Wednesday, June 17, 2026

I got called for the H BELBAR. It was a 9,000 ton train. We had 5 motors on the head end and one on the rear. It was tied down on Main 1 when I came on duty at 6:20 pm. The temperature was over 100 degrees. Our work order said that we were to pick up one motor from the roundhouse in Needles, and pick up another one from the siding at Fenner. After talking with the dispatcher, and theh road foreman, we were told that our third unit had caught fire and the dynamic brakes were no good. The last two motors in our consist were dead. The rapid responder came out and did some tests on our third motor. He said that it was good for power. We talked to the dispatcher and she highballed the pickup in the Needles yard, since we would have enough power to make it to Barstow. My engineer told her that since wer were a 9,000 ton train I wouldhave to tie a lot of brakes to pick up that motor at Fenner and we would tie up the Main line for a while, so they highballed that pick up too. I had to untie 6 brakes so we could depart. Our HPT was 1.8 so we make good time, but they stopped us a couple of times to let other train run around us. We had about an hour and a half to work when they let us in the yard. We were told to take our train into Yard 7. Our train was short enough to fit in the track. I cut the power and we took it to the roundhouse. They told us to take it to track 14. All 5 motors fit there. We didn't have enough time to get our DP so the yard crew would do it. I tied up with about 10 minutes left. At the hotel the pancake machine was malfunctioning, as usual. I still got some decent pancackes. I slept for about 6 hours and then couldn't get back to sleep. I got a burrito from Fuzzy's and then I got my call at 5:10. I was called for the Z LACALT. It was a nice small train with 4 motors on the head end. On duty time was 6:40 pm. We waited at the depot for 3 hours before our train came in. They ran us pretty good. When we got to Needles there was another train on Mian 4 that we had to climb over so I couldn't roll my train by. No pictures. I tied up at 3:42 am. I worked 7 days in a row so I am now on a 72 hour RISA. I can use the rest.

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