Eastern Railroad Discussion > May Day on the CSX B&O Chi Line

Well...May Day started out with Q691 losing a wheel in the middle of Napannee and derailing one car. Apparently they had a hot box and inspected it...but found nothing (musta cooled down) then about 20 miles later the wheel gave way and tore up ties and crossings through Napannee.

Traffic was running about normal by sunrise...though several recrews were needed.

Then...there was a 4 car "Special" Passenger train. Pulled by a pair of B36-7's (one CR one CSX) and had a IC, WC, UP and CSX business cars. All sorts of offical types were on board and seemed to be having a good time. Train ran to Garrett and back to Chicago.

Apparently, these folks felt the need to nit pick crews (flexing muscles and kissing a$$es), and a fellow conductor was berated for not being on the ground inspecting the train. Of course...they had just stopped...he didn't want to step out in front of a train...and there wasn't sufficent room to get far enough from the tracks to obey the rules. So...damned if you do, damned if you don't.

If they scolded him for not being on the ground, I wonder what they thought of me. I was laying on the nose of the engine, trying to get a sun tan (during a 2.5 hr wait). I thought it was a railfan excusion (don't ask me why I thought that) and I had gotten my picture taken by a fan. Now I suppose that picture will come back to haunt me.

Practice Safe CSX
Use SPF 15 when sunbathing on the nose.

PS - my tan looks nice

I seen the derail equipment and knew there was one somewhere. I looked at the dispatcher turnover sheet and there it was!! Another set of rules in effect as of MAY DAY to put our butts on the street. I beleive it's just another plot to get rid of excessive amounts of people. My May Day started out with a bump, a move, a call, a visit to the ASSistant Super of the Terminal about the new rules and another bump, another, and so on, I'm down to one more spot in Willard and off to the sit home board!! I'm still scratching my head as to where all these people are coming from?? Just another May Day on the system!!

See ya trackside

Weasel

In Willard they are cutting engineers back to conductors. That's probably where they are coming from.

Lima, Toledo, and Cinncinnatti are where people are coming from.

Cutting back (and almost shutting down Lima) in these places has alot of extra bodies floating around.

Practice Safe CSX

If that new connection from the South end of Stanley, Toledo is put in do you see Q508/509 using that route? Makes me wonder about Q's 242, 272, 506, 507, and more!

DRF

PS Stop by the Historical Society this weekend... Kinda like Motel 6... I'll have the grill on 4 YA! :-) Got some Smokin' wood chips! YUM YUM!

I *think* 508 and 509 will still go via Bates.

I look for the connection to be used for yard transfers and such...maybe for trains from East of Fostoria and Columbus to use it to avoid WR Tower and the trackage between Stanley and WR.

But...it's CSX...and who knows what they will do.

Practice Safe CSX