Comment: This was a continuation of Session 1. The session involved the switching activities for Train #600 at Queenston and Wild Rose plus some yard work in Coaldale

Session 1h:

Train #600 slowly pulled into Track #1 in Queenston where it setout 2 empty boxcars (CN 493528, CN 500899) and one empty refrigerator car (CN 210048) at Queenston Cartage. This involved a nice sequence of switching moves with some cars that were already on the sidings.

The train then continued on to Wild Rose where it stopped on the outer mainline. Leaving the consist on the mainline the Alco RS-3 diesel locomotive took boxcar CN 445531 (loaded with grain) and backed into the Wild Rose sidings where it setout the car beside the Alberta Pool main elevator and picked up CN 520502 (empty boxcar). This car was then pushed onto the consist for Train #600.

Train #600 then entered the Coaldale Yard where there was some yard switching as both the locomotive and caboose were parked on separate tracks.

Comment: This completed the run for Train #600. It was a very smooth trip. Excellent.

Comment: This was a continuation of Session 1. The session involved the outer mainline run of Train #201, the Black Zephyr unit coal train from Coaldale to Black Diamond.

Session 1i:

Train #201 headed west (counter-clockwise) out of the Coaldale Yard and completed 6 loops before heading into Black Diamond. The steam locomotive brought the consist head-in into the yard and then performed an end-around so the locomotive could push the empty hopper cars into the bays under the Mercoal Mines loading tracks.

I then ran Train 101, the Super Continental passenger train, west from Coaldale to Jasper, and then returned it as Train 100 east to Coaldale.

Finally, CN 7985, the SW-4 diesel switcher that operates in the Coaldale Yard, was used to form the consist for Train #701, the Distillery Row local freight train. This is a small train consisting of 3 boxcars and a tank car, plus the caboose. The train is now ready to head out, powered by CN 1706, a GP-7 diesel.

Comment: Although I was able to use an end-around move to place the cars where they were needed, the locomotive is still facing the wrong direction for moving out when it is pulling the loaded cars as Train #200. It would have been much better if the train had taken the reversing loop around Jasper on its last circuit and then backed into Black Diamond. Not only would the locomotive now be facing the proper direction but the moves to place the empty coal cars would have been straight forward.

The running of the passenger train was a mistake. I forgot that I had already run both trains earlier in this session in order to use the Coaldale Yard as the home yard for the passenger train.

While conducting some switching within the Coaldale Yard as part of the forming the consist for Train #701 I noticed that boxcar CN 552942 was consistently derailing at a particular spot. I finally determined that it was due to the wheels rather than the track. These were then replaced with Kadee 33" flat back wheel sets and that resolved the difficulty.