Extra South meet 7 North Academy, CO in Tales of the Jointed Track

This is probably a repeat, but I think I either deleted it or did something stupid.

I was working the “Pool” on the Joint-Line. Like it was in the Mid- to late 70’s, you were out on rest. !0 hours at home and 8 to 10 at Pueblo. After a while it takes its toll, even on us young ones.

I booked for 10 hours rest, after a night run back into Denver. I tied up at 900 am, rested at 1900 pm (700 pm), and will get called. I wrote out some bills, went to the ATM for cash and in bed by 1100 am the phone will roust me at 530 pm for a early 152. Okay 152 was a Beer Run connection, but there was other traffic. Forty cars of COOR’s beer was light, but the slough tonnage, and missed connections. The redeeming factor, five SD-40 / 40-2’s. Somethings hot, 15000 hp, yeah they need it delivered.

Call taken and report to 7th St at the C&S. Call to the Yardmaster and the 16 double to 18 is issued. Air test, permission to leave, and we’ll assault the grade. We do well, with the tonnage vs horsepower. Two hours and 45 minutes later we crest Palmer Lake. Oh this is gonna be a great run, tie up Pueblo 0300 or 0430 great.

Palmer Lake DS-16

“DS-16 to the BN 6819 South”. “6819 DS” “Sorry fellas, gonna have to hold ya at Academy siding, for 7 trains north. Most are short time, yer lined through Monument”. “Okay DS, Academy for 7”. I am dragging a bit, this is a Godsend.

Academy, CO

We get the highball, at 60.4 the Hot Box Detector, and “Flashing Yellow” to the caboose. Yep the old RED over Yellow, we are heading in. The DS updates that the first one is just out of Colorado Springs. We squeeze them between siding switches, with about 2 or 3 cars, distance from each end.

AH sleep time. I’ll spit out my chew. I’ll get the toadstool comfy. I’ll open up a window so I can hear the head end going by. I shut off the ground and gauge lights, I also against the rule cut the Number and Class lights. Hey it’s CTC, and I’ll place em on, when we leave. It is DARK, and I place the ballcap with the eyelet hole so I can see the block. RED!!! I am off to the land of nod.

I heard the everyone of those trains till the last one. Train SEVEN. I stirred and a HIGH GREEN…Shit how long? “6819 to the waycar here is the release. Hey, where is the rear of that last train?” ” Brakes releasing, Oh, he’s about 10 cars from us”. “Okay thanks”. Dodged that bullet.

We arrived Pueblo, down the main and change out front. 600 am and close to dead on the hours, but we made it. 10 hours for me, and a dark room. A call and another trip back.

Last updated January 29, 2017