Re: Not to change the subject...

I'm not sure what was normal, but very little was "normal" that last year because there was so little tonnage to move. I would guess one or two things were at work here. Usually the eastbound trains had to spend time at Cumbres putting their train together from the two or three cuts that had been dragged up the hill, which would mean the helper got a big head start. On that day the road engine just had to make a brake test and was probably maintaining a minimal safe distance behind the helper, and caught up to it while it took water at Antonito. Also notice the TO signal is in the restricting position. It would also not be unusual for both the helper and the road engine to get a wait order to give the Antonito roadswitcher from Alamosa time to do its work and get in the clear. Attached is an example of a wait order.



JBWX



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2018 11:29AM by John West.