About the Author J. D. Santucci (a.k.a. "Tuch") began his railroading career in 1978 as a trainman on the Missouri Pacific. After a round of lay-offs in 1985, Tuch embarked on a railroad odyssey, working in many different situations for different roads. This column tries to explain some of the nuts and bolts of the job and also demonstrates what we have to deal with on a regular basis within and without the industry. Tuch currently works through freights out of Chicago for Canadian National/Illinois Central. ©1999, 2003-2007 JD Santucci. Logo ©2002 The Railroad Network. By J.D. Santucci

March 10, 2003
Quite awhile has passed since I wrote up the last one so I guess it is indeed time. I decided as I drove in to work today today’s trip would be the one. And as our journey unfolded, the decision to chose this day turned out to be a wise choice.

I was called for 1130 for my regular run of train 342. While we get the train out of Glenn Yard, it connects there with the 342 train that originates at Symington Yard in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The train out of Canada gets symbol M34241-xx (the day’s date). At Glenn, we will different power as well as a modified symbol. Today it will be M34281-06. The 8 in this symbol designates this train as originating on the Midwest Division, Wisconsin Central Zone. The 4 in the symbol of the train out of Canada indicates that train originates on the Prairie Division. It’s indeed a numbers game.

With the changes made to realign the divisions in the United States, Glenn Yard was made part of the Midwest Division. The Gulf Division begins someplace on the south side of Chicago at some location unknown to me at this moment. So I am actually a Gulf Division employee going on duty at a Midwest Division Terminal. All of the former IC agreement employees (those working under collective bargaining agreements) are employees of the Gulf Division. The managers are all employees of the Midwest Division. So what we have is the Chicago Terminal that was once all part of one division now divided. Part of it is the Gulf and the rest is the Midwest. Only the rail industry can pull off something like this.

I arrived at Glenn Yard about 1110. As I pulled into the parking lot I observe that our train is not yet doubled up which is not a promising sign. My Conductor du jur, Mike Tromp (aka Bobblehead), arrives about the same moment I do. We exchange pleasantries and observe the obvious about our train not being together. After we head into the office and check in, we learn that it will be awhile before our train is ready. A little while in railroad time is usually no less than one hour.

Finally at around 1230 Job 16, the day lead job at Glenn finishes putting our train together and we can take over. I head out and begin to look over my power. Today I will have the Grand Trunk 5950 and 5949 (a pair SD40-3’s) for power. Together these two units will provide me with six thousand horsepower to pull today’s train. According to the plan we will have 43 loads, 57 empties, 7397 tons and 5871 feet of train (a baby train by CN standards), but we all know that in the rail industry Plan A never has a chance anyway.

Upon boarding the power I hear the Car Inspectors calling me for permission to attach to my crew. I give them this permission and they go about the duties of working the train in preparation for an air test. By attaching to my crew, they are allowed to perform duties related to making my train ready for the road as if they were my Conductor or Brakeman. By allowing them to attach negates the need to have to lock out the track we are on and display blue flags to protect them as required by the rules. Being that they are now part of the crew and will be on, in between or about the cars, I cannot and will not move the train. Even though it is not required by the rules, I normally remove the reverser handle while they are performing their chores. This adds one more step of protection.

My power today has not been given a daily inspection. Each locomotive used in the US is required to receive an inspection each calendar day. A daily inspection is good until 2359 hours the following day. No later than that time another daily inspection must be performed so as to be incompliance with that date. While I am good until 2359 this evening, I really don’t have to worry as I will be expired on the hours of service at 2330. However, I decide to be the nice guy and handle this instead of leaving it to the next guy.

At some point I hope to do a piece about what a daily inspection entails as it is rather involved, but for now suffice it to say I completed said inspections and filled out the necessary forms. Everything is now all legal and everybody will be happy.

About 1310 the Car Inspectors call and inform me they are finished working the train, that I have two bad orders (cars not worthy to be run in the train owing to some sort of defect) and that they are detached as members of my and in the clear. A few minutes later Mike comes out and we begin the task of kicking these two bad orders out of the train.

After throwing out that first one, we developed air problems when we coupled back onto the train. An emergency vent valve stuck open on one of the cars in the train. I use a little trick of the trade I know to attempt to correct this problem from the engines in order to try to save the Conductor a long walk. My trick works and we finally get the air pumped back up and get going again to throw out that second bad order. With this task complete we summon for a Car Inspector to come out and give us our air test. He will "travel the set" meaning he will walk or drive along side the train to physically observe that the brakes have applied on all of the cars in our train. FRA rules require that we have 100% compliance which means the brakes must work on every car in our train. In Canada, their rules are different as they only require 85% compliance at the initial terminal of a train. I like our rules much better.

We get the okay on all the brakes being applied and then release the brakes upon request. After traveling the set the Car Inspector is now right behind the engines and will watch the head car release. When it is released he will give us a highball on the air and then physically observe the train rolling by as we depart to determine the brakes have released on all the rest of the cars in the train. We finally depart at 1520.

As we depart Glenn Yard we are heading timetable direction north on the Joliet Sub although it is more like compass direction northeast. We will actually change timetable and compass directions two times during the course of our trip.

I have to contact Foreman Kenny Hamm before we pass milepost 9 today. He has what is known as a "planned work" under rule 1102 of the CN US Operating Rules. This rule protects work gangs that need to work on or near the tracks. We cannot operate within any part of these limits without the permission of the employee in charge of the planned work. He owns this track and all moves through his limits can only be made under his authority. Should a crew enter these limits without permission, aside from the potential danger of striking the men and equipment or even worse, the Engineer will be decertified under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 240. The Conductor and any other crew members will also receive discipline, normally a suspension without pay.

Foreman Hamm’s planned work is listed on our tabular general bulletin order (TGBO) as general bulletin order (GBO) number 3462. I contact him on the radio informing him of our approach to his limits and that I am coming at him on track two. He gives me the following instructions; "Grand Trunk 5950 you have permission to proceed northward through my 1102 limits from milepost 9 to milepost 7 on track two. All of my men and equipment are in the clear and I have no speed restrictions other than what you carry on your TGBO, over."

I then have to repeat back all of these instructions to him saying "I understand your men and equipment are in the clear. Using track number two Grand Trunk 5950 has permission to proceed northward through the limits of your 1102 from milepost 9 to 7 with no speed restrictions other than what we carry on our TGBO, is this correct, over? I get his response that my repeat is correct and I can now proceed through his limits. We have no speed restrictions on our TGBO through his limits today, so we can proceed at normal timetable speed. If for some reason, there was a reason to require us to operate at a lower speed he would have specifically informed us of that speed and the exact location of the required speed restriction.

We roll on north receiving a clear at Lemoyne (Belt Railway of Chicago) crossing and Corwith (BNSF’s former Santa Fe) crossing. As we pass Corwith Tower I give a shot of whistle to say hello to the Operator there. Corwith and Lemoyne are two of the three remaining places that have color position light signals still in place and in service. They will fall next at Lemoyne (according to a bulletin posted after I initially wrote this, Saturday, March 8th) as the gang Foreman Hamm is in charge of is installing the new hardware and signals right now. The other location is CP Canal where the Indiana Harbor Belt and CSX cross and connect south of Glenn Yard.

At Rockwell we get an approach signal. This tells me I will have to stop before passing the next signal at the Panhandle (Brighton Park). We must stop at the Panhandle irregardless of the signals displayed. There is a stop sign located there and we must stop. The approach indication at Rockwell is the best aspect that can be displayed at this time owing to the stop sign at the Panhandle.

The Panhandle is the crossing of two separate Norfolk Southern (former Conrail) lines and CSX’s former B&OCT. There is an empty coal train heading compass direction north and timetable direction west on CSX. We wait at the Panhandle from 1550 to 1600 for this train to clear and then get the proceed signal. This crossing is the last main track crossing in the entire Chicago Terminal that is not an interlocked crossing. The Switchtender here must manually raise and lower the semaphore arm signals to control train movements through here. Nothing at all is automated here. In the days of Conrail before NS took over this portion, all trains operating on Conrail trackage though here also had to get either verbal permission over the radio or a hand signal from the Switchtender in addition to the semaphore signal. I don’t know if this still holds true or not today.

I drag our train across the Panhandle at 10 MPH and roll on up to and through Bridgeport and onto the Freeport Sub. We are now heading timetable and sort of compass direction east. We had an approach indication on the signal at Bridgeport which means we must be prepared to stop at Cermak, the next signal.

It is very sunny and the sun reflects brightly off the snow on the ground. If you recall from my "Trip Across Chicago" series, I mentioned that the signals at Cermak can be very difficult to see in bright sunlight. The snow only exacerbates this problem. Today we cannot make out the signals at all, so I bring the train to a stop and Mike and I get off the engine to try to determine the aspect on the signal here. This is 21st Century railroading at its finest. We are able to see the flashing red indicating restricting and climb back aboard and take the train down to 21st Street where I can clearly see a stop signal. It is the beginning of the afternoon rush and we will be here until at least 1800. At this moment it is 1617 hours.

Even though there are a few windows of opportunity here to get across, we cannot take advantage of them. We have 16th Street (Clark St) just about a third of a mile or so east of here and they have what seems to be non stop action during the afternoon rush. When they have a window between 1800 and 1818, the usually take us at both 21st and 16th.

We get to observe several Amtrak trains including a couple of switching moves as well as several Metra Southwest Service trains go across and even a Norfolk Southern train coming from the BNSF en route to Elkhart, IN. Finally at 1758 hours we get the signal to proceed and head east. We will be non-stop to Homewood.

Our second change of direction occurs when we go from being an eastbound to a southbound when we cross 16th Street. While we are still actually heading compass direction east and will do so until we go around the curve between Indiana Avenue and 18th Street and turn compass south.

As we approach Homewood we encounter an approach (yellow over red) signal at block signal 12211 in Hazel Crest. This is the signal governing our approach to the Homewood control point and tells me I will have to stop before passing the signal at Homewood. I ease the train to a stop right between the Metra and Amtrak stations and we observe various railroad activities just to the east of us at the south end of Markham Yard. Several trains are making moves here and 399 is sitting on track four looking like they are ready to make a move of some sort. The main reason we are being held though is train 194, the hot intermodal train between Markham and New Orleans which is now departing. We will follow him south. Once he is clear and after about a fifteen minute wait, we get the signal and I start pulling on them again heading south on track one.

Train 271, an automobile train that originates in Toronto is on track two having come off the EJ&E connection at Matteson. He follows 194 out of Steunkel where the double track ends and then we follow 271 south from there. We have a parade going on here. All three trains will meet train 333, a Memphis to Toronto train, at Peotone.

We catch 271 who has slowed to pick up the Conductor of 333 and bring him back to the road crossing in the middle of the siding at Peotone. The crossing was cut as there was no room to handle the train at Markham which meant it would be sitting there for an extended period of time. The crew on 333 will put the train back together now as they will be handled north out of Peotone once this parade of southbound trains pass. We get a restricted proceed indication at block signal 37.9. I can proceed without stopping but only doing so at restricted speed. I must be prepared to stop within half the range of my vision looking out for all that bad stuff and not exceeding 20 MPH. We are in communication with 271 to find out if they are still moving. I want to make sure we don’t have to stop on any crossings. We keep rolling albeit at a rather slow speed. I get a diverging approach (red over yellow) at Peotone and we use the siding at Peotone to get around 333 who is parked on the main track. As we approach the signal at South Peotone it changes from a stop signal to approach. This means 271 has now cleared the block ahead of us. I can continue to proceed out of Peotone siding.

After passing the Manteno defect detector we get the report, "No defects, length of train 5-6-1-7 feet, total axles 4-0-4, temperature 2-3, think safety, detector out." Being we set out those two bad ordered cars at Glenn, we now only have 98 cars hence the lower axle count. If we would have had all of the train that was planned out of Glenn our axle count would have been 4-1-2.

About four tenths of a mile south of the detector is block signal 46.1 and it displays an approach indication. This signal governs the approach to the home signal at the Indian Oaks control point. The six mile long Kankakee Siding breaks out at the Oaks on the east side of the main track. This siding is frequently used to meet and pass trains. I must proceed prepared to stop at the signal at the Oaks; therefore I begin to reduce the speed of my train so that I can stop, if necessary before passing this signal. With a train of this size and weight today, slowing is not a problem. From Manteno to the Oaks is pretty much all downhill. When I roll around the curve at milepost 48 I can see the signal at the Oaks (at milepost 49.5) displays an approach indication as well. I can proceed without stopping. I can also begin to accelerate again and do so.

Within the siding at Kankakee is train 343 waiting on us. He is stopped at Larry Powers Road about 2.5 miles south of the Oaks. This is where we frequently wait when effecting meets as this location will hold up to 10,400 feet of train without blocking any crossings. The Desk Two Dispatcher calls telling us we will be meeting Amtrak 392, the Daily Illini at Kankakee. Kankakee, also known as KX and Kankakee Junction is the south end of the Kankakee Siding and also the crossing and connection of Norfolk Southern’s Kankakee Branch. Being that my train is only about 5600 plus feet long, I can pull all the way up to the signal at KX and wait on Amtrak. You can fit 6400 feet of train between KX and North Street, the road crossing behind us. Normally, we have our usual monster, killer; horror sized trains and must stop way back north of North Street so as not to block it.

The meet plan calls for 392 to pull into the siding and then stop when he clears the signal. We will get the signal to proceed south and when we clear, 392 will be talked by the signal and shove out behind us to clear the signal at the south end of the control point here. Then he’ll be lined up the main and proceed north when they get the signal. This method is being used as train 343 is still sitting waiting up at Larry Powers Road. After a 9 minute delay at KX for the meet, we are on the roll again getting a clear signal.

We roll on south rolling past Gar Creek Siding on clear signals. I have to slow for a 40 MPH temporary speed restriction at milepost 69.2 in Clifton. The Clifton detector tells us "No defects, length of train 5-6-8-3, speed 3-9, total axles 4-0-4, temperature 2-6, think safety, detector out." Two detectors down and two to go. Then it is past Ashkum on clear signals. We also roll through Gilman passing a set of engines on the north end of the east pass and the local working at the south end. There is a 30 MPH speed restriction over the diamonds where the Toledo, Peoria & Western crosses and I have to reduce my speed to comply. Just south of the depot at Gilman is where the Toledo, Peoria & Western crosses and connects. We do a fair amount of interchange with them here. Just south of the TPW crossing begins six miles of double main track which stretches south to Del Ray.

We also have a 40 MPH temporary speed restriction at milepost 88 just south of Del Ray and once I get the entire train beyond it, can resume normal speed.

The Del Ray detector says "No defects, length of train 5-7-3-3, speed 3-9, total axles 4-0-4, temperature 3-0, have a safe day, detector out."

Between milepost 95 and 96 we begin our assault of Loda Hill. While not qualifying as one of the renowned grades in railroading, it is the ruling grade on the Chicago Subdivision. I have been reduced to 2 MPH on a loaded grain train on this hill. Many heavy trains are frequently dragged down to 10 or 12 MPH while tackling this grade. Today with the smaller train my speed only drops to 26 MPH, down from the 47 MPH speed at which I began the climb.

We roll past Paxton siding on clear signals and head on to a 25 MPH temporary speed restriction from milepost 106.8 to 107. Just before this restriction we start past the Ludlow detector and when we clear it we get our last electronic inspection message of this trip, "No defects, length of train 5-6-6-6, speed 3-2, total axles 4-0-4, temperature 2-7, safety first always, detector out."

Steve Hoyt the Engineer on 271 who we are still chasing calls and tells me they are stopped at South Rantoul. The block signal at milepost 110.5 indicates approach diverging (yellow over green) telling me that we head into the siding at North Rantoul. 271’s being stopped on the main track is now a moot point. Mike and I discussed the idea of heading in at Rantoul long before we saw the signal. We figured we would be heading in owing to what we were hearing on the radio. Listening to the chatter being broadcast had it sounding like there was a bit of a jackpot in the making at Champaign. We were figuring they were probably going to have to hold us at Rantoul, the last siding before reaching Champaign Yard. Our guess was they would have to clear up some of the mess and keep us out of the way while doing it.

As we head into the siding, Desk Two calls informing us that we would just roll through Rantoul Siding and keep going. "In and out at Rantoul" is my acknowledgement to this information. This means the Champaign Yardmaster has changed his mind and told the Desk Two Dispatcher to bring us on. Mike and I discussed this move and surmised this would be a big mistake.

Here is the scenario as we can hear it unfolding on the radio at Champaign, train 333 is in the siding, 271 will be heading down the main. A northbound train 319 which normally is interchanged to the NS at Tolono about ten miles south of Champaign is being brought to Champaign Yard instead as there is no place to park the train at Tolono tonight clear of the main track. Behind 319 is train 327 which also has to be brought into the yard. Being that we have this wonderful single track railroad, somebody has to sit and wait. 271 also has to swap out crews and engines as there is a problem with the headlight on the power presently on the train. Once 271 swaps out power and crews, the end of train telemetry must be linked electronically to the new power, armed up to allow front to rear as well as rear to front communication, a dump test performed to assure positive front to rear communication and a set and release of the train brakes to demonstrate brake pipe continuity. A Car Inspector from Champaign Yard has to assist in all of this.

As we approach the signal at Leverett Junction we struggle to observe a restricting (flashing red) indication. When they replaced the signals at Leverett a couple of years ago, they positioned the southward signal in such a manner that makes it almost impossible to see at night. The background lights from the yard line up right behind it and you cannot positively make out the aspects on it after dark until you get about 25 or 30 car lengths from the signal.

Now normally when you are going down the main track and it is clear ahead of you, an approach or clear signal (yellow or green over red) will be displayed at Leverett Jct. When heading into the siding either a diverging approach (red over yellow) or diverging clear (red over green) is displayed. When heading into the yard a restricting (red over flashing red) is displayed. If you are headed down the main or siding with a train ahead of you or a switch opened down by the yard office, you also get a restricting signal. Since we don’t really know where we are going I bring the train to a stop as the Yardmaster is not answering my call on the radio.

Finally he does answer telling us we will follow 271 down the main. Bob (Sandy) Sanderson the Engineer on 333 on the siding informs me 271’s tail end is only about 15 cars south of the signal at Leverett. If I were to pull up behind him and stop I would have Ford-Harris Road just north of Leverett Jct. blocked. So instead of being the bad guy, I stop north of the crossing. We stopped at 2239 hours.

Mike and I could hear the big picture as it developed in front of us. Somehow though, the Yardmaster could not see it, and the results unveil themselves.

Logic would have dictated holding us at Rantoul. This would have allowed 333 to leave Champaign and head up towards Chicago. I told Sandy on 333 with the way things are going, he’ll probably be here for Amtrak 59 as well. He laughed and agreed. After sitting at Ford-Harris Road for about fifteen minutes, the Champaign Yardmaster calls and asks where we are and if we have passed the signal at Leverett Junction, yet. Let’s see, he has a display of the Digicon CTC control system right there at his desk and all he has to do is look at it and ascertain this fact, but he doesn’t. Remember, I mentioned the word logic a few sentences ago?

I tell him we are stopped have done so clear of the road crossing. He then gets concerned about the length of our train. He keeps asking us how long we are and when I inform him, he seems in total disbelief. He can pull up our train consist in the computer to take a look if he really doesn’t believe us but…… He then asks if he can have the Desk Two Dispatcher take away that signal and change our line up to head us into the yard instead of down the main to which I give him the okay. Rules require those in control of the signals must confer with us before changing them to positively ascertain they won’t be dropping a signal in our face.

It is now getting dangerously close to turnover time for the Dispatchers, the time they change shifts. This can make it next to impossible to reach them on radio, telephone or wire. Tonight is no exception. Finally the signal drops to stop and then goes into time. Whenever a controlled signal and the route through a control point are to be changed, a timer starts and must run its prescribed time before the change to the switch line up can occur. This is a safety feature built into the system. While we are sitting here waiting for the time to run down and the signal to come up, I hear the Engineer on Amtrak 59 calling his Conductor on the radio telling her they will be heading into the siding at Rantoul. At 2310, the signal comes back up and we can now proceed into the yard. We are instructed to pull into track 1C. The Conductor on 333 is kind enough to walk over and line the two hand operated switches we need to access this track so we won’t have to stop and line them when we start pulling into the yard.

As we begin pulling into 1C I hear Desk Two call 59 and tell him of a change in plans and they will keep rolling through the Rantoul Siding and onto Champaign. Sounds like a pattern developing here. And it also means the little prophecy I told Sandy is coming to fruition, 333 will meet 59 here at Leverett Jct.

Two prophecies right in one evening. It’s a gift.

As we are pulling into 1C and now clear of the main track at Leverett Desk Two calls 59 and gives him the following permission, "After stopping Amtrak 59 has permission to pass the stop signal at Leverett lined main to main. There is a train ahead." This means 59 will follow 271 who is still sitting waiting for 327 to clear.

At about 2322 hours we pull up to a stop across from the yard office. I ask the Yardmaster if there is a crew on duty right now for this train but he never answers. With almost no sand left in the hours of service glass Mike and I tie down the train and bail off. We are blocked by train 327 doubling his train into A Yard here and when he clears we stroll into the yard office at 2335. The Yardmaster is all concerned as he was calling us on the radio with instructions for the set out but we weren’t answering. I inform him we are dead on the hours and he then immediately questions what time we went on duty. I guess he didn’t believe us when we told him we were dead, he needed proof.

But there is more, we have to wait for him to take us to the hotel as he didn’t call a cab for us. With chaos being served in generous portions here, transporting us to the hotel is the least of his concerns. So we sit and wait, all the time still on the clock. Finally at 2355 he has a free moment and takes us to the hotel.

Another good one though, nothing got wrecked, nobody got hurt and best of all, nobody got fired. This is the big picture I like to see.

And so it goes.