CSX Train Location Update 4-24-13

[Raildudes dad]

No change at the GRE, all quiet

[Jetlink]

'D707 working in Lake O at 10:15

[¶aragraph]

d70724 ensel 8:27am
d70824 hasn't left lansing
d70024 gross cg 63
amtrak p37124 st joseph
q32624 annulled
q33524 annulled
w98821 arrived lansing
w98817 arrived flint from port huron 19th, CO4733 special
q24124 plymouth rouad ch25
q21624 plymouth road ch 25 since 5am
q15124 11am detroit departure
q15024 noon NB departure

[Jetlink]

At 11:15 D707 still 3 steppin' in Lake Odessa.

At 11:25 D707 got a new authority to operate from the Lake Odessa to the switch at the west end of Sunfield. Conductor said they needed it to run around the train. Maybe they are heading back to Ensel??

At 11:29 MOW got an EC1 from the EE Sunfield to Ensel valid until 12:30.
AND he just got another EC1 to operate between the switches in Sunfield valid until 12:00.

At 12:00 D707 was asking to be lined for the pass to get back on their train.

[J T]

At 11:15 D707 still 3 steppin' in Lake Odessa.

Good to see someone else likes to phrase it like that.

[Jetlink]

Heard horns again in woodbury around 12:30. D707 east ?

[brysonda]

At 11:15 D707 still 3 steppin' in Lake Odessa.

Good to see someone else likes to phrase like that.

Prior to this past weekend I hadn't heard much yard/switching job traffic on the scanner here in Lansing. While 4036 was working, I overhead that phrase "3 step" numerous times. What exactly does it mean?

[Ypsi]

Generally you will hear 3 step given to the conductor, it is additional safety measures for when he is on the ground

Three Step Protection
Additional protection that is provided prior to employees fouling equipment. This procedure will require the locomotive engineer to apply the train brakes, place the reverser in neutral position, and open generator field switch.

From railroad dictionary- CSX

http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-csx/ ... onary/?i=T

[LSRC]

3-step protection is a set of three procedures that an engineer must do before a conductor can step between a set of cars. The procedures are there to prevent the conductor from being run over by the train when "inside of it."

From trainorders, 3-step protection is:

1. Apply the brakes.
2. Center the reverser in the control stand (This prevents the loco. from being propelled in either direction, much like shifting your car into neutral.)
3. Open the Generator field switch on the control stand. (This prevents the main generator from receiving excitation, hus preventing the generator from making electricity that could be transmitted to the traction motors, causing the loco and train to move)

Again, just standard procedure to keep the conductor safe.

[brysonda]

Ah, makes sense. Thanks.

[BL2-1843]

Very unusual occurance happening with D708 today. First time I ever recall this. D70824, CSX 4049 went past the west of Williamston @ 13:00 after waiting an unspecified time for the signal department to clear up. They spent nearly 90 minutes working Webberville grain. Before they left, D90824 was now also at Williamston waiting for D708 to move on down to Fowlerville. D708 went over the DD there with only four cars. They perhaps had a large amount of cars for Webberville.

When D708 got into the siding at Fowlerville to switch Thermofil, D908 went east past them (CSX 8516) and came direct to Howell to switch GLC. D908's entire train (21 cars) was for GLC. Amung them were three loads of telephone/electric poles, that required spacer cars between each one. CSX used to deliver these to Ann Pere for years, but these loads have been coming via the Ann Arbor for quite some time now. After D908 ran around their train to switch GLC, D708, left Fowlerville to come east to Ogihara to switch them, and did so the same time D908 was switching Ann Pere. D708 sat off two scrap empties, ran around THEIR train and went back west, going over the DD at Fowlerville at 17:15. Meanwhile, D908 picked up 11 cars at GLC and proceded west only 20 minutes behind D708.

For brysonda at Lansing, be prepared to see two locals going west very soon. Strange occurance indeed.

[brysonda]

Caught tail end of 708 waiting at Michigan Ave. waiting for Z646 J&L heading south with some scrap gons. 908 now approaching North Lansing. Fun times.

[Tlout]

BNSF 9281, 9907 north at Riley St. Holland 6:00 PM. BNSF 9820, 9217 pushing.

[Saturnalia]

D700 east, clear Grandville at 18:12. Slug set leading a dozen or so. Mixture of Boxes, Coils, and CHs. Boxes in two places, must have switched Bowater and Coloma.

[Brian]

K34021 by plymouth south 19:18 csx 7514 7573
Q32124 by plymouth 20:09 csx 7379 8236

[cnw8835]

Q334 with CSX 7316 was okay on their EC1 from Lako to Ensel at 2123. They had a pickup at Lansing but will be highballing it due to the fact that they are over 10000 tons out of GR.

Edit: At the Thornapple River at 2128.

[Jetlink]

Q334 with CSX 7316 was okay on their EC1 from Lako to Ensel at 2123. They had a pickup at Lansing but will be highballing it due to the fact that they are over 10000 tons out of GR.

Edit: At the Thornapple River at 2128.

Approaching Woodbury at 22:10.

[Jochs]

D700 east, clear Grandville at 18:12. Slug set leading a dozen or so. Mixture of Boxes, Coils, and CHs. Boxes in two places, must have switched Bowater and Coloma.

Yes, they had work at Bowater and Coloma.
When I saw them going west from Coloma at work today around 11am, they had one box and about a dozen coil cars for Arlington Metals in Sawyer.