Anyone (Railfans) ever saw or heard on there scanners, guys working a single track or heard someone get track and time/permits and not understood what was going on? I spent a good deal of time doing this type of work for the railroad when i first hired on. I couldnt complain about the pay, kinda boring tho, and alot of responsibility came with the job. Easy work, just dont slip up, even the smallest mistake could get you in trouble, kicked out of pilot service, and or cause a wreck. I might think alot more of the job seeing as i was part of the team soo early after hiring out.
Heres what a single track order looks like.
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NO. 034410 on Rawlins (260)
Track Bulletin Form C
To UP 5474 West
At Green River
1. 1300 Until 2030 06/27/05 All Trains Must Use
2. No. 2 Track Between West Switch Center Siding Point
3. Of rocks MP778.25 And CP G798
4. All Trains Must Stop Before Fouling No. 2 track
5. Between these points Unless Authorized To proceed
6. By Employee In Charge Of Switches Or By train
7. Dispatcher Via Radio Or Hand Signals
8. Eastward Trains Will Be Governed By CTC Signal
9. Indication At CP G798 Which Will Be Authority To
10. Use No 2 Track Between CPG798 and West Switch
11. Center Siding Point of Rocks MP 778.25
12. Dwarf Signal West End Center Siding Point of Rocks
13. Will Be Hooded And Removed From Service
14. Intermediate Pilot Located MP778.25 Mp782.00
15 MP 787.00 MP 792.00 and MP 797.00
16. Trains Operating Against The Current Of Traffic
17. Must Contact Pilots Before Passing These Locations
18. When Authorized By Train Dispatcher And All
19. Movements Directed By Employee In Charge Trains
20. May Use No. 1 Track Between MP778.25 And MP 798.00
21. Trains Operating On No. 1 Track Must Contact
22. Intermediate Pilots When All Movements Directed By
23. Employee In Charge Of Switches
24. Trains May Use Jim Bridger Spur Old Main Line
25.Thayer And Long Crossover Baxter
26 Westward Trains Contact Pilot Located At MP778.25
27. Before Passing Block Signal 777.3 For Instructions
28. Westward Trains At G798 Must Have Favorable
29. Signal Indication To Enter CTC
30. SSI Item 2 CHP 2 Applies.
31. OK 06/26/05 1908 Dispatcher: BCS
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Hard to make any sence of it aint it? Most of the time with a form B or two, couple pieces of slow track your just along for a train ride. Run into one of these and most guys will be scratching there head for awhile trying to understand just what there suppost to do when they get there. When they talk about the employee in charge they mean a conductor pilot.