Bear Creek and South Jackson Operations - BC&SJ III Op Sessions - April 12, 2014 - 12
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Ross and Terry have brought first 200 (the first section of train No.200, the Bear Creek Hauler East) into South
Jackson yard. They'll be leaving some cars here and picking up others to take on to Pocatello where they'll tie up.
They have a train order telling them to meet extra 27 west at South Jackson. Normally a simple thing. However, the superintendant messed up the train line up extra 27 west never got a crew creating some problems. The first problem is extra 27 is a special called for BC&SJ Horace Fithers to inspect the railroad (most of the trackside locals say Horace is just you riding). The second problem is obvious, train 200 can't proceed until extra 27 shows up in South Jackson. If you look carefully in the distance you can see (sort of) a third problem. The tail end of first 200 is hanging out past the South Jackson west end ladder blocking it. When second 200 arrives, even though it will terminate in South Jackson, it can't enter the yard because the track is blocked. So while the South Jackson switcher should be at work classifying the contents of second 200, instead everyone is sitting around waiting. Finally management realized the problem and hurriedly got a crew onto BC&SJ No. 27 down in Pocatello. The orders and clearance were already cut so they promptly headed up to South Jackson barely getting out of Pocatello before train 201. If train 201 had gotten out first, it would have resulted in a four-way meet in South Jackson delaying everything even further. What a mess! Management duly promises to not repeat this problem. We'll see ... |