Gardner Gawking

0220-0415/02-07-2024 was busy, but unlike the sky, not always clear. At 0225, the B&E garbled out to the 426, then downgraded to hash, rogered what got said, and garbled some more about D-1. 2 later, D-1 told 426 something about OK and Yard Limits, 426 saying something about 75 cars and 4??? tons. There was a bit more but just hash.
At 0237 Boston East was the hash source.
At 0240, D-Probably2 garbled to 426. That went on for a bit, D-Probably2 advising that 426 was scratchy and hard to read and that there were no changes to the Speed Summary,
0250 was more garble, this from 426 hedzupping FI-2 that there was a bar of metal sticking out from a double-stack at the old Ford Yard.
0254 was when the 333 WLs were dark. A few later and in between the also-dark 334s and 335s, the B&E breakingly advised what would later turn out to be SAED about a pickup on West Main Street and trashes on the East Side.
Most of the way up Da Hill came a mix of self-IDed 16R car countdowns and public safety encroachments. The 345s were all at Stop, hinting that 16R might be either tying down or holding for SAED. NSs 6965, ????, and 4009 were hauling E on 4, trashes sat on 2, and the DODX was no longer on the 1.
EB and at 0307, D-2 garbled about both 426 and 427. It developed that 427 had some knowledge about a car --426's #18 -- that had set off the detector. D-2 would then say that the Chief said to tie down and that he -- D-2 -- would call 426 a cab ASAP, adding that it just wasn't in the cards tonight.
At 0325, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers for 330 were at Approach and the 330.8 WBs, 330s, and GL WLs dark, 0332 being when SAED had advised the B&E that the trashes were indeed on the East Side.
At 0336 an unknown dispatcher breakingly advised Probably427 that they were tp pick up the Selkirks, adding that they needed to pick up the 5 cars.
The FG WLs were at Stop and the FG 2 EL at Approach. Naught except for the T coaches was visible on the W end of East and West Sides at 0340, and a couple later, the B&E gave some breakage to AY-3 with the 7541. 0344 was when D-1 answered 427, next garbling.
At 0346, the RVJ yard was active, so there was no view of the EB staggers for Derby, but SAED's car countdowns started.
At 0349, D-2 answered 426 x2 and again at 0350. What with SAED's activity and changing topography, I got nothing to add on the D-2/426 situation.
0411 was when Boston West served more and unwanted hash, and at 0414 the B&E 241d AY-3 with the 7541 at 312 from the Single W to Freight Main 2.

Dear KittyCat, please reread my wish list of 2023. Think how much it'll benefit your operations.

0200-0350/02-09-2024 was heavy on intermittent Yard-Channel hash, at least some attributable to the B&E.
At 0232, the 333 WLs were dark as would be the 334s, and 335s. At 0239 it sounded like Boston West was talking to DOBO.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were dark, and the yard was pretty much FP-FP on 4 with gons, covered hoppers, a Biewer Sawmills tented center beam, and tanks on the E, the W having covered hoppers and 2 wrapped center beams. From the computer company to mebbe the ambulance company, 2 had scrap gons, covered hoppers and a box.
EB and at 0253, hash got upgraded to garble when D-2 said something to the L067 with the 516.
At 0302, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers were at Approach, all others dark, up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0323. 7 earlier, there were trashes on the W end of East Side, the W end of West Side having the T coaches and standing NewBlues 5936 and 5967(W).
Not -- to state the obvious -- a productive trip.

Edited to remedy finger hash.

0200-0410/02-12-2024 was quiet until 0228 D-2 garble to 427 about Ayer setoffs. There was more, but hashed.
At 0231, the 333 WLs were dark, the same for the 334s and 335s.
Up Da Hill, the 345 ELs were at Stop and the 2 WL at Medium Clear. An unIDed EB with NSs 6953, 6171, and 8064 was shoving W back to the rest of its train on 2 after leaving a long string of trash on 4. There had also been more trash sitting on the 2 on the Timpany Boulevard UGB. The rest of the yard looked MT.
With update paperwork still to go, I got EB, the broken update coming at 0317. Curiously, naught -- not even hash -- came outta the speaker in acknowledgment.
At 0320, the 333 WLs were -- temporarily at least -- dark. The EB staggers for 330 were at Approach, and post refueling stop, the 330.8 WBs and all others up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0334 were dark.
At 0328, the T coaches had been the only visibles at the W end of EFitch, and 2 later had been the start of intermittent Yard-Channel hash. 427?
At 0352, the B&E answered somebody, Mount Wachusett and the Yard Channel being confounding variables. 0408 was more B&E garble, this about the Camp.

Let's all think happy thoughts about the coming snow. All the state roads I was on had been pretreated.

0210-0405/02-14-2024 was remarkably quiet except for early CSX Boston Sub and NECR hash.
At 0244, the 333 WLs were dark, as would be the 334s and 335s.
0250 was when Boston West called out to DOBO for their power and gave a roger.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were dark. 4 in the yard had a long string of trash sitting in the same position as the setoff of 02-12, possibly even the same cars.
EB at 0311 was the start of intermittent Yard-Channel hash.
At 0315, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers for 330 were at Approach, all others dark up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0335.
At 0329, the W end of East Side had been MT. The W end of West still had the T coaches and -- numbers obscured -- just S of the coaches sat 2 coupled and dark NewBlues.
The intermittent Yard-Channel hash would continue, and finally at 0400 there was Channel 1 activity when D-1 called M427. There was a 0403 repeat, but naught further by the end of 0405 so I went inside.

Edited for update: XNG noise at 0515, 0519, and 0524, appropriate for probable M427 at Temple, Shrewsbury, and Burncoat Streets. No additional noise for New Bond as of 0538, but that could be cuzza wind, tie-down, or recrew.

0200-0405/01-19-2024 started off 1 minute deep with a reminder to expect a deer anytime, anywhere, and in any state of motion.
0217 would be the start of a coupla minutes of Road-side hashes. 0231 would be when the 333 WLs were dark and the the hash would be Dispatcher side. The 334s and 335s would be dark -- temporarily, as will be seen.
Up Da Hill and at 0243 somebody called an OK on EDSA's marker. The 345 ELs were at Stop and the2 WL at Medium Clear with EB tanks on 2 at the Timpany Boulevard UGB, NSs 6951 and 8012 and BNSF 7512 running through with mixed general that included a good number of USG sheetrock centerbeams. Next came a fair number of blue double-stack trash and then a fair number of racks, all onto the Single at 0254. Who called the marker got revealed at 0250 when SAED called the B&E about the Parkers detector and got told it was OOS. 4 was FP-FP with mixed general with a box and few covered hoppers on 2 across from the MART garage.
EB and at 0303, there were Road-Side and then Dispatcher-side hashes, only "427" being clear. At 0308, the 333 WLs were dark for a bit, the EB staggers for 330 showing an Approach for 1 and Clear for 2. At 0318 , the B&E began a convo with EDSA about whether the trashes were for Arrowhead or Republic. After mebbe checking the bills, EDSA said it was for Republic, the B&E saying they should go to Ayer and that the trash would go to the Camp. He didn't know about the freight. He had no instructions and was trying to contact the Train Master.
Oh yeah and back to the 1st entry: Just W of Depot Street in W. Fitchburg, there was another test -- successful -- of deer-and-driver reflexes.
Post refueling stop, the 330.8 WBs were dark, as would be all others -- temporarily, again -- up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0332.
At 0326, the West Side T coaches -- now on 2 tracks -- were the only visibles on the W end of EFitch. There had been Road-side hash at 0328, 0330, and 0331, and at 0332, D-1 started Form D G101 to 427 with CSXT 1712 -- an SD40E3 on some rosters -- for WOR1 to Burncoat. I was in the RVJ lot at the time, and D-1 was scratchy and 427 hashed. The time effective was 0334, and D-1 added that there'd be a live recrew at New Bond, the crew on at 0430. To wrap up 427, there was 0431, 0435, and 0440 XNG noise for Temple, Shrewsbury, and Burncoat Streets. Unfortunately, the relocated Burncoat defect detector was too broken to get an official ID.
At 0343 there was brief Yard-Channel hash, and at 0403 the B&E began a 1-sided-to-me convo with EDSA about whether the trash and racks would both fit on the Camp without blocking the XNG. I was getting cold, so I went inside instead of waiting.

0200-0410/02-21-2024 started at the start with P&W Road hash, things going quiet until 0218 + a bit more with Dispatcher-side hash, mebbe involving EDSA.
At 0234, the 333 WLs were dark, as would be the 334s. The 335s, however, were at Stop, EB general clearing the MP/EL at 0240. If that was EDSA, then it was a strange 1 cuz there were 0 racks on the tail. Naught further would be seen or heard of that EB.
At 0247, the B&E OKd somebody W on signal indication after what had sounded like a broken update, so mebbe an SAED? The 345s ELs were at Stop and WB trashes were on the Timpany Boulevard UGB, but a WB can move down grade quicker than I can navigate to Parkers, so there was naught to see there but the waiting signal bungalows and precast base. The 346.6 went unheard, so guessing it's still OOS. At 0257, the B&E gave SAED their Deerfield instructions -- straight into the yard and R8 to R7 plus wishes for a good night.
Back a bit E, the yard was MT and the 345s still at Stop.
EB and at 0308, there was Dispatcher-side hash, and at 0310 and 0311, SAED called the B&E. There was naught further, so mebbe he gave them a light.
At 0318, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers for 330 were at Approach and others dark, up to and including the FGs.At 0327, there had been B&E garble with "wye" and "AY-3" clear. 4 later was the start of a broken Form D G301 to TC T907, no readback or time effective heard.
0332 was when the side-by-side strings of T coaches were the only visibles in the W end of EFitch.
1 later, D-1 started Form D G103 to M427 with CSXT 475 at Graniteville for WOR1 to Burncoat, correct and effective at 0336, but after a D-1 request for a repeat on the read-back. D-1 advised that they'd go through Ayer and tie down at Still River, a repeat again requested for the acknowledgment of the information. Yes, KiityCat, your peeps are still having comms probs.
At 0338, the RVJ lot was active, so there was no view of the EB staggers for Derby.
At 0339, the B&E gave the 427 an "all correct," so mebbe a 241 had gotten eaten by the topography..
0345 was when FI-2 -- changed quickly to AY-3 -- called the B&E. There was Road-side hash 3 later, the B&E confirming that the power was the 7518 and garble following. At 0358, AY-3 again called the B&E this time with garble about FI-2. That would be the last to come outta the speaker, save for P&W St. Albans Dispatcher garble at 0402, so no idea what might be happening around the Willows.

0200-0350/02-26-2024 started off quiet, naught until 0231 Yard-Channel hash. Occasional hash on Channels 1 and 2 would pretty much be the receptions for the rest of the trip, so they'll go undetailed. There weren't even any CSX Boston Sub or P&W receptions.
At 0233, the 333 WLs were dark, as would be the 334s , 335, and 345s. The was a string of general -- including a wrapped centerbeam -- on 2 in Gardner yard from the E FP to the E end of the Pratt yard and mebbe a few more on the W end of 4.
At 0303, the 333 WLs were still dark. The EB staggers for 330 were at Approach, all others dark, up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0323.
At 0317, W-facing NewBlue 5936 had been sitting (alone?) on the W end of East Side, the T coaches still on the W end of of West Side.
Things cleared up a bit at 0339 when a scratchy D-2 answered M427 and asked if they were ready to copy. Things went back to brief hash mode, naught else coming outta the speaker by the end of 0350.

0200-0355/02-28-2024 started at 0203 with P&W Road hash, a foreboding of things to come.
At 0219, the B&E asked FI-2 what "we" were doing next and rogered the hashed response. 4 and 11 later, there was Dispatcher-side hash.
At 0232, the 333 WLs were dark. In between the also-dark 334s and 335s, Boston Weest garbled something to or about DOBO.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were dark and trash sat on the 4 between the E FP and the ambulance company. As a sign of impending Spring, G&W track equipment had returned to the House, a regulator and tamper.
EB, the 333 WLs were dark at 0304, the EB staggers for 330 at Approach. Post refueling stop, the 330.8 WBs were dark, as were the 330s and GL WL WLs.
The FG WLs and ELs were at Stop, no readily visible shunting source except mebbe for the drizzle, cuz at 0324, only the T coaches were visible at the W end of EFitch.
At 0326, the B&E OKd AY-3 down to 312, and 4 after that, the EB staggers for Derby were dark. 0334's Road-side hash was the prelude for a broken 241 to the 7517 from the Single to *other deets lost,* but hinting that AY-3 might be heading back to the yard after completing their runaround.
0343 was the start of a progressively worse reception of the P&W Dispatcher St. Albans advising CSX M438 that they'd be holding off for a derailment *remaining deets lost.* The 0344 and 0345 hash on the CSX Boston Sub was probable 438 repeating the situation and the Desk responding.
The only sound for the balance of the trip was the wipers on intermittent.

0200-0415/03-01-2024 started with 0204 P&W Road hash followed in 1 by CSX Boston Sub hash. Dunno if related.
At 0221, the B&E 241d SAED with NS 6965 2 E to 2 at FG. A series of following receptions would be from SAED working East Side, 1 of which at 0225 partially stepped on D-2's acknowledgment that the presumably L067 with the 518 was back in Nashua Yard.
At 0233, the 333 WLs were dark, as were the the 334s and 335s.
At 0241, the B&E called out to SAED x2, asking when they thought they'd be ready to head W cuzza a Foreman. 1/2 hour to 40 minutes was the repeated answer, and theB&E called out x2 to TC T907. If there was an immediate convo, it didn't get to me cuz Mount Wachusett had gotten in the way.
All the way up Da Hill, the 345s were all at Stop. 4 in the yard had covered hoppers, tanks, and 2 tented center beams from about the E FP to the Pratt yard, and 2 had other mixed general, including tanks, a box, scrap gons, and a Clean Harbors table. from the E FP to Royal Steam Heater. The regulator had left the House, but the tamper hadn't. A trip a bit W was taken, and the 346 WL was dark at 0307, and the intermittent public safety encroachments that had started at 0248 continued for a few more.
EB, the 345s had gone dark, so probably an EB -- and probably the source of what was on 4 and mebbe 2 -- had cleared.
At 0315, the 333 1 WL was at Medium Clear, and 3 points of white light were by the platform. NSs 6951, 9648, and 9585 got OMYAs, boxes and C&D doubles -- but 0 racks -- E at 0319.
Also at 0319, there was Road-side hash -- mebbe SAED's update -- and next the B&E told SAED. they'd be sitting tight cuz EDSA was coming their way, having just cleared 333.
The EB staggers for 330 showed an Approach for 1 and Stop for 2, EDSA already running through on 2. The 330.8 WBs showed a Clear for 1 and Stop for 2 for the same reason. The 330 2 WL showed an Approach Medium, and EDSA was E of the platform at 0329, the 330 ELs still all at Stop.
The FG WLs at Stop. At 0342, SAED got W of E Fitch with trash, boxes, and a good number of racks, leaving the T coaches as the only visibles on the W end. 0342 was also when SAED brokenly advised the B&E about a signal issue for Derby. What mighta gotten said was eaten by entry into a ZombieZone. 6 later, the RVJ lot was active, so there was no view of the EB stagger for Derby. 0348 was also when TC T907 called the B&E for Foul Time, getting 2 between FG and 330 until 0450.
There was Boston East garble at 0407, and Road-side hash -- EDSA? -- at 0412 and 0414, but naught else be the end of 0415.

0200-0345/03-04-2024 was -- as will be seen -- a period in which that merry prankster Loki did some pranking.
At 0205, Boston West did some hashing , and 14 later, D-2 answered L067, telling them to stand by after whatever they said. Heard naught else, so mebbe they were looking for a light.
Starting at 0221 and continuing for a few, there were spurts of Road-side hash, suggesting acknowledgments of car countdowns.
At 0231, the 333 WLs were dark, the 334s and 335s following.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were dark. 4 had trash from the E FP to the W end of the ambulance company , and from the E FP to Royal Steam Heater, 2 had mixed general that included a tented centerbeam, tanks, scrap gons, and shortie and full-size covered hoppers. The House had returned to its normal MT state.
EB and at 0301, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers for 330 showed a Clear for 1 and an Approach for 2, seemingly early for 400 and a break in practice by having them run 1 from 333. (Remember Loki.) The 330.8 WBs and all other wre dark, up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0321.
At 0314, the T coaches on the W end of West Side had blocked the IDs of the 2 NewBlues on the otherwise-MT W end of East Side.
At 0321, brief garble had "427" in it. Dunno source or if to, from, or about.
0325 was the start of some Road-side hashes, and at 0328, a breaking EDSA called out to an equally-breaking B&E. The trash was to go to West Side, the complication being that the Arrowheads were in the middle of something. FI-1 got mentioned, as well. Let's see -- I was too late to Gardner, but too early to 333 and all the other signals to see and/or hear EDSA until after I got on 190 S. Thanks, Loki.
At 0344, there was brief Yard-Channel hash, but naught else by then end of 0345.

0200-0425/03-08-2024 was quiet until 0219 when the B&E answered SAED whose only clear contribution was "Fitchburg." The B&E said he was ready to copy and then rogered whatever -- update? -- got said and OKd them on signal indication.
At 0231, the 333 WLs were dark, but went to Stops in a couple. At 0236 -- just after the E got bright -- 1st Boston W and then Dispatcher-side served hash. 0237 was when NSs 6983, 9785, and 8064 got W, trashes, mixed general, and then racks doing the same at 0239.
There was 0249 Road-side hash, followed by a broken 241 to AY-3 with the 7541 for the Single at 312 W to probably 2, the runaround presumably in progress. Since the 334s and 335s would be at Stop, they were bypassed.
Up Da Hill, the 345 Single WL showed an Approach. 4 in the yard had mixed general -- including 2 wrapped centerbeams -- from the E FP to the W end of Royal Steam Heater and then trash to the Pratt Yard. 0259 was when the B&E told EDSA he'd have a 241 for them when they stopped at Parkers, so the B&E version of the Centuries would pass in the night.
0307 was when SAED slowly passed the the Four Season lot on 1, the marker disappearing 'round the bend. EDSA called the B&E at 0311, and he OKd them with the NS 6951 from the Single to 2. The 346.6 was not heard, so dunno if its being OOS is long-term temporary or permanent. Also dunno what was happening to the W, but naught came E, and the 345 2 WL was still at Stop at 0325, so I got EB. What happened as soon as I was on Rte. 2 EB? Markers got called.
Further E and at 0329, a breaking D-2 answered somebody, no immediate development coming outta the speaker, except for a spell of Dispatcher-side hash starting at 0332. 1 later, the 333 WLs were dark, the EB staggers for 330 at Approach in a few.
Post refueling stop, the 330.8 WBs were dark, as would be all others, up to and including the EB staggers for Derby at 0359. 6 earlier, 2 illegible NewBlues sat on the W end of East Side, the rest of East Side looking MT presumably cuzza SAED lifting trash. The W end of West Side had a growing number of T coaches, still all flats.
At 0401, there was Road-side hash, and 3 later, a breaking D-Presumably 2 told 426 that there was power tied down *garble*. The remaining 20+ were quiet.
Among the missing was aught from the P&W or CSX Boston Sub.

0200-0355/03-11-2024 was on the quiet side. There was CSX Boston Sub hash at 0208, but -- again-- naught from the P&W. 0220 offered up hash from both Dispatcher-side and Road-side with infrequent Dispatcher-side and even rarer Road-side hash to follow.
At 0231, the 333 WLs were dark, the same for the 334s and 335s.
Up Da Hill, the 345s were all at Stop. 4 had trash from the E FP to the computer company and to the W there were some covered hoppers -- track? -- by the E end of the Pratt yard. The Wilkins Road dogleg was MT, and at 0254, the 346 WL was dark. The new equipment bungalows and precast signal base were still waiting for the thaw. The 345s were still at Stop at 0300, so guessing not an EB, but result of wind-driven rain.
At 0308, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers for 330 showed a Stop for 1 and an Approach for 2, and the 330.8 WBs , 330s, and GL WLs were dark, but only -- as will be seen -- temporarily.
The FG WLs were at Stop, and -- surprise of the day -- 1028 and a mix of bis and flats got W of the FG WLs at 0321.
At 0322, the T coaches were the sole visibles on the W end of EFitch, and 6 later, the EB staggers for Derby were dark.
The sole clarity came at 0338 and the start of either a B&E or YM question to somebody, asking what was the number on the car that *rest lost*. The hashed response suggested the power might be by the Willows.
Just 1 more spurt at 0350 of Dispatcher-side hash closed out the trip.

EDX 7518/7635 brought 25 to the P&W today. 9 were empty double stack trash containers.

0225-0425/03-18-2024 was quiet except for occasional Dispatcher-side and Road-side hash. There was naught outta the speaker on CSX Boston Sub, and the 0417 P&W Road tone led to St. Albans Dispatcher garble that included "11x35 in the yard," so guessing mebbe M438.
As for the visuals, the 333 WLs were dark at 0259, the 334s and 335s likewise.
Up Da Hill, the 345 ELs were at Stop and the 1 WL at Clear. 4 in the yard had trash from the E FP to the Pratt yard, and 2 had mixed general -- regular and shortie covered hoppers, wrapped and Biewer-tented centerbeams, and a box among the visibles -- for almost the same stretch. A trip W was taken to see if there might be something sitting on 2, but naught either at the Wilkins Road dogleg or at Parkers, where the 346 WL was dark at 0325. And yes, the 2 signal bungalows and the precast mast base were still there. At 0331, the 1 WL was still showing a Clear, but dunno what/where the shunt was.
EB and at 0341, the 333 WLs were dark. The EB staggers for 330 were at Approach, all else up to and including the GL WLs dark.
The FG WLs were at Stop, naught immediately visible, nor had anything been visible on 2 E of the Fitchburg platform. At 0354, the T coaches were the only visibles at the W end of EFitch, and 6 later, the EB staggers for Derby were dark.
.

0215-0410/03-20-2024 was busy, starting at the start with 3 separate sets of P&W Yard tones that produced no words,
There would be 0217 Dispatcher-side side hash, and more 20 later that produced an "L057," more about whom later.
1 after that, there was Road-side and then Dispatcher-side hash, the B&E next garbling to the 427 that -- among other things -- they'd be going down the Thorofare.
There was another Road/Dispatcher-side hash exchange at 0252, and 6 later, the 333 WLs were dark, as would be the 334s and 335s.
Up Da Hill, the 345 ELs were at Stop and the 1 WL at Clear. The yard was crammed with a few tanks and covered hoppers, and many, many trash on all 3 tracks, so many trash that the scent of Parfum des Ordures was distinctly in the air. Guessing trash was underrepresented when the purchaser/s of the Four Season née Jade Garden did due-diligence site visits.
EB at 0310 D-2 241d L057 with the 5958 1 W to 1 at WA, and 1 after that was the start of a broken Form D G102 to 427 for WO1 to Burncoat, time effective 0316. 427 was told to go to New Bond for a live recrew, more to follow.
At 0318, the 333 WLs were dark and the EB staggers for 330 would be At Approach. At 0325 and when I was just E of the dark 330.8 WBs, TC T954 +1 called the B&E and got a 241 for 1 at CPF FG E on 2 and into OOS limits, more to follow. The 330s and GL WLs were dark, but the FGs were at Stop, not cuzza the TCT +1, but probably the long strings of trash on the W end of East Side, the T coaches and 1 gon to the E being the occupants of the W end of West Side at 0333.
At 0340, a T Nordco tie machine was on the RVJ stub next to the staged ties and 2 the E, TC T954 +1 were on 2 and proving that their beacon lights were in good order.
At 0352, there was more Road-side hash, and 2 later, AY-3 called out to the B&E, further developments hashed.
0356 was when the MP 10.6 -- South Meadow Street -- detector got on the air, so 427 was progressing.
At 0407, there was a both-sides garbled discussion involving Form D G302, mebbe TC T 954, mebbe not.
0410 was when I got outta the car, but XNG noise happened at 0416, 0421, and 0427 for Temple, Shrewsbury, and Burncoat Streets. Just before the 0427 noise, self-IDd CSX Detector MP 21.2 got on the air, so we can -now - if we haven't already -- update our copies of Oxford Junction Press's CSX Transportation Eastern New York and New England Routes Timetable #3.