Gardner Gawking

0205-0415/01-08-2024 was a slow-speed trip due to the 01-06 snow which had gotten itself adhered to inner parts of my wheels and made any speed over 50 mph "interesting."
0210 was the start of P&W Yard hash, frequent while in range. Things musta freed up since neman2's Stony Brook post about undisturbed snow in Westford as of 1600/01-08 because the Temple Street/Rte. 140 XNG had been run through.
Additionally and at 0230, the B&E gave M427 broken yarding instructions that included setting off 31 freight on 11 and water -- yes, they're back as mentioned by BM6569 in his 01-08 Up North post -- going to the Extension. There was more, but hashed, and at 0240 the B&E said something to somebody about Moore's Crossing.
At 0249, the 333 WLs were dark. Given earlier post-snow problems on Development Road, the 334s and 335s were bypassed for a straight shot up Da Hill, a most fortuitous decision. ~1 mile E of the the Pearson Boulevard UGB, there was power noise, and the 345 1 EL was at Clear at 0300, so it was over to Chair City Oil. The yard was crammed -- at least 1 and 2 were -- and from the computer company to however far W of the Timpany Boulevard UGB sat markerless trashes. The WB -- a presumable SAED -- had NSs 6951, 4527, and an illegible heritage unit plus 31 cars -- veg oil tanks and racks -- that were W of me at 0305. At 0309, the still-GRS talker spoke up and 1 later gave a no defects to 142 total axles at 5º and with 2141' , the speed suggesting that they weren't likely to be slowing for a stop to do a pickup.
EB at 0320, there was Dispatcher-side garble, and 4 later came the start of frequent Yard-Channel hash, probably 427. 1 after that, the 333 WLs were dark, and the EB staggers for 330 would be at Approach. The 330.8 WBs and 330s were dark, and the GL WLs at Stop, a pattern of late.
The FGs were dark, and at 0340, covered hoppers and trashes were on the W end of East Side and only the T coaches on the W end of West Side. 7 later, the EB staggers for Derby were dark.
At 0357, D-2 called L067 and asked if they were back yet, next confirming that the 516 was S and clear of MP *lost*.
Yard-Channel and P&W Yard hash would be the balance of the trip.

Edited for update: The "illegible heritage unit" is NS/Erie SD70ACe 1068 per Bruce Macdonald's http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=277697 . Can't swear to it, but I may have seen it a few posts earlier.

In reference to the Temple St x-ing being run through, it was probably M426 CSXT 475 who got a Form D Burncoat to WOR 1 at 20:12. Later conversation with D1 revealed they were hitting low hanging branches somewhere along the ROW and were checking for damage. I'm surprised CSX didn't send MOW out to check the right of way.

Add brush and tree trimming to next year’s list of still needed capital improvements

neman2 wrote:... I'm surprised CSX didn't send MOW out to check the right of way.

A standard hyrail pickup would be a bad bet against a substantial plow berm. A hyrail loader or hyrail contractor dump with a plow would be a safer bet, but -- trees aside -- a train would be the safest bet.
I had to go to a Lancaster dealer the morning of 01-09 to replenish my stock of snowblower shear-pins, and a bit before 0800, the B&E gave TC T954 a Form D from FG to 335, a trip that normally starts not too long after 0001.
TCs normally take off and set on at grade XNGS, so that's another post-snow complication.

I think one thing that added to the problem was that M426/427 seems to run 6 days a week ,usually not running one day ,I think Sunday or Monday. Obviously trains running on the track during a snowstorm keep the track envelope clear. I don't think any trains ran during the storm and for more than a day after.

0205-0405/01-11-2024 offered up some hash -- clarity exceptions to be noted -- with naught clear to, from, or about M426/7, AY-3, FI-2, or L067.
At 0245, the 333 WLs were dark, " the 334s and 335s.
Up Da Hill, the 345 Single EL was at Clear, as on 01-09, but unlike 01-09, no power noise had been heard.
The Extension and 1 had -- from the E - 1 tank, trashes up to Royal Steam Heater and then mixed general up to the Pratt yard. 2 looked MT, and 4 had a covered hopper by the E FP and then trashes up to 1 tank near the W FP. Lights did appear in the E, and NSs 6954 and 38?? passed me at 0254, the marker getting by at 0256. Up front were trashes and covered hoppers, racks following. If "trashes and covered hoppers" seem familiar, that's because trashes and covered hoppers had sat on the W end of East Side on 01-09, the same site seen being MT later in the trip. At 0259, the talker came on, 2 later giving a no defects 158 total axles, 27º, and 3049'. There was an acknowledgment, but scanner timing ate the self-ID.
EB and at 0313, the 333 WLs were dark and later the EB staggers for 330 at Approach. Post refueling stop, the 330. 8 WBs and 330s were dark and the the GL WLs at Stop. The FGs were dark, and at 0332, the T coaches were the only visibles at the W end of East and West Sides. 5 later, the EB staggers for Derby were dark.
At 0345, a breaking P&W Dispatcher St. Albans told somebody that they had permission into the yard and to talk to the WX-3 and WOGR crews.
Ho-hum...

0210-0405/01-12-2024 started off 3 later with the P&W Dispatcher St. Albans telling somebody that they had permission into the yard and to talk to the WX-3 and WOGR crews on Channel 66. That had to get repeated. There was also some garble about racks, couldn't tell whether yarding instructions or a hedzup.
The Billerica-related radio system was and would remain for more than a bit quite quiet.
At 0240, the 333 WLs were dark, the same for the 334s and 335s.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were at Stop, and the yard looked just as it had 24 hours earlier. From the W SpeeDee building and however far W, the 2 had markerless mixed general. Dunno whether for or from the P&W. The 345 1 WL had gone to Clear, but given that the B&E wouldn't want either a WB or EB facing unneeded restrictive signals up Da Hill, the EB coulda been at Tyters or even further W, so I got EB, and finally at 0312, radio silence got broken by Road-side hash.
At 0317, the 333 WLs were dark, and 4 later there was D-2 hash, the time being about right for L067 being back home.
The EB staggers for 330 were at Approach and the 330.8 WBs and 330s dark and the GL WLs at Stop.
The FGs were dark, and at 0332, the W end of East Side looked MT. The W end of West Side had the T coaches and dark, solo, and E-facing NewBlue 5943 behind the T Engineering building. 7 later, the EB staggers for Derby were dark.
Yard-Channel hash had started at 0334 and continued intermittently, and at 0348, a breaking FI-2 called the B&E, also breaking. They wanted to go to West Main for a pickup, and the B&E gave a nearly lost permission to reverse direction. Next, the breaking B&E -- Mount Wachusett, in case you had doubts -- called FI-3(three) and said they'd follow FI-2, other deets eaten.
FI-3 mighta been the source of at least some of the Yard-Channel hash, and FI-2 mighta been at Arrowhead -- 1 unit? -- or doing double-duty as AY-3. It seemed like FI-3 was getting ready to be WB, and dunno what they might be doing in Gardner, but the EB should be E of 335 before FI-3 got close to it, especially if the EB was a 264/B100.

0205-0405/01-18-2024 started at the start with the B&E 241ing M427 with the what sounded like CSXT 8833 -- but more likely the 833 -- for the Single W to 2 at 312, along with the request to give him a call when they got close to WL.
At 0215, there was a hashed and possibly D-2 241. At 0220, the B&E gave 427 their yarding instructions -- down 11 and set off on the Thorofare and then pick up 16 cars from the IM 1 Extension. Unheard was any specific mention of waters.
0231 hash included "11R," more about whom later and under a different designation.
At 0337, the 333 WLs were dark, as would be the 334s and 335s. Development Road had gotten plowed, but tire tracks made it look like 1 or more vehicles had nearly gotten sideways.
At 0343, there had been brief and mebbe spurious hash on the reportedly now-unused San-Vel channel, and next, the B&E 241d SAED with NS 6942 2 W to 2 at FG.
At 0251, FI-2 called out to the B&E. Naught further would be heard or seen of FI-2.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were at Stop, and 4 was pretty much FP-FP with trash and civered hoppers among the visibles. At 0301, the 345 1 WL went to Clear. so however far W was an EB, so I got EB myself. All tracks had been run on.
At 0313, the 333 WLs were dark. Next, the B&E asked the SAED for their update totals, rogered without repeating, and OKd them to head to 330. The EB staggers for 330 showed an Approach for 1 and Stop for 2. The 330.8 WBs, the GL WLs, and -- initially -- the 330s were dark. When --0321 -- SAED got line-of-sight to the 330 ELs, the 2 went to Clear and the 1 and Controlled Siding to Stop. NSs 6942,3630, and 4425 got boxes, shortie covered hoppers, trash, more covered hoppers, and racks W at 0325. Remebering the Clear on the 345 1 WL, I started wondering whether the SAED would be holding at 333 or 335 or -- even -- if the 345 1 WL Clear had been taken away.
The FGs were dark and there was some Yard-Channel hash. 427? At 0330, the B&E had called out to AY-3, more about whom later. 2 later, the only visibles at the W end of EFitch were the T coaches. 5 after that, the EB staggers for Derby were dark.
At 0341, the B&E 241d AY-3 with the 7518 Single W to 2 at 312, asking again for a call when they got up to WL. 0353 was when the B&E next answered AY-3, next asking 427 at 0355 if there was any way they could pull up a bit cuz their tail was still in the interlocking at AY, adding it would be a help.
The last few were quiet, at least for me.

Edited for update: Probable 427 XNG noise at 0731, 0736, and 0740 for Temple, Shrewsbury, and Burncoat Streets. Nothing in next 10, so possible live recrew or tie-down at New Bond.

.

Your ears did not deceive you - what "sounded like" CSXT 8833 was actually correct. M427's leader today is SD40-2 8833, as evidenced under the watchful eye of the rail cam at Westfield a few minutes prior to this posting.

Thanks, jwhite07. Here I was distrusting my ears cuz I didn't think the KittyCat would put a 45+-year-old EMD on the point.

Somehow seems fitting, being former Pan Am territory...

0158-0355/01-22-2024 started at the start with the B100 E being told on Yard Channel to drop the 3 and try the brakes. I got moving and just enough so that subsequent receptions were hashed.
At 0229, a series of Dispatcher-side hashes started that would continue for a few. The 333 WLs were dark at 0230, the same for the 334s and 335s.
Much of the way up Da Hill and at 0240, D-2 called M427 and then went into hash mode. Up Da Hill, the 345s were at Stop and the mains and yard MT. D-2 renewed broken contact with 427 at 0247, "tie down" and "Still River" the clear bits. 2 later, there was more D-2 breakage, "Greendale" being clear. Dunno if 427 was still to the E and D-2 was relaying messages from the Chief or if the Worcester Sub has been reassigned to D-2. With the yard MT and B100 already E, it seemed like there might be another EB. Dunno if there had been any snow since the my last time there, but all rail tops were still clear.
EB at 0256, there was Disptcher-side hash and also a mention of an AY-X. 2 later there was more B&E hash, and 2 after that, the 333 WL:s were dark. The EB staggers for the 330s had been at Approach, all others dark, up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0323.
At 0301, the B&E had called FI-2 and again at 0302, 0304, 0310, switching to Yard Channel x2, and then returning to Channel 1. More about FI-2 will follow.
At 0312, the B&E had breakingly asked AY-X if the C had been able to get ia hold of with somebody, and 2 later, the B&E told somebody something about East Deerfield. Dunno whether a descriptor for cars or an end-point. At 0315, the W end of East Side looked MT. The W end of West Side had the T coaches and dark and standing NewBlues 5967(W) and 5935. Dunno how long they'd been there. Also dunno if the FI-2 crew mighta been repurposed.
Post refueling stop, there was brief 0331 Yard-Channel hash and then quiet until 0347 and the start of a P&W St. Albans Dispatcher/ CSX Y020 convo that would give the switcher 0249 permission into the yard, yarding instruction, and the request to tlak to the P&W switcher.
The balance of the trip was quiet, including total and utter lack of XNG noise for Temple and/or Burncoat Streets as of 0458 posting. No idea if 427 already W or still E.

0200-0355/01-23-2024 was a slow starter, naught until 0214 Road-side hash and naught again until 0224 and more Road-side hash. To save suspense, naught concerning M426/7 would come outta the speaker.
At 0332, the 333 WLs were dark, the same in turn for the 334s and 335s, and at 0239, there was more hash, this time Dispatcher-side.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were at Stop, the yard MT, and dark NSs 6959, 8089, and 4312 sat on the 2 by the Four Season lot, racks extending back onto the Single and however far E of the Pearson Boulevard UGB. I got EB and any questions about ID got settled at 0301 when the B&E answered the breaking SAED and OKd them by the 346. Unless it was a live recrew, the Four Season lot seems a strange location for a WB to recrew.
At 0306, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers for the 330s were at Approach, the 330.8 WBs and 330s dark, the GL WLs at Stop, and the FGs dark. At 0319, B&E breakage involving FI-2 and mebbe others started, and at 0321, the T coaches were the sole visible occupants of the W end of E Fitch. 6 later, the EB staggers for Derby were dark.
Radio silence got broken at 0343 by AMTK hash. 2 later, the breaking P&W Dispatcher St. Albans started giving somebody -- mebbe Y020 -- permission effective 0246 into the yard with the proviso they talk to the ??? and WOGR crews on Channel 66.
There was brief 0350 Dispatcher-side hash and silence for the final 5.

0210-0415/01-31-2024 was rich in hash, starting at 0211 with a B&E-identifiable serving, followed in 6 by generic Dispatcher-side dollop, and then in another 6 by -- and for variety's sake -- some P&W Yard hash. Road-side hash made appearances at 0236, 0241, and 0249.
At 0243, the 333 WLs had been dark, likewise for the 334s and 335s.
At 0252, there was Dispatcher-side garble with only "427" clear. Dunno if the 0255 Road-side hash was related.
Most of the way up Da Hill, the 346.6 -- still representing GRS -- announced she was working, 2 later giving a no defects, 118 axles, 34º, and 2493'. There was an acknowledgment, but the symbol was lost to scanner timing.
The 345 1 WL showed a Clear. What could be seen of the yard was MT, a WB with markered racks from the computer company and W on the 2. All tracks had been run on since the earlier snow. NSs 6964 and 2 4???s plus a few covered hoppers, then trashes and 2(two) racks getting onto the Single at 0302.
A short trip W was taken, and the power was behind the trees at the E end of the Wilkins Road dogleg. Dunno if the C was still walking up to the headend or was doing update paperwork, so I went over to Parkers where the 346 WL was at Stop and the the 2 small equipment bungalows and precast base were still awaiting installation.. There was neither power nor radio noise, and my ADHD activated, so I got EB at 0315..
At 0321 and while still W of the Rte. 2 crest, there was extended Yard-Channel hash, mebbe 427. At 0326, EDSA called an Approach for 335 and answered the ID question for the EB.
0329 was when the 333 WLs were -- at least temporarily -- dark. 4 later, there was more Dispatcher-side hash, and a few after that, the EB staggers for 330 showed an Approach for 1 and Clear for 2, so EDSA would be ahead of 400 for at least a bit.
The 330.8 WBS, 330s, and FGs wers dark, but the GL WLs were at Stop.
At 0342, the only visibles at the W end of EFitch were the T coaches, but -- as will be seen -- that would be temporary.
At 0343, a series of EDSA/B&E reach-outs started, neither side successful until 0345 when the B&E advised EDSA they'd be leaving the 5 freight and 2 rear trash on the W end of East Side, so mebbe 400 would get to Ayer before EDSA. Remember the 2 racks on EDSA's tail?
At 0348, the RVJ yard was active, sio there was no view of the EB staggers for Derby.
At 0353, the B&E called AY-3, immediate developments lost cuzza Mount Wachusett getting between my antenna and the Paxton antenna. At 0356, things had cleared up to the both-sides-garbled stage, so dunno the deets.
There was 0403 Yard-Channel hash and then 0413-0415 hashed car countdowns. mebbe 427, mebbe AY-3.

Edited to remedy formatting error.

0205--0400/02-04-2024 was slow to start, not even Yard-Channel hash until 0230. Road-Channel hash kicked in 2 later, and there would be an alternation of the 2 for a bit.
At 0237, the 333 WLs were dark, as would be the 334s and 335s.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were dark, and the yard -- except for the lack of light -- looked the same as Al LaPierre's http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=277914 of 02-04. Guessing the DODX might be headed for Groton, but I'da thought there'd also be a rider car. The 0251+ receptions in Gardner were public-safety encroachments.
The Yard-Channel and Road-side intermittent hashing continued EB, and at 0307, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers for 330 were at Approach, all other dark, up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0326.
At 0321, the T coaches had been the only occupants of the W end of EFitch.
There was a refueling stop after eyeballing the EB staggers for Derby, and at 0333 came somebody's Road-side car countdowns, followed by ongoing Yard-Channel hash.
At 0351, a breaking D-1 called out to 427, doing the same 6 later on Yard Channel and asking 427 to switch to Channel 1. A discussion followed that won't get reported, mebbe leading to a consultation with the Chief.