December 4th- Back to Work- With a New Toy...

Post date: Dec 06, 2014 6:5:48 PM

The Sue Line Crew has a new toy. Much radio time was spent with communication between the Dispatcher and the Yard Master in the Shreveport Terminal Complex. This has been eliminated. Using a program called LAN Messenger, the Dispatcher (below, left) and the Yard Master (below, right), using a laptop can communicate without saying a word.

Quickly a code was developed R= Train Ready, T= Train Terminated, CC= Car Check.

With the new toy in place, let's join Rob Robbins (below) on the road with Train 221, The Paper Train.

We first see Train 221, the northbound paper products train, sitting on the siding in Maryville.

First a south bound express reefer train come through Maryville.

Next a southbound freight come through Maryville on the mainline.

Finally, Train 221 is ready to leave Maryville.

Next we see Train 221 entering Leming. The train

takes the siding and we see a wood chip car which

will be added to the train is on the spur at Willis Lumber.

First the power cuts loose from Train 221 to being the switching.

This is not an easy move. First the string of Grain cars at James Grain (above, left) must be moved.

Then the cars on the Willis Lumber Spur (above right) can be pulled to get the wood chip car which is at the end of the string of cars.

The cars from Willis Lumbar are first moved to the James Grain spur (above, left) and the the wood chip car is left on the mainline (above, right).

The remainder of the cars are returned to the Willis Lumbar spur (above, left)

and then the grain cars are returned to the James Grain spur.

The motive power reconnects to the train and Train 221 is ready to leave Leming.

Train 221 next stops in Robert's Crossing to pick up a pulpwood car.

Later, the cars are left in the yard and the engines are put away

at the refueling platform in Ginnings Yard.

Next let's join Rob Robbins on Train 70, the tank train.

Train 70, the south bound tank train, beings as

a pair of locomotives and a caboose in River Front Yard (above).

Train 70 meets a northbound train at North Morgan (above).

Here we see Train 70 on the mainline at Morgan.

Between South Morgan and Brandon (above),

Train 70 is clear to proceed at the ABS signal.

In Robinson (above), Train 70 picks up four tank cars.

In Sue City (above), Train 70 has another tank car added by the local switcher (above, right), which happens to be a Marshall and East Texas locomotive from Rob Robbins.

Leaving Sue City, Train 70 moves by Crawley's Ridge while headed southward.

In Leming, more tank cars are worked.

Train 70, with Dorcheat and Lake Bistineau units in the lead,

passes a former D&LB bridge which is now on the E-Branch of the Sue Line.

As this week's session draws to a close,

we see Train 70 working cars in Maryville.

A SPECIAL THANKS to Rob Robbins who again supplied the photos for this session, including having to e-mail photos he took with his iPhone after the regular iPhone died.