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

September 24, 2003
We are back from our vacation and back on track both at work and in getting this little column out to you all. Vacation was busy and far too short. Several days were spent working around the house and yard, but the beautiful bride and I did manage to get out for a couple of day trips and to do some fun stuff. One of them was a trip to the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. We highly recommend it. While in Indy, we also made the trip to the far south side of town and supped at Jimmy Buffett's "Cheeseburger in Paradise" restaurant, also highly recommended. We are old "Parrotheads" from way back, so it was almost required of us to dine there.

I almost let another anniversary slip past. While I remembered the one the beautiful bride and I celebrated on September 14th, I about forgot the anniversary of the very first ever, Hot Times on the High Iron column. This little diatribe I produce did not start out to be a regular column. We had just had a really strange trip and I thought I would post the events of the day to the Illiana Railroads @ egroups list, to which I was subscribing and participating.

The actual title of the post for a subject was "Hot Time on the High Iron, or we can run more trains faster on single track railroad." Awfully wordy it is, but quite catchy just the same. The idea was catch the attention of everybody with a topic that was both catchy and familiar to those that subscribed to the Illiana list. The subject of single track railroads that were once double track lines was often a topic of conversation on the Illiana list.

I received quite a bit of feedback from this post (all positive) and followed it up with several more. It just seemed to evolve into a regular feature on the Illiana list and I also began to send it several friends and then to another list. Before I realized it, this little column became global. I started receiving correspondence from all over the globe as some of the folks reading it began to forward it all over the place. I then started getting requests from folks asking me to add them to my "mailing list." I didn't really have a list so I developed one.

On September 10th of this year, there were 317 direct subscribers and three discussion lists to which Hot Times was being mailed. Between these three groups there are 681 subscribers. In addition, there are also several web sites that now post it whenever I send one out as well as several sites carrying any particular ones that relate to the theme or topic of those particular sites. I have been asked (and allowed) by readers to forward it to other discussion lists and websites as well. I'll delve into that more when I finish digesting the survey results, organizing them and then analyzing and posting them for your reading pleasure.

I also received requests (and for the most part, grant such requests) to allow for a column to appear in a club or group magazine.

There are subscribers now in at least eight different countries around the world on three different continents. Thus far I have received nearly 200 responses for the Hot Times Somewhat Scientific Survey II. For those who have not yet responded to the survey, what are you waiting for?

As many of you know, I am trying to get a manuscript relating to the themes and topics of the little column parlayed into a book. As I have mentioned recently, I am waiting to hear back from a publisher I was referred to by a friend. Anybody out there who has connections in the publishing industry, feel free to drop me a note. I'll be more than happy to talk to you and them about the possibilities.

In the four years I have been doing this column, I have received almost exclusive complimentary feedback. I can count on one hand the number of negative responses I have received. There was one is so bizarre and strange (and from a fellow railroader that I once worked with), I am almost tempted to send it out to everybody. It'll likely prove what happens to the mind of career railroaders. Sort of like that great quote from the movie "Cool Hand Luke":

"His mind is definitely not right."

Some of you have sent me tokens of appreciation like T-shirts. Several have requested I visit them in their home towns with a couple of them even offering to put me up. Actually, they don't realize they would wind up having to put up with me. One reader, Jim Matuska, created a drawing depicting locomotives that represent all of the railroads I have worked for in my career. This drawing has been professionally framed and is proudly displayed on one of the walls in my office. Jim has also graciously offered to create cover art for my book, should it come to fruition.

Now I am not soliciting any compensation from you the readers. However, should you want to donate something to my new charity, the "Help a railroader retire well before 60 fund," feel free to start sending out those checks, payable to me. Well, maybe we shouldn't leave a paper trail; perhaps small, unmarked bills in non- sequential serial number order would be best and sent in the always popular plain brown wrapper. Sorry though, this is not a 503(b) organization so the contributions, ya that's it, contributions are not tax deductible. A contribution sounds much better than extortion. Extortion is such an ugly word. And kick back sounds pretty violent. I don't preach violence, well too often anyway.

Several of you have offered to create a design for the Hot Times on the High Iron name. Thus far though, nobody has presented any concrete ideas. So c'mon gang, send those ideas along too. Maybe someday you could be wearing a T-shirt or drinking coffee (the official non-alcoholic drink of the rail industry) with the Hot Times logo emblazoned upon it.

Back to the original column, I have done a bit of editing from how it first appeared. When written it was sent to a group that was very familiar with most of the territory over which I operate as well as the train symbols. So I took the liberty to clarify some of the information contained within for everybody else. Most of the changes are in parenthesis. There are few lines and remarks that have been deleted. Since I need my job I must make nice.

For those unfamiliar the CNIC Chicago District, now known as the CN Chicago Subdivision, this is the rail line that runs between Chicago and Leverett Junction at the north end of Champaign Yard. It is a north-south line. There are sidings (from south to north as this is the direction of this column's run) at Rantoul and Paxton, six miles of double main track between Del Ray and Gilman, sidings at Ashkum, Otto/Gar Creek, Kankakee and Peotone. Double track begins again at Steunkul (pronounced STUN-kul) and three main tracks extend from Vollmer Road in Flossmoor to Homewood.

Three main tracks returns back to just two at Homewood and it remains two tracks up through Chicago to Hawthorne Yard on the former Chicago Central and also from Bridgeport in Chicago where the Joliet Sub breaks off to Joliet on the old GM&O. Down at Gilman, IL the Gilman Sub breaks off from the Chicago Sub. There are wyes to connect both lines from either direction which creates tremendous flexibility and allows for all kinds of options for the Dispatchers. The Toledo, Peoria & Western line from Logansport, IN to East Peoria, IL crosses and connects to the Chicago Sub at Gilman. There is also a connection between the Gilman Sub and the TPW as well.

So with this bit of background information we now take you back to that original column that inaugurated this little journalistic creation of mine.

Oh ya one last thing, thanks to all of you for reading this little adventure and editorial in railroad and for writing in with your comments and thoughts. And I don't complain should you have a gripe about what I write. I feel you have the right to be wrong. It all makes this endeavor so much fun for me.

* * * * This column was originally posted 10 September, 1999 * * * *

Yesterday the 9th, made for some interesting operations on the CNIC Chicago District. Unfortunately none of them good and none that made the life of Chicago South Dispatcher Mike Christopher any easier. We'll start from the beginning of my trip on train MECH-08 (Memphis to Chicago of the 8th). We were listed for 1530 hours. Upon our arrival at Champaign Yard from the hotel, we are informed that out power is not ready as it has to be fueled. I should mention that the fueling station was out of service here earlier this week, but is all better today. We get the OK on the power and proceed to double up our train, a rather complicated task as some of it is in 1A and the rest in 1C. (Track 1A is on the southwest side of the yard and 1C is on the northeast side. This involves a long pull down move from the south end to the north end via the outbound lead and then a back up move at the north end of the yard into track 1C to accomplish and complete the double).

As we are doubling up, the LKACP (Local, Kankakee-Champaign turn) is getting his highball on his air test. He has to wait for us to double up (and shove back out of the way into track 1C) before he can leave. When we clear, he finally takes off and goes to Rantoul for GLME (Glenn Yard-Chicago to Memphis) and GLCE (Glenn Yard to Centralia).

We get our highball on the air test then and wait at Leverett Junction (at the north end of the yard for the same pair of southbounds with GLCE to head into the yard, so we wait in the clear (on track) 1C. About 20 minutes after he arrives and clears, we get the signal to depart at 1750. We meet Amtrak 391 at South Rantoul. A quicker line-up at Leverett would have had us in the clear for him, instead though, we stick him for about two or three minutes. I should mention we had the IC 6144 and 6003 with 21 (loads), 88 (empties) 5015 tons and about 6542 feet. The power was poor performing and we never once saw 60 mph. The high winds had an effect (creating excessive drag), but both units were lemons. Anyway, we zoom in and out of Rantoul, in on a diverging clear (red over green signal) so no slow down other than the 40 mph speed limit through turnouts and siding required. On to Del Ray and track two just as the Conductor and I had deduced well in advance. We stop at Route 24 in Gilman at 1905 and began our camp out. Things were rapidly going down the toilet.

The scenario:

• CPGL (Champaign to Glenn Yard) in the siding at Paxton;
• Us on number 2 at Gilman;
• LKACP sitting on the Gilman District (used for the meet here as free space in sidings was at a premium);
• A southbound grain train in the siding at Ashkum;
• IO-1 (Intermodal, Chicago to New Orleans) heading south by Otto;
• Amtrak 392 by Champaign;
• Also, a nearly dead (short on the hours of service)18K (NS trackage rights train Decatur, IL to Elkhart, IN) was in the siding at Peotone.

There was also a TPW in the mix who needed to come across lite engines (at Gilman) once to get back to his train and then proceed west (on the TP&W).

I should also mention that we are scheduled to pick-up 17 cars at Gilman off the east pass; scheduled to anyway. I ask Dispatcher Mike how deep on the number board we are and he tells us we will be there for sometime. I respond that "since we are not going anywhere for awhile, we should go get a Snickers bar." He laughs and comments that it is a mess. I respond, "Ya, we can run more trains faster on a single track railroad." He laughs.

Anyway, 392 whizzes by CPGL at Paxton and Dispatcher Mike lets him out to follow 392 and tells him he will go into track 2 behind us at Del Ray. I remind Mike that we have a pick-up at Gilman in case he forgot as this will stick CPGL who at this point has less than five hours to work. 392 then is put into the siding at Ashkum on top of the southbound grain train that is stopped. Everybody fully aware of the plan, so safety is the rule here.

The grain train was already stopped and waiting (for a while). IO-1 meets 392 at Ashkum and passes the grain train. A famous IC three way meet. 392 backs out behind IO-1 and proceeds north. IO-1 meets the local at the wye at Gilman and then us at Rt.24. He had three GP40R's and 107 trailers and containers (not cars actual TOFC/COFC count, that many trucks not on I-57 tonight). Then we all meet the grain train with two SD70s, a GTW GP38-2 and 125 loads. The local who passes away at 2100 now departs (after backing out of the south leg of the wye back onto the Chicago District and then heading north). Then we follow him (departing Gilman at 2035) having now been told to highball the pick-up at Gilman. We are on the locals block all the way to Ashkum. Dispatcher Mike asks us if we can make Gar Creek by 2130 for 59 (Amtrak's southbound City of New Orleans) and I respond "no problem." The local heads into the siding at Ashkum, and then the elevator track there to clear up and quietly expire. We pass him there and head on into Otto for Amtrak 59 with CPGL heading in at Ashkum for him.

59 calls for the police to meet them at Kankakee as they apparently have an unruly passenger. Really; on this train? We meet them about 2135 and we are on our way again. He had a shoe box (Genesis Series locomotive) and an F40 for power with 11 cars including an AMbox (one of those boxcars used by Amtrak to haul less than carload freight). We hold the main at Kankakee and meet LCHHE (Local, Markham to Herscher) there with the IC 9605 and IC 9625 and 61 cars. Then, it's on to Homewood. We meet CHME (Chicago-Markham to Memphis) departing on track 3 who is having ground relay trouble (a ground fault in the high voltage system of the locomotive) at Homewood. He has the IC 6051 and another SD40 type (locomotive) and 14,000 tons of train. Our arrival there (at Markham) is 2245.

We are instructed to tie down our train at Homewood on track 2 and board CPGL who will be pulling up along side of us momentarily on track 1 and take his train to Glenn Yard. We board the IC 6107 (CPGL's lead engine) and take the 55 car train (not even worth running by IC standards) to Glenn as instructed, dropping off the inbound crew at the Homewood yard office. We tripped the high car detector at Homewood and had to be physically inspected to positively ascertain we had no high cars in the train. (No cars over 17 feet can be taken north of Highlawn except on thoroughfare track 4, and then none at all north of the NS overpass at 95th Street). This was done at Harvey where we met I12 (Intermodal, Waterloo to Chicago) pulling into the yard at Markham. There was also a CN177 (Intermodal Vancouver to Chicago) there on thoroughfare 4 with two CN and one WC unit (for motive power).

I should also mention that there was a UBNI (Unit coal, Baillytown - Northern Indiana Public Service Co) coal train on duty at Champaign at 1900 hours well behind the cluster**** at Gilman, but we never heard him on the radio all night.

We zip across Clark Street (Metra Rock Island District crossing), 21st St (NS/Amtrak crossing) and pause only briefly at Brighton Park (aka the Panhandle which the CSX and NS crossing). After some delay at LeMoyne (Belt Railway of Chicago crossing) to let UP train IIMLB (Intermodal IMX - Chicago to Long Beach) and Chicago Central YHW-02 (Yard crew Hawthorne #2 assignment) around us and BRC cross traffic, it's down to 45 crossover (the connection to the north end of Glenn Yard) and wait there for awhile. Then we are crossed over to #2 (the) northbound track, take the train to 47 crossover (the connection at the south end of Glenn Yard) and back and double the train into the totally plugged Glenn Yard. Aside from us for Glenn, there was also a BRC transfer job coming and the Soo Line, (no I don't say Canadian Pacific). We met CN 462 (BNSF Galesburg, IL to Battle Creek, MI) at 47 coming north on the southbound. He had a pair of CN SD75Is and a bunch of cars (never did get a count). We went dead at Glenn Yard waiting for the cab to take us back to Markham to tie-up and finally going off duty at 0450 Friday morning.

And to think, they actually pay us for this.

Tuch