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The SOO basically shut down this July 4th, which is a bit unusual. Normally they operate as normal, but I guess they decided everyone needed a break. So last night I ended up with the chore of tying everything up. Not bad, really, since you know that there will not be anything to run later. Of course, Sunday will probably be just a little hectic system wide but that's OK with me. I think I might ride trains again.
The north end has actually been tolerable this past week. But you know it's still frustrating to have a train make it all the way to Dewey, which is on the north side of Terre Haute, and die for hours there! So close! Dewey is a relatively small siding and if we don't go and get the train right away the CSX will not go ballistic. That happened 3 times this past week. When the train is that close, we usually just call the outbound and have them take it right from Dewey to Louisville.
So last night I have this 240 train migrating in a southerly direction and he is definitely on short time. So now the question becomes: where will this iron Appaloosa bite the big one? So I call the CSX on the block phone. To the uninitiated, the block phone is the direct line into the dispatcher's console, utilizing the line like an open community line. You can hear trains, yardmasters, and anything else. In the tower I have a block "phone" (actually it looks more like an intercom box) to the CSX. The problem is that sometimes he doesn't really want to talk me. Now I'm an OK guy. I usually shower. Sometimes I even wipe after going to the bathroom. But whatever the reason, there are times when he will acknowledge just about everyone else. So I have to resort to extreme measures to get his attention.
So I'm trying to get him in reference to this 240 train and it's eventual resting-place. Only this individual will not answer my requests. OK, two can play at that game. So I look and see he has a request in for a northbound move. So I just leave the red boards up and wait until he calls me. So this train is now over the detector and coming down the hill. He calls me asking for the lineup, and I tell him to call his dispatcher for the lineup. OK. Well, he tones him in and still no answer. And so this train comes to a stop. He tones him in again and again and again. Nothing. Now I begin to wonder if they are having radio and phone troubles. Just about the time I'm ready to call him, he answers the train. The train says he's looking for the light. Right away he buzzes me on the box. So I take my time and finish eating my dinner before I answer. When I do answer, he's a little upset.
"Got signal problems at Spring Hill?"
"No."
"Well my northbound is stopped looking for the light."
"Yes."
There was a pause of confusion.
"Is he going to move?"
"Sure. Where is my Z453 and where will he die?"
"Aaah...He's at Clinton and will come to Dewey. Do you have a recrew for them?"
"Yes I do. I had the crew on the line but I couldn't get through. I thought maybe those fires were getting close and they evacuated."
I think it was my charm and humor that upset him.
"I was VERY BUSY."
"Well so am I."
So I got my info, and lined his northbound up. As the train comes by the tower I realize it is one of his tote trains! Oh well. They needed a break anyway.
Every once and a while you have to kick the CSX and get their attention or else they will just continue to step on you. I know it really irritates them then we hold their hot trains for one of ours, especially a switch engine or something like that. I derive great pleasure in holding one of their tote trains for, say, Ray Hoover and his Burro crane. They just don't seem to see the humor in that though.
Traffic levels have been a little slow leading up to the 4th of July holiday. The weather has been very warm here and the humidity really makes it miserable.
When I went riding last Sunday the crew talked that same way. It was 97 degrees with a dew point around 80 degrees. Really humid and hard to breathe. Just sitting in the cab doing nothing the engineer and myself were dripping wet with sweat. We talked about the advantages of air conditioning and the fact that it keeps the crew more comfortable and relaxed versus wiping themselves off every 5 minutes.
After I got home that evening I was really exhausted and I didn't really do anything. Just the heat and the constant perspiration really take the energy out of a guy. CP has those new units that they're going to be sending down here to the states, and we were wondering if they would have air conditioning. Hey, even a fan like they have in school buses would be a major step up.
So anyway, the week has been moderately slow and makes it nice for dispatchers since you aren't bouncing off the walls trying to move half the world's freight. So it was rather pleasant most of the week. Of course there are those moments when you just sort of wonder.
I get a request from the planner at Latta for a Crane Turn. He will go to the Navy at Crane, get 50 empties, and bring them to the hill for an outbound call. This train will run as a second 241 and will go to the UP at Proviso for forwarding to the coast.
Now whenever there is a move out of the ordinary, everything gets just a little weird. And indeed this was no exception. First, then I tell the caller to put this gem on the lineup they have questions galore. Where is it going? What's it doing? OK, so once that's all straightened out then the crews start calling asking those same questions. OK, so now that I have won the prize for answering the same questions correctly 54 times in a row I call this Crane Turn.
The call goes off well, and the crew gets their materials OK and off they go. They migrate into the class yards at Crane, put the train together, and then come north. So now I call the second 241 outbound. So the crew gets to Van Yard and no train list. OK, so I call the service center.
Calling the service center is sort of like an office version of the triathalon. First, you go through the automated operator, which is a chore in itself. Then you wait patiently as the phone rings and rings and rings, wondering who if anyone will answer. Finally, you try to match wits with the clerk on the other end as to the counts and numbers that the train will have. Only the strong survive, and once you finish you feel like you could conquer the world. So I deftly and bravely take on this forbidden challenge.
First I negotiate the automated operator. Next, I attempt to establish a link with this fabled establishment. Finally, I make contact.
"Hello, service center."
"Hello. This is the dispatcher in Spring Hill Indiana USA. The heart of tornado alley."
I tell them this because at one particularly low point in my tower-to-service center exploits they thought I was in Canada.
"Hello, Mike. What can I do for you today?"
"I have this second 241-02 ordered up. Could you please fire up the network and begin the great train list process?"
"OK. Say, where is this train going?"
"Chicago. The NMC in Calgary called and were wondering the same thing. They said it goes to the UP at Proviso, so I told them we should take it to Blue Island and let the IHB deliver it since we don't have anyone qualified to Proviso."
"All right. And where is this train originating?"
"Crane. Should be about 50 cars from the Navy. All DODX flats."
"What power are you going to use?"
"CP 5409 and CP 5730. These were the units from 241."
"Then what did 241 have?"
Now I've been on the phone way too long. My console is beginning to back up with calls and I see the other lines are lit up as well. Time to end this.
"I have to run. I got people who want to abuse me. Look at the AEI for that 241's power. This second 241 please send all the goodies to the Van. OK. Bye."
So I enter into the post-service center recovery stage. I answer my calls and take my abuse like a good kid.
So now this 241's crew shows up at the Van and informs me that there is no train list. Time for mind reduction session number two. So I again negotiate the Soo Line labyrinth.
"Service center."
"Hello. This is the dispatcher in Spring Hill again. The crew for that second 241 says no list yet."
"Yea, I've been trying to get a list from the Navy. When they send me the info I'll get it out right away."
"OK. Good enough."
So I inform the crew. So about 30 minutes later they call again. The list is for the wrong train. By now my blood pressure is beginning to creep up into the irritated zone.
Negotiate the maze again.
"Hello, service center."
"Dispatcher here in Spring Hill. The list for this second 241 is wrong. The crew says it shows mixed cars."
"Let me take a look."
There is the unmistakable sound of shuffling papers. You know, as if to say, "I have no clue what you're talking about." So I wait. There are voices in the background. There are also voices in my head. And those voices are not very nice. They say things like "Don't you know what's going on?", "Are you as stupid as you sound?" But I keep things under control.
"Oh I see. This is the list from that first 241. OK. I'll get this other one ready. This is the Soo 6061 right?"
What? "Aaah no. Try a CP 5409."
"CP 5409. With about 39 cars?"
I enjoy humor. I really do. But like everything it has a time and a place. This is not the time or the place. I really and truly hope he's just giving me a hard time.
"50 from the Navy."
"Oh yea. Right. OK, I'll get this ready. Send it to the Van?"
"Please."
All the time I had the mike open on the block phone so the crew can get the info first hand. That way they don't have to call me. Their replies were, well, I can't repeat them here but they were bordering on potty mouth if you know what I mean.
Today I got up and decided it was a riding day. So I call the caller to see what's showing. Now I'm looking for a run to Maysville and I know empties went down there Friday night so I figure sometime this afternoon they will have loads to move. Well, the caller has no idea because the planner hasn't given her anything yet. So I call the planner. He says look for one around noon. Great! Just what I was looking for. A day light run from Maysville where I can see what's going on. So I tell the caller to call me with the crew. OK. So I lay back down and fall asleep again.
Next thing I know the phone is ringing. I had been in the middle of a dream, one in which I was swimming in water. Come to find out it was the drool from my mouth I was swimming in. So I go get the phone. It is the caller, and she informs me that the Maysville is called for 13:00 railroad time, 12:00 city time. Great, I have an hour and a half to burn. So I check e-mail, clean up the place a little bit, charge the batteries on all the goodies, and then off I go. So I get to Van exactly at 13:00 and the PTI van is just arriving as well. OK, this is good. So I go in and meet the team and throw my devices into the van and prepare for the trek. Once the crew is aboard we depart. We make the usual small talk on the way, stop for railroad food (a can of pop and a candy bar, which both fall into the sugar and instant groups), and then off to the train.
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We arrive at Maysville and find the power on the south end of the loading tracks. The power today is the Soo 4442 and the Soo 4509, with the 4509 leading. It is in the red Soo scheme, but upon closer inspection I found a stencil marking noting it as the MILW 359. This is one of the six or so with dynamic brakes, but the engineer says they don't work so well (those weren't his exact words but you get the picture) so they don't even bother to use them. |
We have 48 coal loads for the INRD to take at Linton and forward to the CIPS plant at Newton, Illinois. So we get the marker on and prepare to move the train. The coupling is made and air is applied and now it's time to take a pull on them. Only the units are really struggling to move the cars. In fact, we encounter a fair amount of wheel slip. The engineer is a little perplexed, and makes a trip to the 4442 for an inspection. Well, it wasn't on line and once that problem is corrected we move right along.
We cross the CSX St. Louis line at Chappel and for those who might be interested (Scott Withrow, that's you) the distant signal on the north approach is indeed a semaphore. It might be fixed for the Approach aspect, although if I'm correct it did have all 3 lenses. The blade was yellow and forked for all it is worth.
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As we approach MP 100 the conductor switches over to 44-44 and rings up our dispatcher for a warrant north from Elnora to Latta. Well, Bob tells us he's got 3 moves going on between Linton and Elnora and we would have to hold until the time came. And he added that the INRD wasn't ready for the cars and wouldn't be for about another hour. OK. |
So we hold just outside of Elnora. As we're sitting waiting out turn, the truck pulls up and a guy gets out and comes up to the engine. I don't see an AK-47 so it's safe to assume this isn't an ex-postal worker on some kind of spree. Well, come to find out he's a farmer and just curious about what's going on. We talk with him for a while and finally it's our turn to move. So we get the ticket, bid our farmer friend adieu, and depart for Linton and points north. At milepost 220 we hold for the ISRR who is making a few moves at Beehunter. Once out of the way we move them right along.
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The ISRR has 2 units waiting to go from the Spencer Sub to Plain on the Petersburg Sub, and then return to Beehunter. Parked on the stub is a 3-unit set: 2 GP-40's with an ex-NS high hood GE in the middle. Kinda looked neat, although the units were a bit dirty. |
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So anyway, we meet the INRD at Linton, cut off the cars, and then migrate light units in a timely fashion to Latta. At Latta we park the units at Queen 4 for assignment 123 to use, hop in the cab, and move right along to Van. At Van, fill out the last of the paperwork, bid Bob a good evening, and go home. On duty for 7 hours and it seemed like 3! Now that's how I like to spend my Sundays! A nice drive in the country! |
There are a lot more photos you can enjoy on the Maysville cab ride photo page.
As the crews are fond of pointing out, the Soo owns Pekin siding. I was even thinking of putting a hot dog stand there or something like that. 90% of the Soo trains that die on the south end die at Pekin. The CSX seems content on letting them go belly up there even when they have plenty of time to make Louisville. So we might as well set up shop there in some way.
I was looking at delay reports the other day, and when you see a train put in the hole at Fogg for 5 hours for no reason- no meet, no recrew, no mechanical problem- it just sort of makes you wonder. I guess there are certain people in CSX that don't want us to do too well in Louisville. Never mind it was the Soo that kept that south end alive to begin with. But hey, that's OK. With every stupid move they only show us how childish they really are. Maybe they do have a legitimate reason for their moves, but if they do the crews and myself have no idea what they are. Maybe the swamp gas is seeping in again. Or maybe the wildfires are giving off some kind of fumes conducive to amnesia or perhaps even delusions. Of course I have other ideas too but I really can't verbalize them here...
(well actually, they have lots of places to go)
Van Yard Engine: SOO 4428
Farmersburg Power: CP 6409 - CP 6016 - CP 5722 (nice seats in the 5722!)
Maysville Power: SOO 4442 - SOO 4509
Kindill Power: CP 3018 - SOO 2066 - SOO 4405
XL Power: CP 5860 - CP 777 (violated!!!)
PS: Well, the automation of Spring Hill has been delayed account the signal guys have been set behind by storms and delays getting the hardware to automate Spring Hill. So what it boils down to is now they say October 1 is the new target date for the move. Let's see, first it was on or after May 1, then June 1, then August 1, and now October 1. Anyone noticing a trend? Personally I'm hoping for first of the year. But that's just me...
My Pumpkin cat says hello and wishes everyone a happy and safe 4th of July weekend. Me, I just hack up a hairball and use the ol' litter box whenever I get the urge...
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Editorial content (C) 1998 Mike Dettmers
