Monday, March 30, 2026
I got a short call for the "Q MEMSCO." It said that I was on duty at 9 am, but that was only 90 minutes from the time I got the call. This is what what we refer to as a "short call." We have 2 hours to get to work. Regardless of what the automated voice says, I have two hours. I made it to the depot by 9 am anyway. When I did I found that we had been "swapped" to the "Q MEMOIG." The Q MEMOIG was the rear half of the train that I had been called for. I would have to split the two trains, hang the ETD on the MEMSCO, do the Class III, and then do the Class III on my train. On top of that we had several cars in Yard 3 to pick up.
I grabbed an ETD and my engineer and I got in the van. We got on the DPs in the middle of the MEMSCO. I closed the anglecock and made the cut. I hung the ETD, did the two way, and the Class III. Everything went well and they pulled out. We pulled our train ahead. We were in Yard 2 so the cars we were to pick up were next to us. They were all there. When we got to the west end of the yard I cut my two motors away, rode them over the switch, and lined the switch for Yard 3. I only had one switch to throw. I brought my engineer back to a hook, laced the hoses, cut the air in, and released the three handbrakes. There was a note in the coupler of the first car telling us what time the cars had been left there. It had been less that 24 hours. I had my engineer pull the cut of cars over the switch, lined the switch back into Yard 2, and brought him back to a hook. I laced the hoses, cut the air in, and released the brakes. I had the van run me back to the rear of the train. I pressed the button to arm it, did the two way, and the Class III. We were ready to go. I had the van run me up to the head end. I remembered that this engineer smokes cigars, so I brought him one of the cigars that I bought when James was born, 19 years ago. (Only one person took a cigar). I have nearly the whole box left.
The trip was okay. When we got to Barstow they told us to tie it down on the Mohave Connector. (The train was going to Bakersfield, then on to Stockton and eventually Oakland). Our train was light. I only had to tie 2 handbrakes. after I checked into the hotel I went to Fuzzy's for a burrito and some lemonade. I went to bed around 9. I got up for the free breakfast at 6. I was projected to be called at 7:15 so I got ready to go. I got called right at 7:15 for a stack train going from Los Angleles to Clovis, New Mexico. We had a student engineer. We got on at the steps and were ready to depart when we heard somebody open the front door of our engine. He said he was a trainmaster in training and needed to make a trip. This was puzzing, as the BNSF just laid off a bunch of trainmasters. The fellow didn't know where he would be working. He is supposed to take trips all over the system. It turned out he is also a guitar player so he and I had a lot to talk about.
When we got to Needles they told us to take it through Yard 2 to the East Needles signal where we would be relieved. Security would be closing several containers. We had to wait a while to be relieved but they showed up. I took a SMART Rest. No pictures.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment