Re: Out Of Durango 5-26-1956

"That leaves the phrase "Wait until 6:10PM" to apply to Extra 497. Best I can make of that is that if 498-486 hasn't passed Carbon Jct by that time, 497 is superior and 498-486 must wait at Durango until 497 returns."
That's it. On the trackage in question, the operating rules make eastward trains superior to westward trains of the same class.
And if there really were an eastbound coming out of Durango around 6pm, or the dispatcher just wanted the Durango switcher to know that they could work without problems until after 6:10pm, then a generic
EXTRA 497 WEST HAS RIGHT OVER EASTWARD EXTRA TRAINS CARBON JCT TO DURANGO AND WAIT AT
CARBON JCT UNTIL SIX TEN 610 PM
makes a lot of sense. In that case an eastward train would know to get out of Durango before 6pm or hold in the yard until 497 gets in. X497W wouldn't have to worry about whether the dispatcher has authorized a train to leave Durango between the time it left Farmington, and the time it arrives at Carbon Jct. And the Durango switcher would know that nothing would be coming into town until after 6pm.
And it's not as if X497 will be uncertain whether X498-496E has passed - there's a register book at Carbon Jct. that the crew would have signed.
But the dispatcher didn't do that - he specifically mentions an extra that can't possibly conflict with X497W if this is the only order issued (and it certainly strives to be).
Very curious.
Thanks, John - keep 'em coming.
JAC