Re: A flying caboose drop at Carbon Junction on November 25, 1966

It is, but they would have used the siding, not the main, to depart as it saves an additional shove and crossover move. From what Olaf said the caboose was flown into the siding to couple onto the rear of the train in the siding. While that was going on the engine ran down the main to the crossover and entered the Farmington branch and coupled onto the (now) head end of the train with the front of the engine. After the crossover was lined normal, the engine pulled the head end back on the siding to couple onto the rear end with the attached caboose (the bottom pic in Olaf's post). With the west switch still open from the caboose move they move the entire train back, cutting off the head end on the siding just clear of the west switch while shoving the rear end out onto the main west of the switch. Cut the engine off of the rear end just west of the switch and leave it there. Run the engine down the main and through the crossover onto the Farmington branch again and back up the siding to tie onto the head end, then shove the head end back through the west switch to grab the rear end. With the whole train now together, do the air test and pull down to clear the west switch for the rear brakeman to close it up, and they're off to Farmington.

Now if Olaf could find a way to post the 8mm movie of it all...
Thank you, Olaf.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2022 04:29PM by CR BT Dispr.