Corridor Mentor Job Stuff Late June Early July 2011 in Tales of the Jointed Track

I got up at 530 am. Cup of coffee, and logged into the mainframe from home. I look in TRNBRO, for an inbound look coming into Denver from the south. What is called or going to be called South. What is called on the Front-Range and what is Coming in on the Brush. I look, at a train tracker, this is a snapshot of what is where, just what the train dispatcher sees. It is a “read only”

I made a few notes, I’ll update before I head in. If there are trains staged at Oxford Ave, I’ll contact the Joint-line crews, via radio. The DP’s will be around MP 10.1, easy access via the M.O.W. gate and its off Rio Grande Blvd, which is lightly traversed. I call DS-16, and get an update on who is there, is it crewed, or tied down?

Littleton, CO Mains 2 and 3 MP 9.2 thru MP 11.4 0840 am

I see three coal empties and a grain empty. DS-16 tells me there is one crew on Main 3 at Oxford. It’s a dog catch crew, they will be getting the others as the log jam clears. I call that crew right off. “Mentor to BNSF 8882 North at Oxford”. “8882” “Yeah its Bob outta Big Lift, does your DP’s need inspected and signed?” “Yeah Shoe, thanks 8882 set and centered for the mentor” “Set and centered, mentor going in between. Is there some on on the empty next to you?” “No, that will be our next grab” “Okay I’ll get you done first, and do the other DP on the other train”. “Okay”. I walk around the bottoms, and take fuel readings, check the water levels, make a quick look at the diagnostics. The unit next to the empty coal hoppers is isolated for fuel. The DP “link” is at 1800 gallons, it will make Guernsey, WY or Alliance NE, depending on how they route it. “”Big Lift to the 8882”. “Yeah Shoe”. “I’m, detached and clear, I’ll get this next one to you”. “Okay, we’re pulling Englewood just went Flashing Yellow”. “Erich, leave a note for the outbound that the DP’s are carded, and tell Rennicks, or 31st ST. Maybe Brush line DS, if he’ll answer ya”. Laughter, “Yeah we will”. “I’ll do the head end, on Main two and leave a note”. “Thanks”.

I lucked out, just by chance. The empty on Main three and the grain empty on Main two at the Signal bridge at MP 10.3, 3 units on the head end, no DP, there is an ETD on the rear. I get those looked at and carded. I check the ETD, via the screens, it’s an air powered ETD, so not a problem. A note left, on to the coal empty, and on to the grain empty. It’s four units, a mish-mash of old versus new. A C-44, SD-60-M and two C-40-CW’s…the older 900 series. LOL, All ya all remember the 900 series Santa Fe units. NOT!!! I get those looked at in 30 minutes, they are carded and a note with fuel readings on the engineers control stand.

The ETD is a battery powered one, on the grain empty. It’s at 33 percent, I don’t have a battery with me, I leave at note. It’s up to the crew, to either get one swapped or make Guernsey. I head to Oxford, I’ll get that head end on Main two, along with the “love note”. It’s 1000 AM, and I have done 13 units thus far. I write down unit numbers, and will log in, when I can. I’ll get to 31st St, update with the computer, talk to South and east Crews.

I get a call from the Rennicks yardmaster. A C&S crew is asking me, the train at 20th St, Main one, that been worked? “NO, but since I have you here, consider me Attached, and I’ll be at Walnut in 15 minutes”. “No problem, They aren’t on duty, till 1115” . “I’ll check the DP’s and the head end, the DP’s will be done first”. “Thanks” “I’ll clear with Rennicks, unless I see or hear from you first”. “Thanks Bob, we’ll make sure your clear”. Off to Walnut St, then to the head end. All done, call Rennicks, call the crew, Its done have a good one. It’s not even, noon yet, and time is flying by.