Extra ATSF 7500 North 11/26/1975 in Tales of the Jointed Track

I found this by accident. Nothing happened out of the ordinary, other than a set out in the Colorado Springs yard. This is still double track. I will show the clearance card, and the train orders.

These are the train orders we got on arrival at the yard office.

A Santa Fe 7500 series U-23-C

The Clearance card:

For those who regularly ready the blog…

Quiz:
The Clearance Card . What Purpose does it serve ( or at one time )?
a) I don’t know, because I just hired out
b) Yer the Engineer, you and the Conductor hash that out
c) Authority to occupy main track, CTC and Train order territory,
Rules 251 and 261.
d) The operator needs something to write on
e) none of the above

Quiz:
This train order gives us authority to run 50 mph Pueblo to Denver, but what are the conditions?
a) We are doing 50 mph everywhere, because the train order says we can.
b) We need to consult the current Joint Line timetable, and also follow the lower speeds for curves, restrictions for towns, and speeds going into and out of sidings, plus the over all siding mph. What is the maximum operating speed, since we have a restricting order,
c) I don’t know you’re the Engineer … Figure it out
d) I am so confused.

An order that protects or relays safety concerns to the crews

Another protect or safety train order. The bumpimg post knocked down at the Armstrong Spur. Yes it was. They shoved off the end of the rail, switching out the plastic facility. This was another track that a warehouse did not utilize. So when they shoved the loads up there, before pulling the empties..Well end of track and beyond.. OOpps No it wasn’t me.

This is a slow order. When I hired out and six years after i got promoted to Engineer, this was a record. We were told that this was the longest time a 10 mph slow order was in effect. The C&S maintained this track. The BN and the Santa Fe intervened and the heavy Grain and Coal traffic beat it into submission. This today is CTC and 30 mph running. Speed is good for 50 mph, but signals and layout make a 30 mph a good feasible speed.

We are still double track South Denver to Bragdon, ABS ( Automatic Block Signal Rule 261 territory ) Funny thing about this order!! The trains were were running and their length, would not accommodate this instruction, due to the sidings were not long enough…