Gardner Gawking

To get the OT but important item addressed for 11-12-2018, thank you, active and retired service people.
0415--0635 gave no attributable AY-4 transmissions. That was unusual and a portent for more unusual items to follow. At 0424, a breaking D-3 -- Yard Channel -- would acknowledge FI-2 lined and locked normal, OKing acceptance of signal indication. There would be additional spells of static, but naught attributable.
At 0448, the 333 WLs came on, a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding. 400's lights would reflect off the platform, 0450 being on-the-move time, a total of 4 flats and 1 bi plus the 1057 doing the usual things in the usual sequence at the usual time, despite the holiday. There would, however be a delay Service Alert posted for 400 between Brandeis and North Station, cause unspecified.
The 334 and 335 signals were dark, but the Mount Wachusett ski slopes were lit. I was too far west to hear any 40.2 report for the 400, but not too far east to hear 28N begin a convo with D-3, resulting in a 241 for 2 west at 346 to the Single at 0505 The power was NS 8105, the Interstate h/u stated as parked at the Rte. 112 OHB in Buckland at 1700 in GU1001's 1838/11-11 post in <West of Deerfield Gawking>. Others can draw their own conclusions about distance in that however-much less than half a day.
Yes, the 345 ELs and WLs were at Stop, and yes, there was general on Yard 4 and more general on Yard 2, but no racks on Yard 1. The racks -- a half-dozen or so -- were on Yard Lead from the Extension Switch to just past the air plant, an unusual spotting. Back to the usual: The brush-cutter was on the House and the untucked stone on the Heywood.
A trip to Parkers was made, and sitting east of the UGB was the 8105 and at least 1 trailer, the C doing what Cs do when trains get put back together. The 346 WL? Slow Clear. One mighta thought a Slow Approach since the 345 WLs had been at Stop minutes earlier, but minutes later, the 345 2 WL was at Medium Clear. 28N would be running on 2 -- not 1 -- onto the Single? The answer would come at around 0530 as I was EB. There was a both-sides audible D-3/287 convo, IDing the leader as 7898 and asking for the marker and trailer numbers. 287 had been on 1 and unseen by me. Dunno the choreography, but if 28N had left their train to the west of 346, 287 had probably done the same to east of 345, explaining -- perhaps -- the unusual spotting of the loads. At 0536, the Westminster Zombie Zone not yet a factor -- D-3 asked FI-2 if they wanted East Side or West Side, the response unheard. The 0542 arrival at 333 showed the WLs on with a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding and 402's lights reflecting off the platform. 402 gave themselves the OK to go, and again the usual events in the usual sequence at the usual intervals took no holiday.
To the east, the 330.8 WBs were both at Clear. At 0555 came a broken reception in which "POED" and "AYED" were audible, and then the 330 WLs at Stop, the GL WLs going from Stops to dark. The FG WLs were dark, and at 0603, KCIRs 7535 and 7585 were sitting in FMW (POED or AYED?), KCIR 5974 was shoving covered hoppers east on East Side, and the old layover was still MT. In the topographically-challenged Rte. 13 area, no 40.2 was heard for the 402, but at 0610, the EB staggers for Derby were both at Approach, 3 covered hoppers being on the RVJ stub.
There would be intermittent bits of the unintelligible throughout the balance of the trip, but to do a rewind, at a little after 0500, D-3 told Q426 to bring it up to Burncoat and tie down. No CSXT run-through crew to Ayer?

0415-0640/11-14-2018 had its predictable and its puzzlements. At 0415, D-2 would tell EDPO to bring it up to Westford, headpin the Nashuas, leave them on the Single at NC, go back to Westford, and tie down. There would next be a Zombiefied D-3 exchange with POED at 0430, followed by a clearer D-3 exchange with someone, the D-3 side including that it was still prior to sunrise, followed by saying that if it was too much of an issue, to tie it down there. Dunno any further details about that.
There would be -- back to normal practice but more about which later -- AY-4 car countdowns, and the 0445 arrival at Wachusett showed the 333 WLs on with a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding. )450 was when the 400 did just that, the 4 flats and 1 bi and the 2021, however, not departing from the predictable events in the predictable sequences at the predictable intervals.
Further west, the 334s and 335s were dark, but the 345 ELs and WLs were at Stop, NewBlue 3402 and 1 or more unIDable trailer(s) on 2 in back of a Pratt building by West Switch. The cars to the east on the 2 extended a bit back east of the air plant and included a good number of slurries, strongly hinting that this was POED. There was general on Yard 2, not to mention a moving lantern, and racks on 4. Yes, the brush-cutter was still on the House, and the stone was still untucked on the Heywood. Since the C seemed like he'd be busy a bit, a trip west was made, and Parkers was MT and the 346 WL at Approach, the 1 being the route of choice, however temporarily, at 0525, the same time as D-3 told 287 they'd go all the way to Gardner and pick up there. As an OT note, major pavement work was ongoing on the Rte. 2 WB side of the Pearson Boulevard overpass, only the breakdown being open. Dunno how long for that. Also dunno how long the cones and barriers will be up at either end of Risley Street for anyone going to or coming from Parkers.
There had been some earlier radio activity: At 0513, D-3 had asked for for 287's power lineup, marker number, whether the main was clear, what was left in the facility, and giving the OK west on signal indication; and at 0514 AY-3 with the 7575 would get the start of a series of moves for a runaround too 312, WL, and --jumping ahead -- 1 east on the FM at 0629.
At 0532 and during the straight-shot-to-333 came the words "POED, 4," confirming the earlier and slurry-based guess. The 0539 arrival at Wachusett showed the predictable, and 402 -- 4 flats, 1 bi, and the 1120 -- gave themselves the predictable OK to go, and you can guess the rest. The trip east was delayed by a refueling, the 330.8 WBs at Clear, the 330 WLs at Stop, and the GL WLs were dark. The FG WLs were at Stop cuzza 287 -- me too late for a power ID -- rolling west, the marker west of the 1 WL at 0603.
At 0607, KCIR 5974 was dark and solo in the FI-1/2 parking spot and the old layover was MT, but the old layover lead wasn't -- dark and solo T 1072 was -- puzzlement -- there. That was also the time that D-3 told 22K -- power ID fuzzed -- to hold at Slab City because there was a passenger behind and then slow-roll after they got by. That was just about the time I couldashouldawoulda heard the 40.2 for the 402, but AY-4 got on the air, advising that they were on top of a broken rail on West End and couldn't move until Track looked at it, adding that 2 was clear for The Pig.
At 0616, the EB staggers for Derby both showed Approach, and 3 remained the covered-hopper count on the RVJ stub. 22K's yarding instructions would come at 0619, but naught -- not even static -- was audible when 22K mighta cleared the 40.2. Puzzlement.
Another puzzlement was that naught was heard to, from, or about Q426, Q427, SEPO, and POSE, a possible explanation coming in the New England Railfan for, shown here for those who may not have already read it:

Re: Final Customers - Boston Area
New postby GP40MC1118 » Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:14 pm
Heard unofficially, that the transfer of Everett to PAR was part of a deal between PAR, CSX and Mass DOT
that involves the PAR Worcester/Ayer mainline (ownership to MDOT, operation to CSX). CSX has a daily job
called B728 which takes SEPO/POSE up and down instead of a PAR crew.
D

Dunno whether CSXT will be dispatching or if D-3 still controls.

Attempting to reactivate inert skills (?), here's stuff from 0415-0645/11-28-2018.
Garble characterized the more frequent earlier receptions, mostly on Yard Channel, "D-3" emerging with clarity. At 0436, POED would reach out to FI-2, but then reception devolved. At 0439, it was POED again -- now IDed with the 7551 -- calling D-3, devolution again occurring. 0440? 22K would begin a series of car countdowns, an intermittent constant for much of the listening period, 0446 being when "22K, Restricting" was heard, showing that the shove into the yard was imminent.
At 0448, the 333 WLs came on with a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding, and 0451 was when 400 with a 3 flats, 1 bi, and the 1134 commenced all the usual things that led up to the 333 WLs going dark at 0454, darkness also applying in a few at 334 and 335.
Darkness was not the case at 345. The 1 EL was showing a Slow Clear, an initial puzzlement that was compounded at the Timpany Boulevard UGB by the sight of wells sitting on 1. It does seem to this mere mortal civilian that the 345 1 EL should show a more restrictive set of lights than a Slow Clear when multiple axles were sitting just west on that selfsame 1, and if someone can explain, I'm all eyes. This set of wells was not 23K, NSs 9006, 7021, and 9393 dark and down by the old platform across from the House's still-there brush-cutter indicating a second 22K -- mebbe I2K -- a nominal 30 miles west of the 22K working the pig tracks. Except for a few racks on the Extension, the yard looked pretty MT, so probably 287 and 28N were both to the west, along with ED-8 and/or EDPO. The 0522 view of Parkers showed the 346 WL at Stop, those reds joined by the 22K'/I2K marker a hundred+ yards east. If there was anything on 2, it was outta sight.
A straight shot down Da Hill was made, some car countdowns and -- at 0532 and + -- 402 doing their air and calling signals outta the facility providing an easy-listening soundtrack.
At 0540, the 333 WLs came on with the usual Medium Clear for he Controlled Siding, and at 0543, 22K called out to D-3. Which 22K? Given that the shoutout specified that 22K was on Channel 1, probably the Ayer 1. Naught further was heard, especially from D-3. At 0545, 402 gave themselves the OK to go, and 22K reached out to D-3 again, again without results audible to me. 402 -- a bi control cab, 3 flats, and the 2032 -- did all the expectables, and signal darkness returned at 0548.
My EB trip included a refueling stop, after which the 330.8 WBs were both at Clear, the 330 WLs at Stop, and the GL and FG WLs dark, By this time I was in topographically challenging territory, so no 40.2 report for the 402 was heard. At 0607, NewBlue 519 was sitting on East Side, a covered hopper blocking whether it had company. The old layover was MT, but KCIRs 7517, 7685, and mebbe a 3rd unit were sitting dark on West Side. ED-9?.
At 0616, the EB staggers for Derby were dark and the RVJ stub MT.
Although lots had been heard, naught was heard to, from, or about SEPO/POSE.

Edited to possibly answer my own question a few lines up:
The Slow Clear for the 345 EL was for the Single, showing that 345 was lined for 2 and mebbe for POED with the 7551, possible with work in he yard, but needing to get by the pigs.

Yesterday there was a 22K canned at Royalston and a 28N canned at Athol. 28N still sitting there more than 24hrs later...

Still short on crews out there?

Busyness was the theme for 0415-0630/11-30-2018, starting with a D-3 shoutout to T669 that quickly became garbled. Dunno where or even if the tamper was tamping, but it was out there. In more partial reception news, D-3 called out at 0420 to AYPO -- more about which later -- but again the garble gremlins were in force until 0424 when a clear "AYPO, OK to back, 5 to the hitch" was heard. There were more partials that included an AY-4 reference and car countdowns, clarity reemerging at 0433 when D-3 told 22K with NS 9518 that they be holding at Slab City for 400 and going east after that.
The 0443 arrival at Wachusett showed the 333 WLs on with a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding. But wait: There's more! There were also stopped EB pigs on 1. Apologies to the about-to-decrew crew who mighta thought their transportation had just arrived. This set of EB pigs -- 22K or I2k -- had NSs 4005, 9341, and 9043. NS 4005? The DC-to-AC NS 4005 with the wild-for-NS paint scheme? You betcha! May the Wizard of Wyeing smile on the future photographers of a future 23K/I3K. In other AYPO news, there was some Yard Channel garble starting at 0446, the D-3 side of things IDing the 7500 as leader and mentioning "momentarily" and "marker."
At 0451, 400 was on the move with a bi control cab, 2 flats sandwiching another bi, and the 1133. A cab had shown up, the decrew was almost complete, and the 333 WLs were in no immediate likelihood of going dark, so I went west, but with a stopover at the T lot to see how far west the pigs extended. The 334 ELs showed a Stop for the Controlled Siding, another stop for the 1 stagger, but an Approach Medium for 2. What was I about to learn? That I shoulda been more patient back at the 333 WLs. A WB -- more about which later -- with 3 units was now going past the platform at appropriate speed.
Non-executive decisions were made to bypass 335 and make a straight shot up Da Hill. The 40.2 was outta range when the 400 woulda been going through, and the 345 ELs and WLs were dark. The yard was fairly MT with mebbe something west in back of Pratt's, definitely a few general on the easterly end of 2, and 2 separated racks on the Extension. The Sameoldsameold Ledger entry was clearly the brush-cutter on the House, but not enough melting had occurred to clearly assess the status of untucked stone. There had been only pedestrian traffic between the plowed part of the lower lot and the House area. There had been another D-3/AYPO exchange, the clear bits being D-3's "marker" and AYPO's "Roger." D-3 had reached out to the 9518 22K a coupla times and then at 0503 had told 28N with the 9847 to follow 400 down to Derby and cross over. At 0518, D-3 would tell the 9518 22K that they were on the list, and between 0519 and 0521 roger whatever AYPO had just said and give the OK to proceed on signal indication. 0529 would be when D-3 told 28N that 22K would be crossing in front of them and to follow, expecting to hold at Moores until they had shoved into the yard.
The 345s came on, and KCIRs 7595. 7489, and 7655 hauled by on 2, the C doing an ED-9 car countdown down by West Switch, calling for a stop and a 3-step at 0537. Dunno if they would be dropping and/or lifting, but it would take more time than I wanted to spend, so I was EB, noting that the marker was somewhere east of the Pearson Boulevard UGB.
While I was still west, 402 gave themselves the OK to go at 0545, and my 0547 arrival at 333 showed the EB pigs still in place, Where -- in the short term -- could they go? At 0550, 28N got the word to come on down, and a couple after that the 330.8 WBs showed a Stop for 1 and a Clear for 2, the 330 and GL WLs at Stop.
402 had gotten far enough east that the FG WLs were dark, as was NewBlue 519 solo in the FI-1/2 parking spot at 0600. The old layover? MT.
22K car countdowns got heard, but -- perhaps because of those and other transmissions plus topography -- naught was heard for the 402 from the 40.2 at the expectable time. At 0606, the Derby EB staggers had been dark and the RVJ stub again MT. Lack of later RVJ comments will indicate continuing MTness.
Naught mighta been heard from the 40.2, but frenemy Worcester Maim 7.8 got on the air at 0618, announcing a no defects and transmission over. Who acknowledged? Q427 and not the CSXT local. Even if there might be Worcester work, a Greendale run-through does seem good sense. (Poster shakes head, realizing he has just dropped props on CSXT.)

0335-0600/12-03-2018 -- yes, about 40 minutes earlier than the norm, but Château-Jaymaque chimney work starts at 0900 this date -- was slow, but only at the start. And yes, the rain had stopped, and there was a fingernail moon in the cloudless sky, but there also were spots of heavy and heavier-yet ground fog.
At 0407, the 333 WLs were all at Stop, not cuz 400 had shown up early, but cuzza a tied-down-on-1 22K with NSs 8429, 6773, and 8957. The all-red motif would be continued at 334, the ELs and 1 stagger at Stop -- the racks however far west of the stagger -- and at the 335 ELs and WLs, the Controlled Siding not yet in for 400's equipment to get outta the layover. At 0417, somebody would tell somebody else somewhere that it was OK tp proceed west on signal indication, and at 0420, AY-4 --more about which later -- would ask D-3 on Channel 2 if ED-8 -- yes, another more about which later -- was in the yard, D-3's answer and AY-4's subsequent response garbled due to increasing distance.
The all-Stops displays were continued also at the 345 ELs and WLs, tanks and others on the 2 as far west as just east of the Timpany Boulevard UGB. What with the general -- with dark KCIRs 7545 and 7727 -- on the 2 and rack loads on Yard 1 and the aforementioned fog, it was hard to tell what -- if anything -- might be on 2 and 4, the Extension looking MT. Yes, the brush-cutter was still on the House, and enough melting had happened to show that the Heywood's untucked stone remained a chronic condition.
Since a jaymac always pays his debts, a conversation was started with an acolyte of The Shrine Of The Deity Of The CPF-345 Dunks during which -- naturally -- a conversation was started between D-3 and somebody about "Plan A" and "Gardner." A decision was made to head to Parkers, but the view from Rte. 2 WB showed the EB had gotten bright, so the first of 2 reversals of course was taken, just in time to see the 345 2 WL still at Medium Clear. The KCIRs plus 44 got onto the Single at 0446. There were a 12 shorties (LAFXs among them) followed by a few boxes, 1 placarded tank. and short blocks of unplacarded tanks that included ADMXs, and ADM and peanut-oil and soybean-oil logoed tanks, making it look like nobody was going much further east than the Ayer area, indicating that ED-8 mebbe wasn't in the yard -- Hill, that is -- yet. Given that the EB had just cleared, that there were rack loads in the yard, and that 22K was already down Da Hill, Parkers was bypassed for a quick trip to 335, the soundtrack being a rest-of-the-trip series of car countdowns, apply 3s and release 3s for AY-4.
The 335 Single WL showing a Medium Clear, 22K hadn't turned a wheel, and -- at 0507 -- the 333 2 WL was showing a Clear, showing the EB was to run ahead of 402. At 0510, D-3 would confirm the earlier ID guess by telling ED-8 with the 7545 to secure at the Credit Union and that a cab had already been called.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs showed a Clear for 1 and Stop for 2, and WB headlights showed just west of the 330 WLs, prompting the second reversal -- of course -- of course. KCIRs 7541 and ???? and New Blue 609 getting 42 west of the rotary River Street UGB at 0517. There were full-size covered hoppers, boxes, a Froman-wrapped centerbeam, an MT drop-center flat, and slurries, prompting the guess that this was a POED, a guess not confirmed during the listening period. Back east, the 330 and GL WLs at Stop, the GLs a puzzle since it seemed enough time and distance had happened for them to be dark.
The FG WLs were dark, and at 0526, a dark and solo NewBlue 519 was in the FI-1/2 parking spot, naught being in the old layover. At 0532, D-3 would tell 402 that they'd -- presumably ED-8 -- would be going by in a second, and he'd get them moving then. 0534 was when the EB staggers for Derby were dark, 0539 being when D-3 acknowledged AY-3 lined and locked normal at Flanagans and heading east.
AY-4's work would continue to provide audio input until 0600.
What did I learn today? Sometimes, my squirrel-like focus and concentration can pay off.

New Blue 609 is leaving the property. It was on POED enroute to Juniata Back Shop, Altoona, allegedly sold to GATX.

guilfordrailfan-
Thanks -- Hope the new users give her better than she got from PAR/S -- a new coat and as-needed/Federally-mandated new shoes for all those reasonably reliable ton-miles.

Edpo or eday working the yard at 2:20 pm with mec 3402 and mec 7541

Correction, it’s actually ed8

0410-0630/12-05-2018 was another episode of jaymac in Wonderland cuz things got curiouser and curiouser as time moved along.
At 0410, the topography temporally favored reception of AY-4 doing what AY-4 does, followed at 0414 by a more broken AY-4 saying something to D-3 about East Wye, followed at 0431 by an even-more broken AY-4 saying something about EDAY. Interspersed were Zombiefied car countdowns with a variety of voices, so things were busy. At 0436, a Zombiefied D-3 said "22K," followed by someone saying "signal light," but an MT Wachusett and dark 333 WLs indicated 22K -- more about which later -- was elsewhere. Besides being MT and dark at 0436, the 333 lot was also at 16°, too cold to wait for 400. The 334 ELs and 1 stagger were all at Stop, and no marker was visible to the west, so after waiting a couple for 400's equipment, I got WB just in time -- 0449 -- to see same crossing the State Road/Rte. 2A UGB which also hosted standing WB racks on 1 with dark NSs 9813 and 7606. The 335 WLs were as red as the 335 ELs, so a near-term EB seemed unlikely, and I continued WB. 0452 was when 400 had given themselves the OK to go EB at 333, and I would be too far west to hear what would be said by the 40.2 in a few.
Red remained the color of the day on the 345 ELs and the 345 2 WL, but the 345 1 WL mixed it up a bit by showing a Clear. Sitting on 2 with racks extending however far west of the Timpany Boulevard UGB was a presumed 28N with dark NSs 4038 and 1010 across from the platform. There were rack loads on Yard ! and onto the Extension with 1 wrapped centerbeam on the far east and more racks -- MTs? -- on Yard 4. Yard 2? Dunno. No changes were apparent for either the brush-cutter or untucked stone. Remember the Clear on the 345 1 WL? During an offering of thanks at The Shrine Of The CPF-345 Dunks, there was radioactivity from neither the 346.6 nor D-3, so I was EB, 22K's car countdowns, 3 steps/releases, and brake-effectiveness tests providing light listening in the dark.
Back at 335 the WB racks were still there. It may seem heavy-handed foreshadowing, but please note I have not offered "287" as a possible ID.
At 0533, the 333 WLs were on with a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding, and 402 was just completing their air 2 nominal miles to the west. There was nothing on 1 or 2 west of the WLs and nothing was visible at the curve east of the ELs, so why shunting?
Further east -- well east of the ELs, but on the circuit -- and across from the site of the now-demolished steam plant were at least 2 units' worth of inspection lights. There were no cars visible at the Depot Street UGB, but the WB staggers showed Stops, the EB 1 stagger an Approach Medium, and the EB 2 stagger an Approach. Was the power holding on 2 an EB light move? Even though they were holding well west of the Depot Street staggers, the ROW is tangent there with good line-of-sight.
At 0549 and with 4 flats, 1 bi, and the 20??, 402 got east of me on the rotary River Street UGB while I was refueling. The 330.8 WBs showed Stop for 1 and Approach for 2. Howzat? The 330.8 2 WB and Depot Street 2 EB stagger both at Approach? The 330 WLs showed Stops, and just about the same time that FI-2 called out a Stop at FG, 402 gave themselves a 0554 OK to go at Fitchburg, facing a Medium Approach Medium on the GL Controlled Siding WL.
The Medium Clear on the FG 1 WL got dropped by 402 at 0556, FI-2 with NewBlue 519 and shorties and at least 1 tank holding at the FG ELs a couple later. The old layover still looked MT, and at 0606, the EB staggers for Derby were dark. No 40.2 for the 402 was heard, perhaps because of topography and/or 22K being busy and/or the 40.2 being OOS. Dunno.
Remember the unIDd racks at 335? At 0612, 287 got on the air, advising that they were on East Wye and that the Willows was lined and locked normal. Mebbe there'd be a marriage at Westminster. The balance of listening was mostly unintelligible, but with 22K closing things out at 0630.
As advertised, curiouser and curiouser.

Edited for update:
Bruce Macdonald's http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=247375" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and following shows that a marriage did take place. The 335 predawn 287 had outlawed, and the 287 that had radioed about East Wye and Willows at 0612 went west to 335, danced a bit, and head west.

0410-0615/12-07-2018 started off with "1 to go, 22K. Far enough, 22K" at 0410. Changing topography would change reception quality, but 22K would be an airwaves occupant early on.
Before many more lines go by, props -- more about which later -- to the various jurisdictions for pre-treating roads for the snow that had been forecast. There wasn't much, but things were in readiness.
At 0424, the CSXT NA desk and Q427 with CSXT 911 at New Bond Street would start a convo, 427 saying they had PW permission down to CP45, wanting to go on 1 to Jamesville just before CP48, and the NA responding in tones quite unlike those of L. S. Woodbury. Dunno if it's the time of year to be generous, but I'm about to -- for the 2nd time in the same week -- drop props on CSX. Having Worcester-based(?) and Worcester-Main-qualified crews shuttle between east of Jamesville and Ayer to avoid the Black Hole of Greendale and recrew somewhere west of Worcester to avoid complications there does seem lower-case precision railroading. At 0433, D-3 would reach out to 427, but whatever mighta gotten said got preempted by 22K being busy. To wrap up 427, D-3 would fulfill their Form D G-303 -- presumably MP X25 to Burncoat -- at 0505.
At 0435, D-3 and FI-2 -- now with the 5948 -- would chat: ED-8 -- later IDd with the 7727 -- was coming down Da Hill, and FI-2 would have to wait until thoser guys got by.
At 0443, the 333 WLs were dark and at 0444, D-3 would reach out to a Keolis Extra, advising they were lined for the Station Track, asking if that was what they wanted, 22K again making their presence heard at an inopportune time. Given there seemed time before 400 would show up, the next stop was 334 and Stops were on the ELs and an Approach on the 1 stagger. Oh yeah: 400's markers were disappearing east at 0445.
At 0450 and after seeing the 335s were dark, the next sounds were D-3 again to the Keolis Extra, asking if they were at track speed, The response was unheard, but that was the same time the 400 OKed themselves to go.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were and would remain dark. Yards 4 and 2 had racks, Yard 1 had general -- including a few mini-bulkhead steel loads -- west of the Extension, and the Extension had 2 or more racks. Why the inexact Extension census? Line-of-sight obstruction occurred cuzza the string of additional general -- including an unplacarded tank (for Polar?) and both full-size and shortie covered hoppers -- on Yard Lead almost to the Rte. 2 WB OHB. The 2 mighta been kept clear, but the PW wouldn't have an easy shot into the yard. To show that some sense of continuity still prevails, the House's brush-cutter and the Heywood's untucked stone still continued as entries in the Sameoldsameold Ledger.
While EB and after my seeing the 335 WLs were dark, D-3 and ED-8 -- remember them? -- engaged in a convo: Things were lined and locked normal for travel on 2 -- at OX? -- and it was OK continue east, D-3 to find a place at Ayer. Zombiefication would present itself at 0519, "AY-3" being the only intelligible sound. 0520 was when darkness ruled the 333 WLs, and was also when D-3 -- broken and on Yard Channel -- asked AY-4 their location and whether they were still working West End, the response unheard.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs showed a Stop for 1 and a Clear for 2. D-3 next started a convo with ED-8 on Yard Channel at 0533, but as I moved closer to Ayer -- irony of ironies -- I also moved deeper into the River-and-Summer-Streets Zombie Zone, so no good idea of what mighta transpired. The 330 1 WL showed a Slow Approach, the GL Controlled Siding a Medium Approach, and the 330 ELs all Stops, but a couple later, the FG WLs were dark. Mebbe the Keolis Extra had gotten west while I was getting east. Dunno.
At 0538, KCIR 5948 was dark and solo in the FI-1/2 parking spot, whatever business mighta been conducted by the recent ED-8 made the West Side look underpopulated, and the old layover was unpopulated except for a truck on the ground. At 0544, the EB staggers for Derby were dark,
Naught had been heard from 22K in a bit, and naught further was heard to, from, or about ED-8, ED-9, EDAY, AYED, AYPO. POAY, EDPO, POED, 28N, 287, AY-3, AY-4, or AY-5, the usual caveats in effect. That does not mean naught further was heard. At 0554, the Fitchburg Dispatcher acknowledged 400's transmission that the gates had gone down and then up during the stop at Lincoln, this following the dispatcher's 0549 to the 400 that he couldn't get their transmission. Have Zombie Zones gone viral? I stopped listening too early to hear if there would be a Line 12 for 402.

Pearl Harbor plus 77 years.

Another slightly early departure proved more than slightly productive for 0405-0610/12-10-2018, although it didn't seem that way at first, Yard Channel activity not emerging until 0427 and later and that broken, possible car countdowns among them.
At 0433, the 333 WLs were dark, and "AY-5" was heard, although only garble followed. The 334s were equally dark, and over at 335, things were initially dark until 400's equipment emerged from the facility, a total of 3 flats and 1 bi plus the 1126 getting east of the ELs at 0445. Patience paid off cuz the west got bright again in a couple, KCIR 7595, NewBlue 7552, and KCIR 7495 getting a slowing 90 east of the ELs at 0452 The were centerbeams (both wrapped and MT), a pair of high-end gons, a substantial string of CHUX lidded gons, boxes that included a solo Smurf, a solo utility-pole bulkhead, a solo LPG (strange), and HCl and other presumable paper-service tanks. 400 musta buzzered outta Wachusett cuz naught was heard, and the EB -- later IDd as EDPO -- musta gotten on the move fairly soon after the 400 and highballed both Fitchburg and Ayer, as will be seen later. By now, the Yard Channel chatter had become more distinct, AY-4 and 22K being the major and enduring chatterers. At 0457 and on Yard Channel and almost immediately afterwards on Channel 1, D-3 would reach out to AY-3, more about which later.
Up Da Hill, There was general on Yard 4 and rack loads on Yards 2 and 1. The Extension still had the lumber centerbeam and rack, the House still had the brush-cutter, and the Heywood still had not only the untucked stone, but also a recent polishing of its wear-surfaces. Appropriate thanks were made to The Deity Of The CPF-345 Dunks, consumption uninterrupted by radioactivity, save for a 0508 D-3 Channel 1 shoutout to AY-3..
Down Da Hill, the 335 ELs were dark, as -- at 0524 -- were the 333 WLs, coincidentally the same time that D-3 actually engaged in a convo with AY-3, the 7620. AY-3 was in the process of clearing up at the Milling, D-3 apparently needing the 1 cuzza AY-5 and/or 287 and/or 28N having the 2 between Willows and Willows East. At 0526, D-3 told EDPO he would keep them moving and that AY-3 was clearing up. Topographic challenges were coming, and I never did hear D-3 acknowledge that AY-3 was in the clear and lined and locked normal. Coulda been preempted by activity in the yard, also.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs showed a Stop for 1 and Clear for 2 and the 330 1 WL a Slow Clear. The GL Controlled Siding WL showed a Medium Approach Medium and the FG 1 WL a Limited Clear, prompting musings about whether GL and FG had been reset to constant-on.
At 0540, and carrying a marker on the westerly end, KCIR 5984 was in the FI-1/2 parking spot, and naught was on the rails of the old layover.
At 0547, the EB staggers for Derby were dark, and continuing intermittent AY-4 and 22K exchanges documented proof of activity, naught being heard to, from, or about POAY, AYPO, Q427, or Q426.

0400-0620/12-12-2018 started off at 0400 with D-3 telling somebody -- later emerging as 287 -- that they'd have to pull in at Westminster and wait for 22K to come down Da Hill.
Figuring that 400's move outta the facility would also be also part of that picture, a straight shot was taken to said Westminster.
Things were slow on the radioactivity front, and the the 0431 arrival at 335 showed the ELs at Stop, the Controlled Siding WL at Medium Approach Medium and the Single WL at Clear, showing that 22K was still west and would have 1 at least as far as 330, further indicating that the EB would be holding at the 333 2 EL or easter and not Westminster. Yard Channel traffic -- specifically AY-4 -- got intelligible at 0435, just about the same time the west started getting bright. A trio of Ponies -- my scrawls now illegible -- plus a total of 100 all-occupied well and table positions -- not a trailer in the bunch -- got east of the 335 ELs at 0440. The west got bright again, 400's total of 3 flats and 1 bi plus the 1133 getting east at 0440 and a Medium Approach getting called for 334 in a couple. At 0450, the 400 told D-3 they were stopped on the Controlled Siding at 333 and D-3 initiated a both-sides audible convo with 287, asking if they were going to take their break, 287 responding that it was up to D-3, and D-3 reresponding that they should come up to 335 to clear commuter territory, this ending by 0453. My decision was to continue west, cuz mebbe all the EBs were east, a decision shown to be at least somewhat justified when D-2 241d EDPO somewhere at 0500. Back to D-3 news, D-3 brokenly-to-me told FI-2 it was OK to reverse direction on the 2, the where lost to me at 0502.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were and would remain during my drive-through dark. Yard 4 had general, Yard 2 had racks -- MT? -- almost FP-FP, the Extension still had the tented centerbeam and rack, the House still had the brush-cutter, the Heywood still had untucked stone, and Gardner still has what must be the closest pair of Dunks in the world.
At 0507, D-3 told AY-3 with the 7605 plus 22 they could come down as soon as the 400 got by, nothing being heard about location or switch status.
Down Da Hill, the 335 1 EL was showing a Clear, 287 with solo and dim NS 9220 still holding. 402 finished up their air, called the Medium Approach Medium outta the facility, made noise and flashed ditch-lights for 287, and got east of the State Road/Rte. 2A UGB at 0530 with 4 flats, 1 bi, and the 20??.
My EB progress included bypassing both 334 and 335, and on approach to the notorious Zombie-Zone gateway of the River Street rotary came D-3 reaching out to 23K -- yes, no typo: [i}three[/i] -- but the combination of the Zombie Zone and the urgent need to refuel limited further radio input. 23K coulda been anywhere that D-3 controls. The 330.8 WBs showed a Stop for 1 and Clear for 2 and the 330 1 WL a Slow Approach. The GL Controlled Siding WL was at Medium Approach, but a couple later, the FG WLs were dark. At 0549, OldPaint 353 was bright and sitting on the west end of covered hoppers on West Side and the old layover remained MT. If there was something/somebody else on East Side, the view was blocked.
At 0551 came "22K, Restricting," making it sound like the East Wye shove would be starting. 22K's yarding instructions never got heard by me so dunno how complex things would be. For the balance of my listening, AY-4 and 22K would be the auditory input. Oh yeah and at 0556, the EB staggers for Derby were dark.