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240-05 was the victim. Yes, 240-05 will probably live in CP history, gosh, maybe forever, or even longer. 240-05 has the honor (perhaps dubious, perhaps otherwise) of establishing a new high water mark by which all others will be measured. And this did not come easily. It came with a great deal of hard work, determination, planning, and just downright luck.
So what is this train famous for? It is not standing in the annals for making the fastest run, or establishing a new land speed record. It is not for moving a vital commodity or saving the free world from the clutches of international communism by moving some sort of crucial secrets. 240-05 is famous for other reasons, all of which will be described herein.
Now for the unfamiliar, 240 is a Milwaukee to Louisville train hauling general freight and among other things, auto frames from A.O. Smith in Milwaukee to Louisville. Simple enough, right? OK. Now this train is symboled for the date it departs Milwaukee, and arrives down by us usually the next day, hence this train is symboled for the previous day. Nothing too outrageous here. Now, lets add a little background.
The UP announce to the world that they are commencing with track work between Yard Center and Woodland Junction for the next several months and show both mains closed from 0800 until 1800 Monday through Thursday. There really isn't a definite time frame other than most of the summer given to us. Well, that's OK. As long as we know about it we can plan around it. Fine. So on the 6th of April, 240-05 was launched in the Louisville direction. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Now whenever you see something like track being taken out of service, you say OK after such and such time it'll be open and we can resume operations, right? WRONG. Inevitably, it takes time for the congestion caused by such a closure to dissipate. Then things will be OK. So the people call this 240-05 for something like 1600 thinking by the time they get their paperwork together, get the train assembled and ready to go, and then depart the congestion will have dissipated and the world will one again be a wonderful place again. Yeah, right.
Well, 240 hits the Harbor after a four hour delay at Bensenville which, among other things, was caused by the Harbor holding them account too much congestion. This should have been the first indication that things would not go well. So on his merry way he goes. Now he gets to CP Francisco on the IHB and the word is that with only something like 5 hours left to work this fella is dead meat. OK, these things happen. So a relief crew is ordered to be up there and on the train in the event they decide to move it things will work out. So the relief crew gets to the train, and sits. And sits. And sits. And sits. OK, now the Harbor is ready but...wait, only 5 hours to work. The UP won't take it so put the train away at 79th Street. Call another relief crew. OK, now the second relief crew is on the train. They sit 10 hours and don't turn a wheel. OK, call the third relief crew. They get on the train. Alas, movement! They move it about 4 miles in something like 8 hours. OK, call the fourth relief crew. Get on the train. Move it about 4 more miles. OK, time's up. Next contestant. Call the fifth relief crew. Take the train into Blue Island yard and into position for a quick escape but....wait a minute! A derailment on the UP. Back the train into Blue Island and put it away. OK, get the sixth relief crew on the train. This crew sits at Blue Island for something like 6 hours and then finally a window of opportunity! Go! Move down the UP to about Woodland Junction. The seventh relief crew meets them there and take the train the rest of the way into Terre Haute. So this train took eight crew total and 5 days to move something like 150 miles! This was probably the most frustrating experience yet. And the train was only something like 50 cars long, not a big train by any stretch of the imagination. But with congestion, derailments, and being low road on the totem pole this train averaged something like 30 miles per day (12 hours). And the hot auto frames on the train? Well, if the truck you ordered is just a little late thank the IHB, UP, and CSX for a job well done.
Then just this past morning, I go to clear up a train with the UP and he informs me that he has code line failure. This means the leased telephone lines carrying the data for signals, switches, and radios is not working. So the Chicago line is quickly grinding to a halt. Oh joy! This will make the day real interesting. Especially since the planner at Latta has committed to moving these trains. Now if the UP can't handle them, the CSX will probably not accept them and we would now be in a world of very deep doo-doo. And even more frustrating than that is the fact that I have no way of communicating directly with the trains to find out what's going on and how they're doing. They either have to call me or I have to get hold of their dispatcher and ask how the train is doing. So we constantly play this game of shooting in the dark to try and figure out what's going on. The crews have gotten pretty good at knowing when trouble is around the corner and will call in via the CSX or UP PBX and give us a heads up to the situation. But that is still no substitute for actually being in direct communications and knowing the whole story.
I just love this concept of trackage rights. The bean counters figure it's almost like running for free so they jump at the chance. The problem is that from an operational standpoint it is pure terror because you are at the mercy of the home carrier and their whims. If they want to move one of their switch engines ahead of your priority move they do it and that's the name of the game. Since we control a vital interlocking on the CSX main track, they are pretty good to us and we in turn try to reciprocate. But the IHB and the UP have nothing like that to keep them honest so they really put the screws to our trains in a big way. When I look at delay reports and see 3 or 4 hours waiting for a meet to let a train by, I see the fallacy of trackage rights directly. I guess the moral of the story is keep and use your own track whenever and wherever you can.
Whew! I feel better now! OK, just a few more sedatives and I'll be back to my normal self once again...
A brief history of the Latta Sub. The Milwaukee Road bought the line in essence to give them a supply of cheap fuel for their steam engines. When the steamers went bye bye, the movement of coal on line to feed power plants became the primary savior of the line, and it still works that way to this day. On line traffic other than coal has been a secondary concern and has been fostered when convenient and profitable. The line was never meant as a through line. Even when it was bought it stubbed on the south end. The traffic essentially originated in the mines on line and was moved north. But since the 1971 L&N merger and subsequent trackage rights into Louisville, the line has been transformed into a through route. Now it may look like this on paper but it wasn't built for those kinds of movements and to try to make it work otherwise is really forcing the issue.
For example, to make a single track main line work one needs places to meet trains and pass them. OK. Looking at the Latta Sub, I have in my 92 miles of territory essentially 3 places to meet trains that are meant for that purpose. I have a 5100' siding at Keller. I have a 6700' siding at Latta when it isn't blocked by hoppers or other cars. And I have a 5100' siding at Crane. And that's it. And when there is a surplus of hoppers on line they sometimes to the dispatcher's dismay store them at Keller. Now all I need is 2 big trains opposing each other and I've got a problem. And this happens more often than we care to admit. Or imagine the siding at Latta blocked with cars and two 5300' trains coming against one another. Now what? You begin breaking trains apart and shoe horning them anywhere they'll fit. Now this takes time not only to break apart but also to put back together again. And with all of the mine runs essentially working in a 30 mile area the congestion can sometimes be just too much. This sub is really nothing more than a branch line that someone has decided needs to be run like a main line but without the necessary physical plant upgrades to make it so. Now with this background here is a classic scenario that came to light just the other morning.
I have a 241 train at Latta. When I come in, the train is at Latta but no crew. The inbound crew died on hours and was off the train. The night roadswitcher 124 was going to peddle cars to the INRD at Linton and then come back and take this 241 to Spring Hill for the outbound call. OK. Nothing too unusual here. Meanwhile, the XL is working north to Wabash River to deliver coal, grab empties, and depart south back to Latta. This XL train is a hot train and it is best to keep it moving at all times. So XL is north to deliver. I also have a 240 train coming south on the CSX and he's about 4100' long so he'll fit at Keller for a meet. This 241 is at Latta shoved onto the Kindill branch because the siding was blocked with cars and there was no place to go with the train. The 241 had to meet that famous train, the 240-05 at Latta. Now add a train 59, Odon Turn, to the mix. This train was going to get 100 cars from Farmersburg mine, take them to Lewis Dock and drop 50 in the dock for the afternoon XL train 118 tomorrow. He would then take the other 50 to the INRD at Linton, interchange there, run light engines to Beehunter, and pick up 99 empties and go back to Farmersburg and spot them for loading. This is a complex but not unusual move and we do it all the time.
OK. So I get with the planner and the play is this: get 124 into Latta, let 59 go south to Linton, have 124 take 241 to the hill for an outbound call, get rid of him, bring 240 in and put him away north of the tower for an afternoon call, bring 120 south after 59 clears at Blackhawk, and the world would once again be a free and secure place. However, that pesky Mr. Murphy decides to make a special guest appearance and the whole plan kinda goes sour.
First, 240 holds up the show at Latta because someone forgot to check the fuel at Bensenville and now they need to be fueled at Latta. This turns into the usual 3 ring extravaganza. So after about 3 hours of horsing around at Latta this 240 is ready to depart. He's now about 5 1/2 hours old and has no chance in making Louisville. So while I'm ruminating on this, 59 calls and is ready to move south. At about the same time the XL is ready to move north. At this time Lewis Dock is clear so I can meet them there. Good. So I do so. 240 goes south, and then 124 makes tracks for Linton to interchange. Meanwhile, 59 comes south, meets the XL at Lewis Dock and then comes into Latta. The XL now has clear sailing to the plant and presumably back. Good.
Now before I had come in there was a relief crew called to go north and get a 240-09 train at Wellington on the CSX and bring it south. So I figure he'll be a long time in making Latta. Things are looking pretty good, And then the plan slowly disintegrates. First, in making a routing call to the CSX they tell me that the UP has a code line failure and is not taking any trains right now. So that means this 241 will probably not go. But by this time 241 is moving north to Spring Hill! The train is something like 5400' long and won't fit anywhere! Now the reality of the situation begins to hit. Where do I go with this train? At about the time I'm contemplating the merits of jumping from the tower, the XL calls and says he's ready to come south! And since I need to have Belt Junction clear to put 240 away, I have to meet these guys at Keller. Now the question is will the XL fit there? Sending electrons across the countryside courtesy of Motorola, Indiana Power and Light, and my own big mouth fueled by the caffeine and sugar food groups, I inquire as to the total number of cars they have. 49 is the response I receive. Thank goodness! At least 120 can go in the siding for 241. But I'm still faced with a problem. Since 241 is bigger than the siding, he'll have to come north to let 120 get by. This means that the Keller meet with 240 is out the window and 241 now sits on the main. And if the CSX says nyet to moving him,well...
So I let 120 go south and bring 241 to the hill. In the meantime, 240 yells at me and lets me know he's coming into the north side of Terre Haute and what are his instructions. I tell him plan on shoving north of the tower to clear the main and let 241 go. Now I make the call. CSX has changed shifts and maybe, just maybe the day dispatcher will take this 241 and help me out. At about this time all I can think is what if he says no? Then what? Well, I talk to him and he agrees to move him onto the CSX! What a relief! But then I get a little perturbed. It's kind of irritating to have this mess thrown into your lap and have to deal with it. The plan was made with the assumption that the CSX would move this train and the world would be OK. But if they don't take it then we are in trouble. I guess I just don't like gambling like that. I like a safe and secure plan that cannot fail save for an extreme catastrophe. I guess I wouldn't do well in Vegas.
Well, on a lighter note, I am attempting to improve my time estimating capabilities. I have the Hawthorn Turn at Latta ready to take light power to the mine and begin loading. Now the track from Beehunter to Hawthorn is not CP track, but ISRR track. Now why the ISRR doesn't serve the mine is beyond me. That's a great source of revenue, since the mine moves something like 100-200 cars per day. But whatever the reason, we serve it so when we send a train to or from the mine we have to clear them up with the ISRR. When a train gets "cleared up", this involves getting the crew info, time on duty, engines, and any other pertinent information. The dispatcher then sends a clearance form showing that particular train and all track bulletins, etc. that would affect their movement. This is then faxed to the train crew and then they supposedly are good to go.
CP has things they call RITS. A RIT is a Remote Intelligent Terminal. It's really a computer which the crews can use to pull up their bulletins, cover page, and so on. Now the RITS are great when they work, but when they don't you have to do things the long way. Now when I clear up an ISRR or an INRD train I have to do it the long way because they do not have a RITS station. It's a little more involved but nothing earthshattering. So anyways, I call the ISRR to clear up this Hawthorn Turn. Now I give them all the pertinent info, and at the end I also give them a time "estimate" on when he can expect the train to call out to him for a warrant. I usually give this "estimate" in minutes and seconds, just to make things interesting. So anyways I give them my time figure, 11:46:12, and their dispatcher kinda chuckles and says, OK ... it's on the train sheet that way, let's see how he does. Holy Cow! Now the pressure is on. So this Hawthorn departs and I wait in eager anticipation. I see him pop on the approach at Beehunter. I look at the clock. Hang on tight! This is gonna be a close one! Finally he takes the light. I look at the clock. It's hard to tell when they talked to him but they're on the move right now. So I wait in eager anticipation. The clock is ticking in the background. Outside, a hawk is circling over the tower. The silence is thick. The tension builds. Then CSX is even quiet, no doubt stopping their operations awaiting the outcome of this event. Finally the Crane radio chimes in and I answer.
"CP Indiana Dispatcher Crane radio, over."
"SOO 4405 reporting clear of the limits of track warrant 7022 at 1151, Jordan, over."
"SOO 4405 reporting clear of the limits or track warrant 7022 at 1151, engineer Jordan, over."
"Yes that is correct. And the ISRR says 5 minutes, over."
Devastation! That's the only way to describe it! The skies become blood red. Tornadoes appear seemingly at random. Storms. Hurricanes. The ground convolutes at will, tossing cars and buildings about. Trees uproot. The mail box pops open and letters fly in all directions. Rivers boil. 5 minutes!
"5 minutes! That's, what, something like 300 seconds, over."
There's a chuckle on the other end.
"Yes, but if it's any consolation you got the 12 seconds right, over."
"Oh, the seconds were OK. Well then it isn't so bad, over."
There's another chuckle.
"Have a good afternoon, Mike. SOO 4405 out."
"Well I guess I can sleep a little easier. CP Indiana Dispatcher out."
At least the whole day wasn't a complete loss....
Since the north end was generally kind of higgeldy piggeldy, the south end has been generally quiet, which is nice for a change. The former MONON from Bedford to Louisville is single track with sidings using DTC as the operating authority. Now DTC, Direct Track or Traffic Control, is a method generally used on low density lines. To me it is antiquated and slow, to say the least. Of course I shouldn't talk since the Latta Sub was using DTC into the 90's. I personally think TWC (Track Warrant Control) is the superior method since it is much more flexible. But for whatever reason, the CSX still uses DTC on the Hoosier Sub.
Now when our trains get to Bedford, they call the CSX and get their blocks and off they go. Once they are clear of the main they call me, release their CP warrant, and then let me know how many blocks they have. This kinda gives me an idea of how they're going to do. If they only get one or 2 blocks that generally means that they'll be meeting someone and that in turn means delays and delays.
OK, so this 240 train rings in and clears the warrant, and then tells me he has blocks to Orleans. Orleans is a popular meeting place so I figure delay at Orleans. Then the crew says the CSX CF dispatcher sounded like one meet and then on to Louisville. Well, that changes the whole thing. Now, instead of looking for relief, I figure he's good to go and I can forget about him. In much the same manner as the CP can look very busy and be otherwise, the CSX can work magic of their own.
So I go about my business trying to patch together the mess on the north end. About 3 hours later the Bedford radio chimes in. Who could this be? Track inspector? Welding foreman? Well, the mystery is just too tempting. I have to see who this is. So in a cappuccino induced hum (caffeine and sugar groups, so it's a winner), I answer that little noisemaker.
"CP Indiana Dispatcher Bedford radio, over."
The transmission is kind of crackly but I can make it out with no problem.
"Dispatcher, this is 240. We're still here at Orleans. You might want to get a ride started for us at Orleans. The dispatcher says he might be able to move us to Fogg but I wouldn't put any money on it, over."
WHAT!!!! Still at Orleans!?!! I feel one of the blood vessels in by head attempting to burst and spew forth it's frustration in the general direction of Jacksonville. Lunch (2 Ho-Ho's) is now attempting to do a Krakatoa from my mouth towards the radio console. 3 hours!!
"Roger, understand 240's train the SOO 744 is at Orleans and it looks grim, over."
"Yes, that is correct, over."
Now I know the planner is listening on the block line at Latta. So I purposely make a big deal out of this hoping he clues in to what's going on. And sure enough he chimes in.
"Orleans?"
"Yup. Looks like the CSX has put the screws to him in a might fine manner."
"Wait a minute. When he got to Bedford how much time did he have to work?"
"Well, he released the warrant at 12:46, so I would say he arrived at maybe 12:30. Called for 7:30. So he had about 7 hours to work."
"And the CSX is holding him for a meet at Orleans for 3 hours now?"
"That's a big 10-4."
"You gotta be kidding. This is BS."
"Yes, blue, yellow, and grey BS by the looks of it."
"Ask him if the train he is going to meet is close."
So I quack into the Bedford radio.
"CP Indiana Dispatcher to 240's train the SOO 744 South, over."
"240, over."
"Say Danny, do you know where this guy you're going to meet is at, over?"
"Well, the best we can figure, he's about 10 minutes out of Pekin if that's him,over."
"Departing Pekin and coming north, over."
"That is correct. The dispatcher was talking that he might move is to Fogg to put the train away, but that's not definite, over."
Now the block line fires up. The planner is just a tad bit upset. A veritable stream of expletives ranging from what he thinks of the CSX to the dispatchers mother to things I've never heard before pour from the speaker. What I can gather from this is that there are no relief crews available to rescue this train and there are hot auto frames on board, and on and on. So I attempt to play peace maker and at about this time a devious plan enters my one remaining brain cell. Maybe if we can force this train on the CSX they will move it.
"CP Indiana Dispatcher to 240's train the SOO 744 South, over."
"240, over."
"Say Danny, what does the rest of their railroad look like? Does he have track out of service, or what, over."
"Well, Pekin is blocked by maintenance equipment. I think he has something else at Fogg. I guess this is the only train we will meet, but I don't know for sure, over."
Now that devious plan begins to form more clearly. Get this train out of Orleans and onto the main, then call the CSX and let him know I cannot get relief for this train and it might be a while before I do. Then see what he does. Devious? Yes. Immoral? Probably. Effective? You bet. He sticks my train, now I stick him. Childish, but it does work. Now, about this time the phone rings and I answer. It's the CF dispatcher. He wants to know if I have relief for this train. Well, it's the moment of truth, that defining moment that separates the good from the bad, the moral from the immoral, the righteous from the vermin. I imagine we can get one scraped together, I say. I don't know what the board looks like but I'll call one right away. OK, he says, I'll get this guy moving towards Fogg ... Call me back if you can't get one. Sure enough, I say. Now I put the final piece of the plan into place.
"CP Indiana Dispatcher to 240's train, the SOO 744 South, over."
"240, over."
"Well, I just talked to that CF dispatcher and he's going to move you to Fogg. Let me know when you're rolling past Fogg and I'll give him a call, over."
"Roger, call when we go by Fogg. 240 out."
"CP Indiana Dispatcher out."
The planner chimes in.
"So what's the plan?"
"Well I plan on dumping this train on the CSX and making him move it."
There's a long silence.
"You're taking a chance you know. Get them really PO'd and they might never move our trains again."
"Yea, well he shafts this guy for about 4 hours it seems only fair that I make him take a big bite out of this turd too."
So I call the caller. Nobody rested until 2000. OK. So if need be I can still get a crew down there later if the CSX makes a huge fuss. About an hour later the Bedford radio chimes in, and I answer. Sure enough it's 240 and he's rolling by Fogg. OK. I ask the crew if they have more blocks and they say yes, down to Pekin. OK. Now the ugliness begins. Time to light the fuse. So I wait about half an hour and then call the CF.
"Hey, I got bad news. The engineer on that relief laid off and I don't have anyone until 2000."
There is a LONG silence.
"No relief until 2000?"
"That's what the caller says."
Again, more silence. So I add my two cents worth.
"I called that NS earlier and they said they have a hole for him. He still has about 2 hours yet. He could make it."
I've now exposed my hand.
"HMMMM. Well, I guess I don't have any other option. You know I would have put him away at Fogg if I knew this."
As a matter of fact I did.
"Gee, I'm sorry. If I would have known earlier I would have called but I just got the info from the caller."
"Make sure the NS will take this train or there will be hell to pay."
"I'll call them back right now."
Great, the plan is shaping up. Now I have to see if the NS will cooperate!
"NS Louisville Tower."
"This is the CP here. I have a guy coming on short time and I would appreciate it if you could roll out the red carpet for him."
"HMMM. Let me see."
Now for the moment of truth.
"Well, have him call at Vernia and we'll take a look at him."
"OK. I guess he has some hot auto frames for you guys?"
"Let me see. Oh, yes. There he is. OK, bring him on."
BINGO! Now to put this all together. Call the CSX and fill him in. Let the NS know the CSX will move him. Call the crew and let them know they're going to move the train and there is no relief for it and no taxis in Louisville to rescue them. Dirty pool, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. As an aside, I come in the next day and see their delay report. They made Louisville with 5 minutes to spare!
Sometimes on the railroad, morality is spread pretty thin.
No news yet on the INRD start up. I guess that will transpire closer to May 1 or somewhere in that vicinity. The CSX run through agreement on the Cayuga trains got off to a rocky start. Apparently the CSX owes CP a ton of horsepower hours. They also have a bear of a time delivering Cayuga loads to the power plant on time. So the agreement is to have two 4 unit CSX sets of power in dedicated service for this train. All must be leaders (occupiable cabs, radios, etc.). All must be 4 axle GP38 or GP40 or equivalent. No slugs. OK. Well, apparently this is just a bit too complicated for the CSX to grasp. The first time they send 2 GP38 and 2 slugs. OK, send that back to Danville and tell them to try again. The next time they send us 4 units OK, but none of them are occupiable. In fact, the engineer on 67 writes a novel noting all the FRA defects and violations. Send those back. Finally they send a power set that's useful. But they pull good for you know what. I see why CSX needs big GE's. The rest of their power is ready for the scrapper.
Power:
Hawthorn Power: CSX 6565 - SOO 6444 - SOO 6052 (?) - SOO 2031 (?)
Maysville Power: SOO 4648 & SOO 4442
Farmersburg Power: CP 5864 - 5848 - 6411
Van Yard Engine: SOO 4443
Roadswitcher Power: SOO 4512 - 4405 - 4442 - 4603
XL Power: CP 5789 - SOO 2036
Kindill Power: SOO 4405 - HATX 402 - SOO 4601
INRD Power:
Stopped at Switz City the other day and caught the following:
555- the only SD10 with an angled cab (or so I'm told)
549, 558 (?) ex-City of Huron in DME colors, 7314, 7310, 7304 and others.
There was another in the shop being painted from DME colors into INRD grey but the number boards were covered and I couldn't get the number.
CSX Power:
Been seeing some of the oddities, like Seaboard System painted units, Chessie units and so on. And me with no camera!
CR Power:
Walked the yard at Terre Haute and found all the power laying in for Good Friday:
CR 7927, CR 7926, CR 7929, CR 7931 (all GP38)
Also, found a PC boxcar in PC paint and a boxcar still in PRR paint! Pictures at 10. I will post them in the next few days at news:alt.binaries.pictures.rail
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Editorial content (C) 1998 Mike Dettmers
