Maryland and Northern Transportation Co.

[ES44AH]

Train Operations for 2/16/13:

Train #: T-1
Power: #68
status: departing.

Train #: CCF-1
Power: #62.
Status: departing.

All locomotives will be switching to a new radio channel to reduce interference.

[ES44AH]

K4s #11 and 12 to pull Director's Special. This will run system wide for 2 days. Starting in Baltimore, being hauled by GM6C #6. From Mt.Clare, the special will be pulled by K4s #11 and #12. The train will run to Pittsburg and back. Because this is the first time the DS has been pulled ny both steam and electric, Ill post the radio talk between dispatch, GM6C #6 and K4s #11 and #12.

[ES44AH]

Director's special stopped in Bayview Yard. Power will be turned around and will head back to Mt.Clare to change electric power to steam power.

[ES44AH]

Radio Conversation from engine change at Mt.Clare Jct. This is between GM6C #6, MC tower, and K4s #11.

MC tower: "#6 all clear, #11 is sitting in siding, you can move up."
#6:" Copy, moving forward."
MC: Im gonna put you on track 3 until the special clears the jct."
#11: We're ready to go."
MC: "Ok, once #6 is on 3, you can move up and couple to special."
#11: "Roger."

#6: #6 to MC, we have uncoupled for special, we are on 3, and waiting for 11."
MC: "Copy,#11 youre clear to pick up train."
#11:"ok, moving up"

#11 has coupled to special.

#11: "Brake test complete, waiting for you MC"
MC: "Ok, youre clear on track 1, im putting you on restricted speed, theres an inspection team on track 2 about 1/4 mile ahead of you."
#11: "Copy."
MC:"Switches aligned, have a safe trip. MC out"
#11: Thanks, #11 out."

MC: MC to #6
#6: Go ahead.
MC: When the special clears the switch, you can return to Bayview.
#6: ok.
#6: switch cleared, returning to Bayview.

(DD at mile post 15.6)
"Detector Milepost 15.6, track 1, no defects, no defects. End transmission."


That was the Director special swapping power from electric to steam. MC tower is located in the Mt.Clare yard, it sits at the Baltimore/Baltimore city division point. The electric power (#6) came of the Baltimore city division.

[ES44AH]

A new spur was just built to serve 2 steel mills in Pittsburg. This will mean a slight increase in traffic. New steel coil trains, ore trains, and more coal drags will be added to serve the 2 plants. Also, a coal mine has opened up in southwestern Pa, and a mine lead has built branching off of Allegheny division. This mine will cause an increase in coal traffic. For steam fans, this means heavier tonnage, and doubleheaders. The new Y7a's that are being built will be seen hauling these coal drags.

In other news, the ex-B&O tower near hancock,MD is being renovated. WB tower in Brunswick, SA at Sand Patch summit, ND in Cumberland, and KG tower at Point of Rocks will also be renovated. Until renovations are complete, small, portable trailers will be inplace for the operators.

A dimesional load will be sent from Baltimore to just south of Walkersville to replace the bridge over the Monocacy river. This Bridge is replacing the old PRR bridge, this new bridge will hold the weight of the locomotives assigned to the line.

New Defect detectors have been put in place. These also have hotbox and dragging equippment sensors. GPS has been installed on all slocomotives except for the #2400 and #1. The successful MU equipped CF-1 Cab-Forwards will return to helper service next week.

[ES44AH]

As with most Weekends, nothing will usually run, at least until the coal spur opens, but tonight and into tomorrow evening, a fairly large load will be traveling from Baltimore to the new Hannover branch. This is a high and wide load, a bridge to cross the Monocacy river. This bridge is replacing the one that was put in place by the PRR. The consist will be made up of: #67, steam crane #1, spacer car, a home built depressed center flat car (x2), spacer car, steam crane #2, locomotive #31, and a caboose. The train will be running as HWL-1 (High, Wide load-west).
It will leave tonight at 11:45pm.

[ES44AH]

New bridge has been put in place over the Monocacy River.

Train #: FBF-1
power: #67
status: waiting for fresh crew.

There is planning to rebuilt the east roundhouse of the Martinsburg facility. However, if funds are raised, the project wont take place until March of 2014. The intermodal service will be called the Railrunner service. The slogan is: "The Fast Lane". The railrunners will operated under symbol BPX-1 and BPX-2. The first run will be made March 15.

A commuter service will begin Between Baltimore and Washington DC.

[ES44AH]

The Defect Detectors will be activated on thursday. The dragging equippment detectors had to be modified so they wont be triggered by the rise and fall of the mainrods on the locomotives. Especially on locomotives like our Y-classes and BigBoy.

[ES44AH]

The new coal drags are symboled ABC-2 (Allegheny mine co. -Baltimore, east). The empties are BAC-1. For now, the EM-1 7609, Y6b 50, CF-1 #53, CF-2 #51 and 52, and H8 #62 will be assigned to Allegheny Division for all coal drags. Q1 #61 and Y3a #60 will also be serving the Allegheny Division. #51, 52, and 53 will be serving as helpers. #51 and 52 will be based out of Rockwood, PA while #53 will based out of Hyndman, PA.

Train orders for 2/28/13:

train #: BCF-1
Power: #31.
status: steam power waiting at MC junction. Electrics #8 and 2 are leaving Bayview yard.

Train #: T-1
power: #2400
Status: Waiting on track 2 at MC jct. Waiting for electric #3.

Train #: BBF-1
power: #9
Status. departing MC jct.

Passenger trains #1, and 2 wont be posted as they run every evening from 4:30pm to 8:00pm. Train #2 (Pioneer) will no longer run. The Mountianeer will also be discontinued. #2 will be included as a section of #1 The Capitol Limited. The Commuter service Between Pt of Rocks will take the place of the Pioneer. Commuter trains will operate as C-1 through C-15. They run on an hourly bases. Evens numbers are westbound, odd numbers are eastbound.

[ES44AH]

BPS-1 layover in Cumberland for locomotive servicing. Also to pickup two SD35s from locomotive shops.

The Allegheny Division defect detectors are online and fuctioning properly. they are located at Cooks Mill (mp 186.8 ), FO tower (199.5), Manilla (209.5), Garrett (219.9), and Rockwood (226.8 ). The Pittsburg division detectors are not online yet. All detectors are equipped with dragging sensors. The division is still ABS and will still have manned towers.

BPS-1 to leave Cumberland at 10:00pm. Expected to arrive in Pitts Yard by 11:30pm. the CLWX SD35s will be used as temporary helpers up Sand Patch grade. The PC will be picking up the SD35s at Pitts Yard.

[ES44AH]

Installing Defect detectors on the Baltimore and Washington division.

[ES44AH]

The SD35s have been dropped off at the PC/MN interchange. Locomotive #65 will run light to Cumberland. #64 will stay in Pittsburg to pick up cars from the PC.

[ES44AH]

train operations for 3/4/13:

Train #: BCC-1
Power: #91 and #92
Helper(s): #51.
Status: departing.

Train #:BPF-1
Power: B&O 4515
Status: departing

Train #: PBF-2
Power: #64
Status: departing (from PC interchange)

train #: X-65
Power #65
Status: Running light to Cumberland.

Train #: BHF-1
Power: #22.
Status: Departing.

[ES44AH]

Defect detector for X-65:
" MN defect detector, Milepost 226.8, track 2, no defects, no defects. MN defect detector Milepost 226.8, track 2, no defects, detector out."

The newly installed Baltimore division DDs are fuctional, here's the DD for both BCC-1 and BPF-1:
BCC-1:
"MN Defect detector, Milepost 10.8, no defects...no defects, MN defect detector, milepost 10.8, no defects, detector out."

BPF-1:
"MN Defect detector, Milepost 18.1, no defects...no defects. Length of train, 2045. total axle 521. Train speed, 40. End transmission, detector out."

[Saturnalia]

How do your defect detectors tell if it's a steam engine or not? The firebox will generally set off hotbox alarms.

[ES44AH]

There is a heat shield that keeps away the heat from the firebox, but still allows the sensor to pick up heat from a hotbox. there is also sensors between the rails that can detect a hotbox and because most of our engines have trailing wheels, the trailing trucks act as a heat shield. Most of our rolling stock no longer have journal boxes (except for the older cars). The only issue with the detectors is they sometimes will go off from the main rods. For example, heres the DD from Cooks Mill, it was set off when MN #62 (the Allegheny) rolled over it.

"MN Detector, Milepost 186.8, Defect detected...Defect detected. Axle 3, Axle 4, axle 5, axle 6, axle 7, axle 8. Dragging equippment has been detected."

The cause was simply the engines excessive weight and the heavy rods. The 6 axles were the driving wheels. But the issues have been worked out, for the most part.

[ES44AH]

In preparation of the coming snow storm, the Snow warriors will be placed on standby.
Team 1: SP-1, MoW crew car 15, Dorm car 9, and a Caboose. Team 1 will be assigned to the Baltimore Division and will be based out of Mt.Clare.
Team 2: Russel Plow MoW 1000, engine #20, MoW crew car 10, dorm car 5, and a Caboose Team 2 will be based out of Pt.of Rocks and will be assigned to Washington Division.
Team 3: Russel Plow MoW 1001, engine #51, MoW crew car 11, Dorm car 2, and a Caboose, the "Tank" will also be in consist for emergency. Team 3 will be assigned to Allegheny and Pittsburg Division. They will be Based out of Cumberland. X-1 "The tank" will be based out of Sand Patch Summit. Passenger and Commuter trains maybe postponed if weather turns for the worse.

[Saturnalia]

There is a heat shield that keeps away the heat from the firebox, but still allows the sensor to pick up heat from a hotbox. there is also sensors between the rails that can detect a hotbox and because most of our engines have trailing wheels, the trailing trucks act as a heat shield. Most of our rolling stock no longer have journal boxes (except for the older cars). The only issue with the detectors is they sometimes will go off from the main rods. For example, heres the DD from Cooks Mill, it was set off when MN #62 (the Allegheny) rolled over it.

"MN Detector, Milepost 186.8, Defect detected...Defect detected. Axle 3, Axle 4, axle 5, axle 6, axle 7, axle 8. Dragging equippment has been detected."

The cause was simply the engines excessive weight and the heavy rods. The 6 axles were the driving wheels. But the issues have been worked out, for the most part.

Or you can have the locomotive's wheels ignored by the crew....

[ES44AH]

They do that now, one engineer (he's assigned to #62) said he tells dispatch ahead of time before rolling over a DD.

[DT&I]

They do that now, one engineer (he's assigned to #62) said he tells dispatch ahead of time before rolling over a DD.

But then what happens when you actually have dragging equipment?