The next installment. I have a nasty habit of changing tenses in the middle of my writing. I think I caught most of them, but I didn't proofread this with a finetooth comb, so ignore any grammar mistakes. I'm sure there's a few.
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Was a snowy day one winter's night. I got called for the C-town local. The C-town local leaves the yard and works 6 or 7 industries along the branchline that connects the yard to the mainline. Industries included some feed mills, a candy maker, box factory, and a propane dealer. None are huge customers in their own right, but all usually get a bunch of cars each day, esp. in the winter time.
I got called to conduct this job, on duty at 1030pm. It was snowing. A lot. Now granted, this isn't Buffalo where they barely bat an eye at 15 feet of snow, but anything 6” or above usually slows us down to a crawl. We're just not equipped for heavy storms, which we luckily only get a couple per winter.
Back to the story: I showed up at the yard office (which is only a 20 minute drive for me, which was no problem thanks to my truck), printed up paperwork, bulletins and all that boring stuff. We had cars for about 4 or 5 customers that night. I was told the only reason the train wasn't laid in (canceled for the night) was because the propane dealer needed cars. And apparently that company has the number for the phone inside the CEO's bathroom. When that customer wants service – they get service.
The engineer was really nervous this night. He was not used to running in the snow. Oh, boy. That just gave this conductor an extra shot of confidence. Esp. since we were going to be spotting cars on stub-ended tracks. Joy.
Paperwork in hand, we boarded the pair of GP38-2s that would be our power. It was still snowing pretty heavy with about 5-6 inches on the ground. The MOW forces (awesome guys... can never say enough about them) were already hard at work cleaning out switches in the yard. They had their shovels, brooms, and backpack snow blowers. Well, I think they are leaf blowers, but they are blowing snow tonight. We got to the yard ladder. As you enter the ladder – your first switch is for track 12 and the last switch is for track 3. Guess which track has our cars? If you say the track that will require the maximum number of switches to be cleaned out, you are the winner. MOW was working on the first switch already. When that was cleaned out, the entire snow-clearing party climbed up on the engine platform and rode to the next switch that was lined the wrong way and needed cleaning. Then the next. Then the next. Then the next. Eventually we got to our cars. The snow clearing team departed to clean other switches. I followed the ground line off the cars to its valve, closed it and took the cars off air. We hitched up and pumped the air back up. We had to make a cut on this track, so the engineer pulled on command. And when the stop command was given, the cars slid past by three or four. Cold brakes suck. By this time the lead trainmaster came on the radio instructing us to tie it down where it was at. None of the mainline switches have been touched yet, and it would take too long for one man to clean out those switches and derails. Fine. I spun on some handbrakes and the trainmaster came and gave us a ride to the office. A night's work done already? Yeah, right.
He sent the engineer home, but kept me there. He was going to try to cobble a crew together and I would be part of it. So by 530am, the regular engineer from the morning local showed up to work. He would be the engineer. I would conduct, and a brakeman was called off the list. Well, at least a 3 man crew is better than 2. And the engineer was a 30 year veteran, so a little snow would not phase him (by this time, a little snow meant a foot, and was still falling heavily).
We climbed back upon the train,untied, and went to the first customer – a small feed & fertilizer dealer. Surprisingly, despite the snow, they had their regular crew working. We stopped at their switch which MOW had already cleaned out. Although at the rate of snowfall, it was hard to tell. My brakeman hopped off the power, and POOMPH, was up to his buttcheeks in snow. There was a bit of a snow drift in this area. We laughed as he swam his way up to the switch. I made the cut, and walked the loads back to grab their empties they left on the lead. After grabbing them, we went back out to the main to couple to the rest of the train. Every time we cleared the switch, the brakeman had to sweep the points clear. It was coming down bad at this point. Visibility was limited and there seemed to be no letting up. As we coupled up, I learned a good lesson. If there's snow on the ground, there's probably snow up above on the cars. And if I wasn't awake before, getting several pounds of snow crashing down on me was a surefire way to face the new day. Now we made our second entry into the place, coming in with their new loaded hoppers. We usually spotted the first pocket right over the auger for them. But since their whole unloading operation was outside, trying to do that in a foot of snow would prove to be a bit of a challenge. Since they move the cars all around their property anyway, they assured me it was OK not to get a perfect spot - they would handle it with their heavy equipment. One customer served. We pulled the train out on the main to clear the switch... and... well.... that would be it for a while. As we spotted up the loads, the lead engine reversed over the switch. And that lead engine had a bunch of snow gathered up behind its plow. I say had, because it decided to deposit all that snow right on top of the switchpoints, pretty much cementing them in place, still lined into the industry.
Now while the engineer and conductor still had plenty of hours left to work, I was on my 11th hour, being on duty from the night before. At this point the trainmaster called up and wanted to know how we were making out. We told him about the switch being fairly plugged and it was going to take some time to get it dug out enough to throw and use it. He told us to forget about it, and drag whatever we had up the line a little where he had a fresh crew, cobbled together from some of the people that could make it to work that day. At this point the MOW foreman, who was further up the line fighting to keep switches clear called on the radio to the trainmaster asking “how long are you going to keep this up?!” With probably near 2 feet of snow on the ground already, and no end in sight, this was proving to be a lesson in futility, burning up 3 crews already. We pulled the train up to where the trainmaster was waiting, and let that crew have their turn. He slip-slided, and drove us back to the yard office. I marked off with 13 or so hours on duty, and drove home on an empty, but snow covered highway (the state highway department gave up on plowing and was simply shutting down the entrance ramps) and was able to make it home. Well, I did high-center my truck trying to shove it into its parking spot, but at least I made it.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Excellent reading and also a small pile of snow on my desk!
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Yes, excellent....now i need a hot cup of coffee!
23 17 46 11
Rookie management - you never did (at least in your tour) serve the customer that was the reason the job wasn't laid in.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Since our regular season is spring, summer, and fall, we don't often have to deal with snow and switches.
During the Polar Express, we do.
We also have to deal with icy brakes, icy/wet rail, and some decent grades, not to mention vintage locomotives (ie, no automatic wheelslip control). Great fun lugging up a grade in notch 2 with the sander being held on (self centering...) trying to bump it up to notch 3 every now and then, until you slip again...
I've seen several trains/locomotives slide well past the desired stop point...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Mookie Excellent reading and also a small pile of snow on my desk!
Congratulations, Zugmann !
That was quite a story...about halfway, I was wanting to dig out the insulated Carhartts, and warm gloves! Now for that cuppa coffee!
Good story, zug!! Well crafted.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Thanks. Always interesting to read.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Enjoyed it very much !
Where was the R2D2 / C3PO 'robo-conductor' when it was needed the most ?!?
- Paul North.
Good story. I'm surprised there isn't a quicker/easier way to keep switches clear of snow.
Ulrich Good story. I'm surprised there isn't a quicker/easier way to keep switches clear of snow.
Johnny
Deggesty Ulrich Good story. I'm surprised there isn't a quicker/easier way to keep switches clear of snow. Some roads use switch heaters.
Some roads use switch heaters.
Switch heaters get used with power operated switches at control point. Hand throw switches don't warrent switch heaters - there are too many of them and the costs of installing and operating switch heaters is high.
BaltACDSwitch heaters get used with power operated switches at control point. Hand throw switches don't warrent switch heaters - there are too many of them and the costs of installing and operating switch heaters is high.
Also leads to fights between maintainers (who want the heaters turned on so the switches don't freeze) and the MOW foremen (who want them shut off so it doesn't damage the track).
Yeah, during my short stint as DS, I got thrown in the middle of that battle a few times. Turn them on! Turn them off! Turn them on! Turn them off! Sheesh.
Luckily most of the newer ones are automatic. Leave the poor DS out of it!
zugmann BaltACD Switch heaters get used with power operated switches at control point. Hand throw switches don't warrent switch heaters - there are too many of them and the costs of installing and operating switch heaters is high. Also leads to fights between maintainers (who want the heaters turned on so the switches don't freeze) and the MOW foremen (who want them shut off so it doesn't damage the track). Yeah, during my short stint as DS, I got thrown in the middle of that battle a few times. Turn them on! Turn them off! Turn them on! Turn them off! Sheesh. Luckily most of the newer ones are automatic. Leave the poor DS out of it!
BaltACD Switch heaters get used with power operated switches at control point. Hand throw switches don't warrent switch heaters - there are too many of them and the costs of installing and operating switch heaters is high.
Automatic's are easily fooled by the weather. Bigger problem is who is responsible for what - Signal Maintainers cover electric and cold air heaters, MofW have to light the propane and 'smudge pot' heaters (when the smudge pots are lit, you better notify the Fire Dept. they will be out within the hour to put out the 'track on fire' and totally compound the problems at the control point) On my carrier it seems that none of them pay any attention to the weather forecasts or what is happening in their range of vision - they have to be told to do their jobs from personnel upto several hundred miles from their locations. The nominal 'Winter Contingency Plan' is to pray for Spring.
Bravo! A lustering tale!
Murphy Siding Bravo! A lustering tale!
I had a nice, warm job, usually. However, one agonizing evening they took somebody from the extra board just to scrape the frost from my windows so I could see what I was doing!Our yard does/did have some calrod electric heaters on a bunch of hand-throw switches that connect with the lead to the main line. I never knew who controlled them, and I understand that they were more trouble than they were worth, most of the time. Of course, the switches I controlled were all equipped with calrods or forced-air heaters. Signal could suggest that we turn them on, down, or off, but guess who had the controls...
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
It illustrates the maxim, "the railroad makes money in spite of itself."
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