I did my leaf peeping with the wife today and ended up at Crawford's a few minutes before the notch train arrived, with the train being 10 cars long, they did something I didn't expect them to do, by the time the train stopped the Ronda Lee was alongside the rest room building, with the dining passengers getting off in between the station and restrooms. It didn't take long for hikers to start complaining when they realized the trail head was going to be blocked for some time. We didn't stay much longer having decided to go to Fabyan's for lunch. We finished up lunch in time to catch the train outside before departure and I can tell you for certain, we won't be seeing more than 10 cars on the notch for the foreseeable future. The engines blocks half of Base Station Rd for the duration of the brake test with 2 engines and 10 cars in tow. Adding more than 10 cars will require the siding to be extended westward or restore the other siding that's just west of Fabyan's, if that siding is longer.
It takes real skill to choke on air, fall up the stairs and trip over nothing. I have those skills.