| The Dispatcher |
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| Operations - June 15, 2010 |
| The Chicago & Mackinac was at it again. We had 8 operators plus the superintendent attend the festivities. We almost had a full crew of 9+1, but had a cancellation right at the last minute. Things worked out well anyway, but one additional operator probably would have helped. There were a couple of trains that did not get run, but it appeared that a good time was had by all, despite an extraordinary number of shorts and a number of other issues. |
| The Operators Our 8 operators (plus the Super) started with the Dispatcher, Andy Schnur who did a great job. The Train Sheet was magnificant and I could even read it!! Seth Neumann and Les Andy Dahlsted volunteered for the Grand Rapids and Mackinaw City Yardmaster positions, respectively. The other operators were Steve Kleszyk, John Blunden, David Parks and Bryn Ekroot. Bryn was a first time C&M operator but certainly was not new to operations. With little direction, he performed great. Everyone kept very busy and even the Superintendent was pressed into service as a lowly train engineer! |
| Statistics: The total number of cars moved was 308 in a total of 33 trains: 2 1st class passenger trains 0 2nd class Fast Freights (#210 & #211) 14 turns (out plus back) 7 through freights 4 PRR interchanger's (2 out plus 2 back) 4 boat interchanger's (3 out and 2 back) 2 Ann Arbor & Kalkaska Interchange runs (out plus back) Online customer deliveries/pick ups totalled 95 cars at industrial sidings and in addition, we even picked up/setout a total of 4 express loads in our passenger operations. |
| The Yardmasters |
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| Les was the Mackinaw City yardmaster because I asked him to bite the bullet and take one for the team. He did a great job in a tough operating position. He kept things moving all evening. Great job Les, thanks. |
| Seth looks pretty serious here and he was all business all night. He kept the CP Yard clear and took most everything thrown at him. The yard at the end of the evening was clean as a whistle. He even had time to run a PRR interchanger. Wow, what a guy! |
| Thanks Crew Members I personally had a great time this session and I hope you did too. I have a lot of work to do before the next operations, to "de-glitch" some the problems that we raised their ugly head this time. Not major industry additions before the next operations so I should have time to do some fixing. Thanks again, and see you next time. |
| The Operators |
| Here is John running working the Petoskey Turn. Old Hand John knocked it off, plus many other trains (including his favorite Grind) with no problem. |
| It was a pleasure having David on the Crew. He took the Walton Jct Turn and handled it in an exemplary fashion. He loaded a bunch of covered hopper cars, creating much revenue for the Company. On the right, he is analyzing the PRR Interchanger which is having problems at the south end of Comstock Park Yard. (Click on the small pictures to enlarge). |
Andy volunteered for the DS
position and, as expected, did a
great job. Trains ran all
session with minimal delays,
despite the lack of OS'ing and
communications from the crew.
Andy looks pretty serious here
but I think he had a good time.
He handled everything we could
at him and he handled it all.
You could tell Andy is an
engineer by the state of the
Train Sheet. It looked like an
engineering drawing that I could
actually read!! Thanks Andy.
position and, as expected, did a
great job. Trains ran all
session with minimal delays,
despite the lack of OS'ing and
communications from the crew.
Andy looks pretty serious here
but I think he had a good time.
He handled everything we could
at him and he handled it all.
You could tell Andy is an
engineer by the state of the
Train Sheet. It looked like an
engineering drawing that I could
actually read!! Thanks Andy.
| Steve Williams is shown here in Traverse City. He was an operating dynamo, fired up to move trains, handling several Turns. And, no, his name is not Earl! |
Steve K is working the
Cadillac Turn while Bryn is
watching his road train
approaching Cadillac.
Bryn was a first time C&M
operator but did a great
job, picking up the
operating procedures
without much coaching!
Cadillac Turn while Bryn is
watching his road train
approaching Cadillac.
Bryn was a first time C&M
operator but did a great
job, picking up the
operating procedures
without much coaching!
| Great job Yardmasters! |
| Coal |
| The Soo Line has booked a long term coal contract with West Olive Consumers Power Plant. The inageral run of the Unit Coal Train was this session. The Soo Line has moved two of their older EMD FP-7 units to haul the coal to the plant. Below see shots of the new customer and the train working the power plant. |
It's amazing what an
open switch will do to
a boxcar when an
engine runs through
it! The FRC was
called and the
helicopter recorded
the incident
open switch will do to
a boxcar when an
engine runs through
it! The FRC was
called and the
helicopter recorded
the incident
The insurance
inspectors were
also called. This is
going to cost them
plenty. Let's hope
the B&O 50 footer
was an empty.
None of the crew
had the nerve to
look at the waybill to
see if it was carrying
fragile, high dollar
value cargo.
inspectors were
also called. This is
going to cost them
plenty. Let's hope
the B&O 50 footer
was an empty.
None of the crew
had the nerve to
look at the waybill to
see if it was carrying
fragile, high dollar
value cargo.
| It appears that noone was killed and amazingly enough, noone was injured. I hope the C&M has paid it's insurance premiums! |
| The Move of the Day (or not) |
| Walton Jct |
Things were busy in
Walton Jct all evening.
Here in the WJ Turn
on the industrial track
and a NB through train
in the siding. Then
along comes the Unit
Coal Train. With cars
on the Setout Track,
all four tracks are full.
Lots of action in
Walton Jct.
Walton Jct all evening.
Here in the WJ Turn
on the industrial track
and a NB through train
in the siding. Then
along comes the Unit
Coal Train. With cars
on the Setout Track,
all four tracks are full.
Lots of action in
Walton Jct.
| Below, more action in Walton Jct. David and Bryn are working together to setout WJ cars. |
| Here are three busy operators, Steve K, John and Les. Eveyone stayed pretty busy all evening. |
A Green Light for
Coal on the Chicago
& Mackinac RR.
Coal on the Chicago
& Mackinac RR.
| The Unit Coal Train went well until, on the return trip north, someone (no-one would take any responsibility for it) left open an industrial switch off the mainline in Petoskey. The helicopter covering the event shot this picture of the coal train headed into the ITT Thompson siding! On the right, things got back to normal as the coal train heads north past Petoskey. All is well that ends well! |
| The #102, Local Passenger Train, ran extra (overran it's timetable authority) and is shown here moving through Cadillac. The express traffic got delivered, but the passengers were pretty ticked off for being so late. |