Comment: This is a continuation of Session 1 involving Train 601. This continuation began with Train 601 sitting just outside of Pine Ridge, waiting to move forward to Black Diamond. The train began by travelling 4 circuits around the outer mainline and then stopping on the mainline before entering Black Diamond. Diesel locomotive CN 7847 dropped the consist and entered Black Diamond to carry out a series of switching moves involving both setting cars out and picking cars up. The train then continued on around the outer mainline for 4 circuits before taking the reversing loop route into the Jasper Yard.

Note: sw3-1 refers to switch 3 in the closed (straight through) position, sw3-2 means switch 3 in the open (turn) position. Blue refers to a change in the position of the switch.

Session 1d:

9:00 am

• Train 601, a local freight, was powered by CN 7847: an RS-3 diesel locomotive.
  
  
  • Train 601 slowly pulled out of the Pine Ridge siding at 4:10 am with a consist of 8 cars plus a caboose. With engineer Dale at the throttle we were soon on the outer mainline moving at a steady rate of 8 on the tachometer. It was all systems go for 4 circuits around the loop before screeching to a halt in front of switch 6 near the entrance to Black Diamond.
    
    
  • CN 7847 uncoupled the lead 2 cars (CCX 002 [empty] and CN 11059 Express Baggage [mail]) from the consist and slowly headed into Black Diamond on Track 2, pulling the 2 cars.
    
    
  • CN 7847 reversed onto Track 1 pushing the two cars in front of it. The trainman uncoupled CN 11059, carrying the latest mail, in front of the Foothills Cartage depot. The locals will be glad to see this arrive this morning.
    
    
  • CN 7847 then moved forward onto Track 2, still pulling CCX 002. After passing through switch 50, the switch was re-lined and the loco reversed back along Track 2, now pushing CCX 002 in front of it. CN 7847 then moved forward on Track 5 pulling the empty hopper car, eventually setting out CCX 002 on Track 5, and then continuing on to reverse along Track 4.
    
    
  • CN 7847 moved forward on Track 3 and picked up 2 hopper cars (AIS 63 and CN 322660), both loaded with coal. The loco then reversed, pulling the two cars onto Track 5 where they were temporarily dropped. CN 7847 then carried out a reversing move on Track 4, which put the locomotive behind the two cars, enabling it to push them back to the Train 601 consist on the mainline.
    
    
  • At this moment the conductor realized that we were also supposed to pick up an empty boxcar from the Foothills Cartage depot.
    
    
  • CN 7847 moved forward along Track 2 then reversed onto Track 1, where it continued to push 3 cars onto an adjacent siding. Then it pulled CN 11059 from the siding back onto Track 1, and pushed it down the track where it was out of the way. The locomotive then backed up and returned to the siding where it picked up the empty boxcar (CN 485338) and headed out to Track 2 where it reversed, pushing the boxcar back onto the mainline where it completed the consist for Train 601.
    
    
  • Train 601 then highballed it around the outer mainline for 4 circuits, making up the lost time.
    
    
  • On the end of the fourth circuit CN 7847 stopped in front of switch 6 while the brakeman reset the switch for the reversing loop into the Jasper Yard. Train 601 pulled into the Jasper Yard 10 minutes late. this completes the run for Train 601.
    

3:00 PM

Comment: Another satisfying session. The switching moves at Black Diamond were made slightly more complicated than necessary as I almost forgot to make a pickup of one boxcar.

I did experience a number of minor engine stalls while in the Black Diamond track layout. I think this is a combination of dirty track and problems with an uneven roadbed. I am now going to spend time with just this locomotive in this area and see if I can't get it working smoothly.

I now have new batteries in my handheld cab and I have copies of the latest manuals for use of the MRC Prodigy Wireless system.

I have read the section on setting up a route which would set all of the switches on the route with just one command. I will do this shortly. But the first priority is to work on the trackage at Black Diamond.

I looked at the final switching for the Jasper Yard and realized that the siding for the 36th St Warehouse was full and would not be able to hold the empty boxcar that was supposed to be set out there. I need to have a look at the Ship It! database and see if I can lower a setting that indicates the capacity for this siding.