Any Questions?

[Anonymous]

Any Questions I may answer about dispatching?

[Mookie]

Yeah - maybe -

I love to watch trains - BNSF (sorry CSX) - but we run tons of coal (pun intended) thru here! Freight also -

But for the last month - the trains are running all at once and then big expanses of nothing moving. Those big expanses of nothing moving are always when I am out to watch - daytimes and weekends. BNSF used to run pretty regularly through here (Lincoln NE) - but for example, this morning, they ran nose to tail from about 3 am to 5:30am! Any thoughts?

Also, the old engineer used to see coal trains waiting for hours to get into the yards here at Lincoln. It was always on the weekend - he used to always say "it's the weekend dispatchers!" He was very serious, but this was in the 70's and 80's! Does that still apply?

Mookie

[JoeKoh]

Mookie
coal trains have a lower priority to get in a yard. My question is what is your range of miles that you cover?
stay safe
Joe

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JoeKoh

Mookie
coal trains have a lower priority to get in a yard. My question is what is your range of miles that you cover?
stay safe
Joe

zero for me -

Lincoln is inaccessible as far as getting a parking place close to tracks. Except where I watch - we have 6 tracks there. And good parking!

But - those 6 tracks - 4 go to the east and north and 2 go southeast and southwest. So for instance - if I head to Omaha, just outside town there are tracks and usually a waiting in-bound train. Go to north end of town and sit on the fair grounds and see a lot of trains waiting to get into the yards. All 4 tracks.

Go out to humane society and see some coming in from the southeast - waiting on tracks. Go west and out by the mainline that comes in by Pla-Mor Ballroom (yes, they do hold dances there) you can see them waiting to enter the west end.

None of these places are where you can comfortably park and watch trains for a couple of hours, but in the course of a day - you could conceivably hit all these areas and see trains waiting - usually on the weekends! Ergo, the weekend dispatchers statement.

Where I sit - you see them all - if they are coming into the yards from the west and not staying for a long period of time, they will come out on the east end where I sit. If they come or go from the east or south - I will see them. See - prime watching area, unless it is in the middle of the night which it has been lately! (then it is just plain scary!)

Moo

[dehusman]

Not trains during the days, sounds like a curfew, that is a gang working on the track somewhere so the RR stops running trains for 6-8 hours to let the gang out.

If the trains are waiting to get into the yards, that may be "yardmastering" more than "dispatching".

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

coal trains are Very low priority on csx .....the chiefs will usually call the trains when there is really nothing around. Of course ya wouldnt want to put 12,000 ton coal train in front of a ups train. I forgot to tell yall I dispatch 5 different desks. ID (Indy line), IE (Toledo Br), IF (Columbus Line), IG (Cleveland Term)
and IH (Erie West). And I was also In T&E from Indianapolis to Toledo and Crestline,OH

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csx-dispatcher

coal trains are Very low priority on csx .....the chiefs will usually call the trains when there is really nothing around. Of course ya wouldnt want to put 12,000 ton coal train in front of a ups train. I forgot to tell yall I dispatch 5 different desks. ID (Indy line), IE (Toledo Br), IF (Columbus Line), IG (Cleveland Term)
and IH (Erie West). And I was also In T&E from Indianapolis to Toledo and Crestline,OH

- they don't seem to be low priority here - since we are shoveling (there is that pun again) coal trains thru here more than freight. We seem to be a favorite run thru for all the coal going east and back west! I have seen Hobson yard with about 12-20 tracks - I can't stop anywhere long enough to count the exact number - and 8 of them will be coal trains waiting to go either east or west (we are a hump yard, too) So we don't lack for coal trains or even freight - it is just our timing is so off! But maybe they are working somewhere and have to do all their traveling at nite. Sigh.... [:(]

La Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csx-dispatcher

Any Questions I may answer about dispatching?

Don't go too far - I am sure I will think of something else and I want to be able to find you when I do!

Mookie

[techguy57]

Don't know if you can really help me but here it goes:

What are the busiest places on the Indy line, especially around Indianapolis. I'm originally from Indy and about to head back that way for a couple of days. I know the obvious is the Avon Yard but I really want to get some pics while I'm down there so any other thoughts would be welcomed.
There really isn't a good place that I know of to take pics of the AVON yard, at least not safely.

Mike
Mike

[Anonymous]

Ill tell ya what techguy57 as far as Avon goes if there is any westbound trains going to held out of avon they are usually going to be held at Girls School Rd or Lynnhurst Dr. Waiting to go into avon yrd. But as far as train traffic goes. Old IU tower is a good place to watch. Our office is right next to IU interlocking and they run pretty good though there. There is Alot of parking throughout that area....so it would be a good safe place....I go back into work tomorrow on 2nd and I can get a better Idea on schedules (aprox.) We usually call the same trains around the same time everyday.

[techguy57]

Awesome! Thanks[:D] Just one question: where is the old IU interlocking tower? I can't remember![:p] Near downtown would be my guess but I can't place it for some reason.

Are you dispatching from Indy or from Jacksonville? I couldn't tell by the other post.
Do you have Fostoria, OH or is that some one else?

Just curious.

Mike

[Anonymous]

IU interlocking is Right next to Conseco Fieldhouse, Amtrak Depot. I dispatching from Indianapolis, Which is Also right next to Conseco Fieldhouse. Our Office is located at 31 E. Georgia St.

As far as Dispatching Fostoria, No we dont dispatch that. Jax Does.

Indianapolis Dispatchers are ALOT different that Jacksonville.. As far as the dispatching system goes. They have Computer aided dispatching which means if it comes down to it they can actually have the computer run their trains. Here in Indianapolis we have to Wait for the train to go by then throw switches and line signals.

Basically its still (Conrail) vs. (Csx) and we still dont get along. LOL

[JoeKoh]

Thanks for the info.I have a friend in indianapolis who retired from conrail started as a brakeman with the nyc.He is happy to be retired.
stay safe
Joe

[Modelcar]

....I have a hand held scanner I carry with me as I do my walks and occasionally hear DS reading orders to a locomotive engineer....and then the engineer repeating them back to him....and the DS reads them off pretty fast. Question: The engineer reads them back what seems word for word to the DS and I wonder how the engineer copies the order so fast to be able to do that....

[dehusman]

Nowadays they don't use train orders, they use track warrants (west of the Mississippi) or Form D's (east of the Mississippi) which are formattted forms. Sort of a fill in the blnk "train order". So the dispatcher reads off the warrant of Form D and the train crew is filling in the blanks as the dispatcher reads it. then they read back the form. So all they are really writing down are a few mileposts or station names or train id's or times. All the other verbage is boilerplate on the form.

If a dispatcher has problems reading off the warrants too fast, we sometimes pull the audio tapes and then have him try and copy his own warrants to give him a sense of how fast he's talking. Most of the time they have done it enough the dispatchers know how fast the crews can copy and which crews are better than others.

Dave H.

[Modelcar]

.....Ok, Form D's, most likely what I am hearing. Sounds very well like what is happening. I was wondering if something as such may be involved. When they were reading back word for word and having heard it related to them that fast it had me wondering. Thanks for the answer.

[Granny74]

My husband and I listen to the dispatcher on our scanner--we are in Tucson. My question --which may sound dumb--is how do you keep track of the location of the trains and also do you use computers and global positioning, etc. I guess I just wonder how your days go also, how many hours you work, etc.
Sometimes it seems that there are many trains waiting for "orders" from the dispatcher. I think that being a dispatcher must require a great deal of knowledge both of the area the trains are in, etc., and that it also must be a very stressful job. (Now, excuse my lack of knowledge---my husband is in bed---he is the one with more train knowledge. I have become a railfan just recently. If he were awake, he could probably word this question better.)
Nance 69

[dehusman]

If the trains are in CTC (centralized traffic control) a type of signal system, the dispatchers have panels or computer displays that have a schematic diagram of their territory and shows where the trains are on the lines (well actually what segment of track they are in, the segment could be miles long.) Outside of CTC they use either a train sheet or a computer graphic display that should how far they have authorized the train to go. They don't know exactly where the train is , but they know where they have told it to go.

They haven't used GPS much yet, its only recently that the accuracy has been fine enough to make it useful. The GPS has to be accurate to less than 10 feet because its important to know which track the train is on and they are only 12-14 ft apart, so if GPS is only accurate to 20 ft or so you can't tell which track a train is on.

Basically its the same ods that have been used since the early 1900's, just with a fancier display and better communications.

Former air traffic controllers who have become train dispatchers have said that train dispatching is more stressful than air traffic controlling. There's lots of sky and very few tracks.

Dave H.

[csxengineer98]

Hey csx dispatcher,
do you know Richard Dillion?
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

Pulling the tapes of the DS is a great idea. We have a couple who forget that copying T&T, or a Warrant is not the only thing going on in the cab of the loco. Also had one that failed to mention, "after the arrival of XXXXXXXX," while giving time to a welder. Result.......quantity (1) $70,000 brand new welding truck demolished. Second time that crew had their truck smooshed in less than a month. That DS is a good DS, too bad. He is now outta service. The welders jumped out before the engine plowed the truck. I have never sen a truck splattered like that in my life!!!!!
Ken

[Anonymous]

Greetings
Ref: Trains Jan 1995 "'Special Report' Showdown for Amtrak"

The start of this article has a dispatcher with several priority freight trains to deal with, and has to factor in penalties if they do not make their respective schedules.

Then here comes a Amtrak train which is running late because of flooding along its route.

What are the current views as to which train has priority?

Does the region make a difference say the Northeast corridor vs. Chicago.

Thanks Gordon

[dehusman]

Amtrak. It runs on a schedule. It shows up the same time every day (or close to it). Its not like its a suprise. The dispatcher ought to have a plan to move Amtrak and minimize the delay to the other trains.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

Nance: We keep track of trains through Computers....they let us know (at that time which time they go though a Interlocking point) and we have to write down what time they go though that certain point. In which we use a Train Sheet. We have to write down Every train, the Engineer & Conductor, the time on duty, Engines, Tonage, And Length....for everything we run. As far as Orders go...Since CSX took over conrail we have to send dispatcher orders though the computer now... . Whith conrail we didnt have to do that. Which means that the orders tell the Train crews where to slow down,... basically instructions of what to do over my part of the railroad.

dehusman: Track warrents are for NS, Form D's are for Conrail/CSX

gnenjnj: Here are Priorites Amtrak (Pxx), UPS Vans(Q1xx), Regular Vans, (Q1xx), Autoracks (Q2xx), Freight (Q3xx), Grain (Gxxx), Coal (Vxxx), Mptys (Exx)

[dehusman]

csxt-dispatcher:
You must be ex-CR since the "pre-merger" CSXT uses a US&S system similar to UP's and doesn't use a train sheet, everything is recorded by the computer.

Dave H.

[techguy57]

CSX Dispatcher- Thanks. I was thinking down near union station but sadly my hoosier heritage is slowly fading.

I've thought of a couple more questions for you: You listed the subs you control but what is the general area you are responsible for: ie Indianpolis to Columbus, etc. [?] Also, which line is the busiest and how many trains do you control (on average) during your shift (how long is a normal shift)[?] How many trains does Indy control (on average) each day[?] Any chance you could get me a tour of the Avon Yard for next weekend[?] Okay so I'm pushing my luck on the last one![:D] My family lives just to the Northwest of the Wye between Girls School Rd and the Avon Yard, so I have to say that the Avon Yard has played a big part in my interest in trains (especially when conrail owned it, it was a little busier then).

Actually, a couple more questions. What outbound trains head north at that Wye? It seems to me the Amtrak used to but I don't know if it still does. Does any traffic enter the Avon Yard from the north section of that Wye?

Thanks again for all the great info

[Anonymous]

tech: I work the ID (Indianapolis to Bellfountain,OH) IE (Bellfountain to Galion,OH and Toledo to Columbus) IF (Galion to Berea,OH) IG (Cleveland Terminal) and IH ( Cleveland to Erie,PA)

The Federal Government Allows us to go no more than 9 hours a Shift.

The Busiest Shifts are 2nd shifts... and the most trains would be from Greenwhich,OH to Erie, PA...which is the IF,IG,IH.

We can write down as many as 20-25 trains a day (on a busy day) which is usually Tue,Thur,Fri.

As far as the wye, we run a few locals that go up to frankfort,lafayete. and amtrak run up there in the middle of the nite. Also a few fright durring the days

[techguy57]

CSX dispatcher - Thanks again. I'm heading down next Sat and staying until Mon night or so. Hopefully the weather will hold off being too bad. Thanks again for the great info! I'll try to think up some more questions.[:)]

Mike

[Anonymous]

No problem techguy.....Ill try to answer anytning yall want to ask

[csxengineer98]

Do you know a dispatcher by the name Rich Dillan... last i hear he was a chieff train dispacher out around your parts...
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

No not by the last name Dillian, but we do have two chiefs with the first name Rich