For 0330-0550/04-12-2019, there was a goodly amount of data, starting at 0330 and sometime after the start of the D-3 side of a convo, asking whether someone had a marker, confirming its number and status, and wishing them a good trip. Just guessing, but it was probably AYPO, naught further being heard.
To get Q426/427 matters over and done with, at 0353, the 7.8 came on and at 0356 announced no defects, so mebbe another light power move. At 0420, D-3 answered Q427 with CSXT 5429, acknowledging that they were east and clear of Burncoat by marker, asking if they were tying down at New Bond or would be taken by CSX, and then acknowledging that they were getting a live recrew at New Bond.
To get a non-RR hedzup outta the way, the usual entry to 190 North in Sterling was shut down for prep work, and when paving season starts, it's expectable that both sides of 190 south of 117 will present challenges. Add Summer Street, Fitchburg to that list, as well. It's been stripped from the Keoilis Engineering entrance to just about the Leominster line. The good news about the detour to 140 was that the 0356 7.8 transmission was audible, not always the case on 190.
At 0402, the 333 WLs were all at Stop, naught visible east or west, so 334 was the next stop, where the 334 ELs and 1 stagger mighta been at Stop, but there was a slowing EB on 2 and a WB with a large number of BNSF covered hoppers on 1. Back at 333, 7528 and 7523 were sitting dim at 0410. There had been shorties seen at 334, but no Ciment Québecs had been seen, so mebbe it coulda been an ED-8, but later events hinted more likely it was a less-than-4K' EDPO. Over at 335, the ELs were at Stop at 0415, the WB, a bit west.
Up Da Hill, the 345 1 EL was at Approach, and the 2 EL and WLs at Stop, cars on 2 from just in back of Chair City Oil to however far west beyond the Timpany UGB. A D-3/POED-with-the-7655 convo had started , D-3 advising that the Chief wanted to know how long they'd be, 1/2 hour the reply, and the word that the EGT was getting near Gardner, and they'd follow.
Offering made, a position was taken and maintained at the Jade, notations for the Sameoldsameold Ledger entries being the House's brush-cutter and Heywood'd untucked stone. Not only that, the easterly potion of the yard seemed MT. At 0432, the Grainer called the Approach. KCIR 7595 was the leader and KCIR 7609 was the trailer with at least 1 other unit. At 0433, D-3 asked the EGT to advise if they didn't have a signal at 346, and at 0439, 114 covered hoppers -- mostly BNSFs -- had gotten west of the Heywood Switch, 0442 being the time of the 1-west-to-the-Single-at-346 241.
A series of D-3/POED exchanges about a hazmat car, its position, and waybill began at 0443, and the 346.6 came on at 0446. D-3/POED convos continued, eventually including a 14x32, 2599 ton, and 2378' update, that came right on toppa the 0455 346.6 farewell to the EGT, the EGT acknowledging a no defects a bit later, but also at 0455, D-3 then advising POED that he might need to 241 them at Parkers, an event I didn't stay for.
The straight shot down Da Hill showed the 333 WLs dark, the EB having followed 400. At 0509, D-3 gave 22K with NS 6973 permission east on signal indication at FG, 0510 providing the yarding instructions -- 1 to 2 to 3, racks to 11, and power back to 2. Further east, the 330.8 WBs were both a Stop, the 330 1 WL at Slow Approach, and the Stop on the 2 WL reinforced by a moving 22K still not having cleared. The GL WLs were dark, but the FG WLs were at Stop, 22K still running through. At 0516, a dark KCIR was in the FI-1/2 parking spot, but a good ID was compromised by 22K rolling east. At 0518, D-3 answered 22K, saying that the assist cab had been called for 0530 at Ayer. The EB staggers for Derby showed an Approach foe 1 and a Stop for 2, 22K not east of the North Leominster platform until 0525.
I know -- as a mere mortal civilian -- that mere mortal civilian speculation can be wildly out of phase with reality, but the length of 22K, the earlier activity in Gardner along with the lack of any visible racks or general in that yard did lead to the speculation that an ED-8 might be along, a speculation reinforced by the lack of anything audible to, from, or about EB holding earlier at 333 mebbe being a POED and moving through on signal indication.
Oh yeah -- AY-4 had been heard a few times, but AY-3 hadn't.
"A gray crossover is definitely not company transportation."