U-30-CG Fountain, CO Don't break our Aquarium in Tales of the Jointed Track

The Train 424, which we dubbed the “Night crawler” and 800 pm on duty, wow how lucky are we? Usually the 424 was a 0001 to 200 am, beat down after the 152 was called.

We had our usual train, with a set out and/or pick up at Colorado Springs. We also had 4 cars for Fountain, CO.

Fountain, CO Old House track:

It is about 200 am, on our arrival at Fountain, CO. We were able to squeeze, the train, in between road crossings, after we made our “cut” for Fountain. Dennis Scheie, says “Make the cut, clear the crossings, we are on the way up”.

It is an early Sunday morning at Fountain, CO The bar crowd is trying to get home, but it is silent, in Fountain. There are 20 cars in the house track, mostly section housing, and associated cars. The track machinery is on what is left of the old siding, they will start again on Monday. Dennis was told that, the Foreman in charge, is there, leaving Denver. Walking up, he is ready for us. He meets Dennis, and gives his instructions and wishes. Most of the crew has gone home for the week-end, or… On the way home from a “night” on the town.

Our work orders were to switch out the empty water car, and replace with the one in our train. Spot a Boxcar loaded with spike kegs, and a gon with tie plates where, they can grab them. Dennis get his orders, on how to spot the water car, and where he wants the Box and Gon for unloading. They have a burro crane that will with a crane magnet, get the “plates”. There is a dump truck, that will receive, the spike kegs. Our empty water car, is last out in the house track.

We have to do this, cut away from the loaded tank. Grab the whole section track, and empty water tank. Grab the Loaded water car, shove in, pull back and set the empty back on the main. Tie it down. Shove and couple back in, to the load and shove the whole thing back in. Cut the Box and Gon, pull close to where the burro can grab. Yes it was done.. The funny thing was the foreman. “Hey go easy on your switch moves, don’t break the Aquarium”.

Oh yeah, ya can’t make this up. Now the railroad contracts out motel rooms for the section, during heavy work. All work completed and NO FISH WERE LOST, during our switch moves.