Re: Why Wye at Big Horn (pics)
| November 11, 2009 12:13PM |
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More observations -
This is from a fan's perspective - perhaps an employee of the C&TS will chime in
here with further information and/or corrections.
The last time I observed a locomotive being turned on the wye was for one of Jim
Trowbridge(?)'s specials with #463 in 1996. I presume it has been used a few times
since, but I'm not sure. The switches at both ends of the siding were still in place at
that time, but were removed a few years ago - I presume to eliminate maintenance
expenses.
The south leg and tail of the wye have been used more than once in the last year or two as a passing track. I have seen a relatively long westbound "freight" backed into the wye* to allow the regular westbound passenger train to pass, and the short train of 09/27/09 was also backed in. In neither case was the locomotive backed more than a car-length or two past the clearance point on the south leg. I have not seen a train use the north leg of the wye since 1996, and do not know if either the north switch or the tail switch has even been thrown in the past few years.
- Russ
* But not backed far enough to clear the forest service road which crosses the main track near the middle of the wye and also the south leg of the wye. One of those curmudgeonly @#$%& foamers was stuck there for quite a while on his way out from the south side of The Whiplash on 09/08/08. The wait was even longer than expected, since #488 had to run light to Sublette for water after she ran low due to a couple of lengthy run-bys.
The front half of the train (mit Der WNDRGNZ):
The rest of the story, beyond the east switch:
Brakeman Jim McKeel signals engineer Jeff Stebbins as #488 re-joins her train:
This is from a fan's perspective - perhaps an employee of the C&TS will chime in
here with further information and/or corrections.
The last time I observed a locomotive being turned on the wye was for one of Jim
Trowbridge(?)'s specials with #463 in 1996. I presume it has been used a few times
since, but I'm not sure. The switches at both ends of the siding were still in place at
that time, but were removed a few years ago - I presume to eliminate maintenance
expenses.
The south leg and tail of the wye have been used more than once in the last year or two as a passing track. I have seen a relatively long westbound "freight" backed into the wye* to allow the regular westbound passenger train to pass, and the short train of 09/27/09 was also backed in. In neither case was the locomotive backed more than a car-length or two past the clearance point on the south leg. I have not seen a train use the north leg of the wye since 1996, and do not know if either the north switch or the tail switch has even been thrown in the past few years.
- Russ
* But not backed far enough to clear the forest service road which crosses the main track near the middle of the wye and also the south leg of the wye. One of those curmudgeonly @#$%& foamers was stuck there for quite a while on his way out from the south side of The Whiplash on 09/08/08. The wait was even longer than expected, since #488 had to run light to Sublette for water after she ran low due to a couple of lengthy run-bys.
The front half of the train (mit Der WNDRGNZ):
The rest of the story, beyond the east switch:
Brakeman Jim McKeel signals engineer Jeff Stebbins as #488 re-joins her train:
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.