Gardner Gawking

First and with apologies for not editing more carefully, the 4th unit on the 12-04 LGT was the KCIR 7620.

Garble was the predominant sound for 0315-0525/12-06-2019, 1 example being D-3 to somebody with something about Freight Main West and FG. Since the Milling was also mentioned, mebbe coulda been part or all of the EGT. The topography was more favorable at 0323 for a 241 for 1 east at the Willows to 1 on the Freight Main for AY-3 with the 7552, D-3 adding that he'd talk to them when they were in the clear, next get AY-5 outta the way, and then get back to them. That plan lasted a minute, D-3 saying that after a talk with the Chief, AY-3 should just tie down in the Milling and he'd call a cab for them.
AY-5 was the next up for a convo at 0332, D-3 acknowledging their wish to take the light at AY and go to Camp. AY-5 added something unheard by me, and D-3 responded that he'd talk to the Chief and get back to them. Never heard anything subsequent about that, but my relative positioning was part of varying triangulation, the other and fixed points being the Paxton antenna and Mount Wachusett.
At 0346, the 333 WLs were dark, and there were tire tracks from the lot over towards the EL equipment bungalow. Things were as usual at the 334s and 335s, the plow berm at the entrance to the 335 lot having been driven through, but not plowed. There were -- as there had been earlier -- spurts of garble, but naught intelligible. There was some clarity at 0354 when D-3 acknowledged that AY-3 was lined and locked normal at the Milling, but a following convo with AY-5 had only the ID clear.
Up Da Hill, the 345 ELs and WLs were all at Stop, loaded racks being on the 2 west from Chair City Oil and changing into general around Pratt and west however far past the Timpany Boulevard UGB. Whether these ere the same as the cars in Al LaPierre's http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=254278 of 12-05, dunno. If there was aught else in the yard, the racks blocked the view, but the BNSF box was an entry in the Sameoldsameold Ledger. The crumpled buckets and the fencing panels and weight bags either side of the Heywood? Dunno -- mebbe under the snow. There was a company Case loader in the lower lot, and the Heywood -- including the Main Street crossing -- had been opened up, even though the entrance to the westerly yard off the Timpany Boulevard exit ramp hadn't been. Over at 346, the WL was showing Stop at 0425, and tire tracks had gone through the plow berm at the pole yard both WB and EB. While I was in Gardner, D-3 told 22K with NS 7604 at 0403 that they'd be holding at Slab City until AY-4 had cleared Track 1. There was more, but garble again ruled. There was also a 0412 241 to AY-5 with the 755? for the Single west to 2 at 312.
Almost all the way to 333, there was a 0438 breaking D-3 answer to PO??, naught further heard, except for a 0440 garble storm.
At 0441, the 333 WLs were dark, 400 not yet far enough east, and further east, the 330.8 WBs showed a Clear for 1 and a Stop for 2, the 330 2 WL at Slow Approach. The GL and FG Wls were dark, and at 0453, OldPaint 35? sat dark and solo in the FI-1/2 parking spot. There were dimmed lights further east on FMW, mebbe part or all of the EGT.
At 0456, 400 called the Slow Approach for the 330 2 WL, and at 0459, the EB staggers for Derby were dark, 1 covered hopper on the RVJ stub. The last clear reception came at 0505 when AY-4 advised D-3 that Track 1 was clear.
Naught -- at least via the radio -- was heard to, from, or about Q427 during the 12-06 trip, the probable reason being that crossing noise was heard ~0230 followed by weaker crossing noise in another few at the appropriate interval to indicate that the X7.8 and X6.0 crossings had had visitation.

For 0315-0515/12-09-2019, there were more questions unanswered than answered. Things started off with Q427 calling D-3 at 0316, D-3 answering when I was 100+ yards into unfavorable topography, but fortunately -- for me -- repeating what Q427 with CSXT 418 had said about the switch(es?) at Clinton not being cleaned, hash next prevailing. Given later developments, the observation must have happened when 427 was still 426.
Next came some D-3 breakage to AY-6, "recrew" and "another engine" being clear, more favorable topography now allowing D-3 saying he'd hold 22K outta San-Vel until AY-6 was done. To save suspense, naught would be heard to, from, or about AY-3, AY-4, or even AY-6.
Starting ~0330, there was a garbled 241, later reconstructable as going to Signal 1157, possibly at 333 since another would be given at 0336 to go to the Single at 335. 1157's Form D G304 with Lines 2 and 3 for 334 to 335 was cancelled at 0339, more being lost. In another few, D-3 would ask the 1157 if he had said the first working signal was the automatic at 339.5. To add to my questions about a possible signals meltdown, naught further would be heard to, from, or about the 1157.
D-3 had reached out to 22K around 0335 and would continue to do so, but naught of substance would be heard. Right around 0440, FI-2 with the 351 reached out to D-3, wanting to go light power East Side to Lafarge, more about which later. At 0348, the 333 WLs were dark, and the usual Stops for the 334 ELs and darkness for the 2 stagger and 335s were in effect, the 1157 being west.
Up Da Hill, the 345 ELs and WLs were at Stop, general being on the #2 -- bills in the easterly knuckle -- west to the Pratt yard and then changing into racks however far west of the Timpany Boulevard UGB. Whether these were set off by the 129-car monstah ED-8 posted 12-08 by atholrail, dunno. There was naught visible in the yard east of what was on the #2 except for the BNSF box on the Extension. The company Case loader was still in the lower lot, and the Heywood mighta been opened up, but hadn't been run on.
The post-offering straight shot EB did have D-3 reaching out to 427, There was more, but I had entered Mount Wachusett's shadow by that point. Then came the 0416 D-3 acknowledgment that the recrew was on board at Still River and the OK to continue west on Form D G301. The next heard from 427 would be the 7.8 crossing noise at 0617.
At 0425, the 333 WLs were dark, and at 0426, D-3 called out to FI-2, garble ensuing, and more D-3 garble following at 0428.
Post refueling, the 330.8 WBs showed a Clear for 1 and a Stop for 2, the 330 2 WL at Slow Approach, and the GL and FG WLs dark, and the FI-1/2 parking spot MT at 0441. At 0444, a both-sides=breaking D-3/FI-2 convo started. Keolis(?) couldn't make it for an hour, so would FI-2 wanna tie down at Lafarge? Could a cab even get to them? No, so back to the yard. Call for permission to reverse direction when the switch was lined and locked normal. At 0447, the EB staggers for Derby were dark, and 1 covered hopper sat on the RVJ stub.
At 0448 FI-2 called, D-3 -- the switch on the #2 was lined and locked normal and the derail restored, so D-3 gave permission to reverse direction from where they stood to Derby, East Side being the destination. There was some fuzz about whether FI-2 would cross to 1 at Derby or hold on 2, 400 being in the picture.
At 0451, there would be an AYPO/D-3 garblefest, signal indication at East Wye and hazardous l9ocations being topics. Naught else of radio clarity would be heard for the balance of the trip.
May all of us about the experience the rain event have dry cellars.

0315-0530/12-12-2019 was -- as will be seen -- busy.
Today's entry in The Annals of Precision Scheduled Railroading started -- but did not end -- with a 0319 Q427/D-3 convo. Q427 advised D-3 that -- following convos with both Yard and Train Masters -- no recrew would be available and that they would be tying down at the West Boylston cemetery. More will follow.
At 0326, D-3 reached out to FI-2 with the 351, the Chief wanting to know how much time they'd need at Lafarge, 45 minutes being the repeated response. Next came a 0333 D-3 answer to AY-5 in the form of letting them know he was trying to throw the 312 switch, but that it was taking its sweet time. Soon afterwards, AY-3 with the 7727 would get permission 1 east to 1 at AY. There was more but it was fuzzed. AY-3 and AY-5 will reappear.
At 0355, the 333 WLs were all at Stop, 22K with NSs 7515, 7528, and 4060 -- with racks -- having done just that on 1, and that was also the time a now-breaking D-3 said something to 427 about West Boylston. 0357 was when a now-clearer D-3 told Q427 with CSXT 9022 that he had been told that there might be a recrew, so bring it to West Boylston and hold. So what happened at 0400? D-3 advised 427 of another change of plans -- their potential recrew would -- instead -- be protecting UPS trains, so it was back to tying down and to call him when they had tied down.
As might be imagined, the 334 ELs and 1 stagger were at Stop, as would be the 335 ELs, 22K's marker between the ELs and the State Road/Rte. 2A UGB. At 0407 and from the 335 lot came the sounds of AY-4's C or U asking for a 3-step. Amazing what antenna elevation and no interfering topography do for reception.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were temporarily dark. There were racks on Yard 4, general on Yard 2 that included MT ceneterbeams, and racks east of New Switch on Yard 1, the eastern-most car being a BNSF box and the Extension being MT. It didn't look like the Heywood had seen post-loader activity, but enough snow had gone that the crumpled buckets to the west and the fencing panels and weight bags to the east had reemerged.
Not only was the moon full, but so was the heart of The Deity Of The CPF-345 Dunks. Just as i was completing the transactional part of my offering of thanks at 0426, the 346.6 came on. 0429 was when when she announced no defects, 20°, 660', and train too slow. an unexpected closing twosome, especially since it was EDPO that did the acknowledgment.
The 345 1 EL now at Clear, the Jade lot became the observation post, KCIR 7527 and NewBlue 7518 getting 28 onto the Single at 0433. Given that there centerbeams -- wrapped and MT -- and CHUX lidded gons, the announced length seemed to indicate that the 346.6 might need a touch of recalibration.
On the way down Da Hill, there was 0443 D-3/AY-3 garble and clear AY-4 activity. At 0445, the 333 WLs showed a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding and 22K still in place.
Further east came the 0447 marginal sounds of D-3 talking to AY-3. something about a signal and putting them on 2 between AY and Camp. Clearer was D-3 telling 22K they could continue east when the signal -- post-400 -- came in. The yarding instructions were 1 to 2 to 3, racks to San-Vel, and power back to 2. There would be a cab to assist, the cab that had assisted AYPO, and D-3 would call to make sure the cab stayed.
The 330.8 WBs had showed a Clear for 1 and Stop for 2, the 330 2 WL a Slow Clear and the GL and FG WLs dark. At 0450 there had been D-3 breakage to AYPO, D-3 being ready to copy their train info. There was something about a marker but the read-back and/or acknowledgment got lost.
At 0456, a breaking D-3 had given FI-2 a 241, so it was no big surprise at 0458 that the FI-1/2 parking spot was MT. What was a surprise was KCIR 7535 hauling racks WB on West Side., D-3 telling AY-5 with the 7535 to leave the engine with the racks, more being fuzzed.
At 0503, the EB staggers for Derby were dark, and 1 covered hopper still sat on the RVJ stub, the same time that D-3 told 427 to stand by. A minute later, D-3 got back to 427, acknowledging that they were tied down. 427 presumably asked for a cancellation on their Form D, but D-3 said the new crew would get a Line 2 Addition, evidently a procedural change for unattended equipment.
A minute after that, there was an AY-5/D-3 exchange. Per the Chief, AY-5 to test the additional cars, everything would be going on ED-9, and AY-5 would eventually be cabbed back to Ayer.
There was a 0513 D-3/FI-2 exchange. They had permission to0 reverse direction from where they stood on 2 at Lafarge to Derby, further discussion of end-point being eaten.
AY-4 would continue to make themselves heard, and 427's marker was visible near the west end of the reservoir causeway just west of Oakdale.

For 0315--0510/12-16-2019, my timing coulda been better.
Things started at 0316 when the X7.8 came on, that eardrum input augmented by eyeball input at 0321 when the last of 427 -- LPs and a pair of gons -- cleared the Temple Street/Rte. 140/MP X7.8 at 0321 and got a no defects. To clear up 427, D-3 would answer them at 0348, and Q427 with CSXT 738 being west and clear of Burncoat, Form D G302 would be fulfilled at 0447. D-3 asked if they'd being tying down at New Bond or continuing west and off the property, but whatever his acknowledgment and/or repetition was consumed by Mount Wachusett.
Back to chronological order, D-3 reached out to AYPO at 0339. The only response I heard was FI-2 with the 351 reaching out to D-3, the response to them being told to stand by while a Form D got worked on. Naught to, from, or about AYPO and/or would be heard concerning AYPO and/or FI-2, but with that merry prankster Mount Wachusett, hoonose?
The first yarding sounds clearly attributable to AY-4 came at 0342, and at 0345, the 333 WLs were dark, the usual pattern of Stops for the 334 ELs and darkness for the 334 1 stagger and 335s in effect. On my way up Da Hill, D-3 reached out to POED with the 7643, more about which later.
Up Da Hill, the 345 ELs and WLs were at Stop, a string of loaded racks on the #2 from New Switch west to however far beyond the Timpany Boulevard UGB, and it did look like the rest of the yard was MT. In a belated Sameoldsameold Ledger report, the only entries were the crumpled buckets west and fencing panels and weight bags east of the southerly Heywood.
At 0405, D-3 reached out again to POED with the 7643, advising there were Deerfields at Fitchburg that included 19 MT racks, but some time before 0405, the 345 1 WL had gone to Clear. An offering to The Deity Of The CPF-345 Dunks, however, was ineffective in bringing the 346.6 to life, so I was WB at 0415.
At 0425, the 333 WLs continued to be dark, and further east and after a refueling stop, the 330.8 WBs showed a Clear for 1 and Stop for 2, the 330 2 WL at Slow Approach. The GL and FG WLs were dark, and OldPaint 351 was dark and solo in the FI-1/2 parking spot at 0437, and at 0443, the EB staggers for Derby were dark and the RVJ stub MT.
0445 would bring another example of the vagaries of timing. While I had gotten east, POED had gotten west and called out a Stop for FG. There was a discussion with D-3, the upshot of which was that 400 needed to get east.
0448 would bring the first audible-to-me mention of AY-3 with the 7898, D-3 OKing them on signal indication at 312 for their runaround. 22K? At 0459, D-3 would OK them on signal indication at AY, mentioning San-Vel and AY-3's runaround.
Timing is everything.

0320-0530+/12-19-2019 had a sense of 12-16 déjà-attendu/-vu when the 7.8 announced at 0323 he was checking train, that train being sufficiently long that my 0328 arrival at the Temple Street/Rte. 140/MP X7.8 crossing was in time to see the last several cars get west and the talker announce that there were no defects. What was markedly different from 12-16 was that those cars were uniformly sharp-looking CSXT hoppers, that uniformity broken only by the marker-bearer's reporting marks -- NYC. So had I just seen the ECT? Dunno. Dunno if it was even part of the ECT. Why? At 0400, D-3 would answer Q427, that also being the time he would fulfill Form D G303, 427 being west and clear of wherever-starting-with-a-"B"-sound a now-garbling D-3 said.
Keeping with the garbling theme, there were numerous car countdowns, none of which were clearly attributable, but D-3 would acknowledge that someone was lined and locked normal at Nashua.
At 0350, the 333 WLs were dark, as would be the 334 1 stagger and the 335s, the sole source of holiday cheer being the Stops on the 334 ELs. 0350 was also the time that D-3 had reached out to POED with the 7898, more about which later, but not in the near term. The flags that were flying were at horizontal from the northwest, and the readings on my car's thermometer went from 8° all the way up to 10°, so Cs and Us and Foremen and crews are more than earning their pay.
Up Da Hill. the 345s were and would remain -- for my brief stay -- dark. The yard was MT, and the snow atop the Heywood rails was undisturbed, the only sign of traffic being footprints within the gauge north of the Main Street crossing. The crumpled buckets to the west and fencing panels and weight bags to the east remained a constant. There was 0404 D-3 garble, the clear parts being asking if someone was ready to reverse direction and head west on 1 at FG and then give the OK on signal indication.
On the way EB, there were more unattributable car countdowns, and at 0428, the 333 WLs were on with a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding. Initially, there was naught visible, but at 0430, 400 -- earlier than I can recall -- came to a stop at the platform, over at which 1134 was visible as the power. Also visible were the 334 ELs -- Stops -- and 1 stagger -- G/G Clear.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs showed a Clear for 1 and a Stop for 2, the 330 and GL WLs all at Stop cuz -- again -- there was a WB crossing under the Water Street OHB as I was crossing over. Back at the used car lot just west of the rotary River Street UGB, POED with KCIRs 7898, ????, ????, and 7835 got 35 racks and 54 general west at 0451. In the general were more TTBOXs than I'd seen in a bit, scattered slurries and mebbe paper-service tanks, numbers of Irving and Twin Rivers wrapped centerbeams, other boxes, and full-size covered hoppers. Given their position, I'm guessing the racks were West Side and/or FMW pickups.
Back EB again, the 330.8 WBs showed and Approach fo 1 and a Stop for 2, the 330 2 WL at Slow Clear. $00 not yet being far enough east when I was, the GL and FG WLs would be dark. At 0500, OldPaint 351 would be dark and solo in the FI-1/2 parking spot, and at 0506 and with 400 on the circuit, the EB staggers for Derby showed an Approach for 1 and Clear for 2. The RVJ stub continued MT and will go united until it has an occupant.
Towards the end, there would be a number of D-3 reach outs -- AY-4, then AY-5, and then telling AY-3 to hold on until he talked to AY-5, the final bit being acknowledging track status at San-Vel.

The "Save draft" function seemed to have taken an early holiday today, so this from-scratch attempt at the post for 0400-0630/12-21-2019 will attempt to use the "Submit"/"Edit" workaround for the full post.

At 0400, the 7.8 talker came on, giving his no defects at 0407, a longer time than usual. That this might be a longer-than-usual train got some evidence at 0426 when D-3 acknowledged that the recrew for Q427 with CSXT 831 was on board at Burncoat and could continue on Form D G301. There's about 0.2 more milage between public crossings between Burncoat and Shrewsbury Streets than between New Bond and Burncoat. D-3 had asked the recrew too call west and clear of Burncoat when that happened, D-3 acknowledgment of 427 being clear of not only Burncoat, but also Barbers, coming at 0456.
In the meantime and later, there were unattributable car countdowns, and at 0435, the 333 WLs were dark.
As might be expected, the 334 ELs were at Stop, but the 1 stagger was, too. A few minutes invested produced no WB, but did produce a clear "FI-2" and "Come ahead 12" at 0439.
Over at 335, NewBlue 604, KCIR 7797, and NewBlue 5974 were holding at the all-Stops ELs with a short enough train that no marker had been visible at 334. The Medium Clear on the Single WL prompted another investment, a reward coming at 0504 with a breaking D-3/AY-4 convo about Track 1 in the yard being clear and another reward coming at 0507 when 22K got their yarding instructions -- 1 to 2 to 3, racks to San-Vel, power back to 2, and a cab called to assist. D-3 also gave the OK on signal indication at 345, but I wasn't about to wait a 1/2 hour even at idle, the temperature ranging between 7° and 10°. Oh yeah, a tie-handler was still in the 335 lot.
The trip up Da Hill was quiet, but with 22K presumably far enough east to end shunting, the 345 ELs were on with a Clear for 1 and Stop for 2. Why? There was a WB marker on the 2 by the lower lot and dark KCIR 7620 was sitting in back of Pratt with racks east to the marker. Dunno, but AY-5 seemed a good guess. The gaps between the racks showed other racks to the south, racks clearly visible from the Jade lot, but dunno what mighta been on Yards 2 or 1. The Sameoldsameold Ledger continued to have the crumpled buckets to the west and the fencing panels and weight bags to the east of the southerly Heywood, the plow-berms at the Main Street crossing having been run through. At 0513, there had been D-3 garble, only "Form D G302" escaping clear. Dunno if it was new, a fulfillment, or a cancellation. Equally dunno if it was for a lower or higher mileage location.
The post-offering trip down Da Hill to 335 was quiet and just in time to see 22K's marker get east at 0532. To give a preview of coming YouTube attractions, Royal Hudson was also at 335, showing we should all expect a railfan at any trackside at any time at any temperature. The power trio got loud at 0535, getting 39 west of the ELs at 0539. Up front were unbranded shorties, followed by mixed boxes (including a Big G), tanks, and Irvings-and-others wrapped centerbeams, making it seem like a POED. Never heard, but mebbe they'd be picking up the racks and power on the 2 at Gardner.
The 333 WLs were dark at 0545, 1400 not due until 0630. Further east and after a refueling, the 330.8 WBs showed a Clear for 1 and a Stop for 2, the 330 2 WL at Slow Clear. The WG and FG WLs were dark, and a dark and solo OldPaint 351 sat in the FI-1/2 parking spot at 0600. 0606 was when the EB staggers for Derby were dark, and only occasional garble -- none IDable -- provide any audio input until the 0630 end of the trip.
Back to Q427 and the presumed POED -- It may be a Red Delicious to Crab Apple comparison, but they were both WBs, but with widely disparate lengths. Wonder when the Pony will push for an adjustment...

0315-0325/12-23-2019 was a short and eventful trip.
O325?? Yep, that's when the airbags deployed after the deer-strike, so please be extra careful out there cuz airbag mouth is a sensation to be avoided.

Didn't this happen to you last year or mebbe the year before too? I certainly hope you're okay!

For those of us who have need to be out and about at oh-dark-early (my own car tried venison once about 2AM a number of years ago on Route 140 near Wachusett Reservoir), and heck, at any time of the day, y'all be careful out there!

jwhite07-
Beaman Street/Rte. 140 just a bit east of the DCR West Boylston offices was where my too-close encounter happened. There were hoof prints all over the place in the snow either side of the road.
Yep as far as the earlier event. I'll probably shift to daylight hours when the opportunity is there again.
-jaymac

Very thankful you're ok. Bummed for you about your car.

gokeefe-
Thanks, and thanks also for good insurance coverage.
-jaymac

Glad to hear it. I hope you are rewarded for your troubles with excellent gawking in 2020.

0705-0855/01--05-2020 was more than a bit on the quiet side.
What? A day-lit trip? Yup -- 2 deer strikes is 2 too many. What? A Sunday trip? Might as well start accumulating mileage on the newbie
Birdies from a telco central office, automated Morse callsigns, and Boston West asking Keolis 2400 why they'd been running at restricted speed were the early proofs that scanner was still working.
At 0737, the 333 WLs were dark, the usual sequence following of the 334 ELs at Stop and the 334 1 stagger and 335s being dark.
On my way up Da Hill, a Mount-Wachusett-compromised D-3 told EDPO at 0752 to tie down at the tower, naught further being clearly heard to, from, or about that EB for the balance of the trip.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were and would remain dark while I was there. The yard was MT except for a well-tagged KCS box, a placarded tank, and a Brand X hi-side gon on the Extension. The most recent plow berms on the Main Street crossing were undisturbed, and for Sameoldsameold Ledger entries, the crumpled buckets west of the southerly Heywood and the weight bags and fencing panels to the east were still still there.
The trip east would feature a few static eruptions, but no idea of source and/or location. At 0811, the 333 WLs were dark, and further east, the 330.8 WBs showed a Stop for 1 and Clear for 2, the 330 1 WL at Slow Clear. The GL and FG WLs were dark, and at 0824, dark and solo OldPaint 351 was in the FI-1/2 parking spot. The gate to the east end of the the Keolis Engineering Facility just west of the Leominster line had been closed for some time, but daylight showed that a large and long log had been placed on the ground on the south side. Dunno if dirt-bikers and/or ATVers mighta been using the unpaved slope.
0829 was when the EB staggers for Derby were still dark and the RVJ stub was still MT.
There was naught else of note for the next 26 minutes.

For 0645-0855/01-07-2020, things were -- as will be seen -- fairly quiet on the Dispatcher-channel side of D-3. There was a fair amount of unattributable Yard Channel activity early on, AY-4 being frequently attributable later on.
At 0717, The 333 WLs were dark, the usual pattern of Stops for the 334 ELs and darkness for the 334 1 stagger and 335s in effect.
AY-4 was part of the soundtrack on the way up Da Hill, some strange voices mixing in. Why? The 345 ELs and WLs were at Stop and a cut of general on 2 extended from in back of Chair City Oil to just clear of West Switch. Racks were being shoved back onto the general, so the non-executive decision was made to make an offering of thanks and then get however far west. On the way to the Shrine, among the observables were that 2 racks had joined the box, tank, and hi-sided gon on the Extension, that the Main Street crossing plow berms were still intact, and that crumpled buckets, fencing panels and weight bags had gone nowhere. The WB's air was doing what the air is supposed to do, which meant that C arithmetic would be starting. Over by the still-OOS Pleasant Street OHB, the racks morphed into more general, and by the LaChance Furniture lot sat NewBlue 7518. Just NewBlue 7518. So what was the WB? I never heard a clear ID, but given that there were LAFX shorties in the easterly general, guessing it was ED-9. Not knowing whether the WB would be tying down at Parkers, I was EB. At 0754, TC 1152 at Royalston reached out to D-3 and got a stand-by. Communications were renewed at 0757, but by that time I was east of Da Hill's crest, so the 1152 was just hash. D-3 rogered whatever he had said, adding it shouldn't be a problem. What happened? Dunno. Almost immediately, D-2 gave a Line 4, and later AY-4 activity and/or Zombie Zones coulda cost me reception.
At 0802, the 333 WLs were on with a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding, which was MT, 410 due out at 0810.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs showed a Stop for 1 and Clear for 2, the 330 1 WL at Slow Clear. The GL and FG WLs were dark, and at 0818, OldPaint 353 was dark, solo, and east-facing in the FI-1/2 parking spot.
Yeas, AY-4 was still filling the airwaves, and at 0834 the EB staggers for Derby showed a Stop for 1 and a Clear for 2, 410 due at North Leominster at 0825. For the rest of the trip, it was all AY-4.

Edited to link to Al LaPierre's http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=254884 of 01-07 showing the 7518 at Royalston on AY Relief.

A mix was presented for 0644-0930/01-10-2020, starting at 0644 when AY-4 got the words to back 'em up for 14. AY-4 is frequently the most-frequently-heard/heard-about entity during a trip, but today that distinction would go to TC T669, starting at 0650 with a series of outreaches from D-3, culminating in a breaking and time-effective-0652 Form D G304 with Lines 2 and 3 for Track 1 between CPf-WL and CPF-FG. D-3 would acknowledge the T669 west and clear of WL at 0701, the first of a series of wests and clears, not all heard and not all noted.
At 0716, the 333 WLs were dark, and any expectations of anything other than the sequence of Stops on the 334 ELs and darkness on the 1 stagger and 335s is more optimistic than me.
Not quite up Da Hill came the 0730 sounds of the 346.6 giving a no defects, ?12 axles, 20°, and 2901'. By that time, the 345 ELs were visible and at Stops, giving hope that there might be an EB, but no luck. There were racks -- with a marker on the easterly end -- on the 2 from just west of the ambulance company to a location to be disclosed later. Otherwise the yard was -- 1 exception to follow -- MT. Among the sights was what probably had been FI-2 split either side of the Main Street crossing a coupla hundred yards north were OldPaint 353 and a box, then a gap and 2 boxes. South of the crossing were 2 more boxes and Daaquam- and Ledwige-wrapped centerbeams, the Ledwige carrying the marker. Assuming the centerbeams are headed for Maki, FI-1 either had some fancy dancing to do in the yard proper or mebbe might use the PW to wye. The Sameoldsameold Ledger entries? The crumpled buckets to the west of the southerly Heywood, the fencing panels and weight bags to the east plus just the KCS box on the Extension.
An offering of thanks having been made, a short trip west was made, the racks changing into general and then back to racks, the solo KCIR -- ID obscured by trees -- sitting in back of the TJ & Sons repair facility. A further trip west was taken to see what might be showing on the 346 WL, whatever the WB was presumably having had enough time to clear 354.
The WL was at Stop, but a D-3 convo with AY-5, concluding at 0759 with a 0x40, 2060 tons, and 3511' update, D-3 hoping they'd get to Farley and AY-5 syting there was only the 1 engine, but they'd do what they could. So -- AY-5 serving as ED-9?
KCIR 7517 and followers tripped the 346.6 at 0805, getting a no defects, 158 axles, 22°, and 3339' at 0809. Seems like some recalibration might be needed since 40 cars x 4 axles = 160 axles + 1 6-pack = 166. The length was shy of C arithmetic, as well. The temp, however, was pretty accurate.
There were occasional static eruptions EB, and at 0825, the 333 WLs were again dark. At 0829, a breaking D-3 mage Form D G308 effective, Lines 2 and 3 for T669 from FG to 335 on the 2. Further east and after a refueling, the 330.8 WBs were both Clear and the 330 WLs and ELs were at Stop, something I did at the Fitchburg Platform to see the T669 pass in review. At 0840, T669 called west and clear of FG and D-3 fulfilled Form D G304. What happened at 0841? The 330 Controlled Siding EL went to Medium Clear, 403 -- more about which later -- not too far away. A few more minutes produced no T669, so I was again WB to see dark FG WLs and -- at 0856 -- a predictably MT FI-1/2 parking spot.
The EB staggers for Derby showed a Stop for 1 and an Approach for 2 plus WB headlights, 403 with the 2030 and a total of 4 flats and 1 bi coming to a stop at 0904, actually ahead of the 0906 advertised.
Static was again the rule until the 0908 fulfillment of G308, T669 having announced that he was at the facility. The final 12 minutes? Boston West was the clear proof that the scanner still worked.