine- Soo 4443 (GP38-2)
Farmersburg Power- CP 6409, CP 5722, CP 5789 (SD40A, SD40-2, SD40-2)
Maysville Power- Soo 4445, Soo 4648 (GP38-2, GP40)
Kindill Power- Soo 4601, Soo 4603, Soo 4442 (GP40, GP40, GP38-2)
XL Power- CP 5860, CP 6041 (2 SD40-2)
INRD Power:
BLLI- 1713, 1797 (2 GP10)
PALI- 1757, 1803 (2 GP10)
Rob 2- 1809, 1723 (2 GP10)
Effingham Turn- IC 8723, IC 8420(?) (2 GP10)
SALI- 550, 560, 549, 7308, 7310 (SD10, SD10, SD10, SD18, SD18)
LISA- 548, 555, 7304, 7312, 7315 (SD10, SD10, SD18, SD18, SD18)
CR Power:
Conrail Yard Engines- 3210 among others.
CSX Power:
CSX Power of Note- Still some Chessie and Seaboard System running around but I couldn't get the numbers.
A special thanks to Scott Withrow for finding a home for these pages. Anyone interested should go to the following address and shower Scott with praise, perhaps even writing long epic songs of adoration about him:
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Editorial content (C) 1998 Mike Dettmers
