The Tycos Align

After last night’s session, we wound up with four Tyco cars neatly aligned for this photo. Railbox 11254, quite rusty; Cape Ann 4180 looking nice and clean. In the background Conrail 433165 with a ballast load, and Burlington Northern 100297 wait it out on Pamola siding. 

Enter Stage Right!

Looking down the business end of the Cape Ann’s four interchange/staging tracks. At the southern end of the layout block 11 has a B&M freight, and block 10 holds the Amtrak Downeaster. At the northern end of the layout, block 20 has the Cape Ann’s crack streamliner, The Acadian; while block 21 has a Seacoast Line freight led by a BL2. The signal bridges are Bachmann with LED signal heads added to each side.

Hold for Orders

The Cape Ann now has an element of chance to throw (or, more accurately, roll) a wrench into operating sessions. Each interchange has a tower with two train order signals - one in each direction (Bachmann with operating LEDs added).  The toggle switches allow a yellow aspect for PROCEED and a red aspect for HOLD FOR ORDERS. At the beginning of the session all four train order signals are set to PROCEED. A die is rolled. A roll of 1-4 selects the corresponding train order signal to be set to HOLD FOR ORDERS. (A roll of 5 or 6 means no orders.) Now the die is rolled again to select the specific order. Here we rolled a 5. The die is placed adjacent to the signal with the 5 facing up. Referring to the adjacent card tells us the main line is out of service beginning at block 17. 

Train Order Signal 1, Tower ST northbound

1 Hotbox on last car. Flag as Bad Order, drop at KEN for RIP

2 Back to interchange track for additional load

3 KES main out of service in front of station. Use alternate track.

4 Back to interchange. Pick up dead loco in tow, for transfer N

5 Main out of service beginning at Block 17

6 Back to interchange. Pick up caboose for transfer N

Train Order Signal 2, Tower ST southbound

1 Interchange track out of service for 1 hour.

2 Back to KES, pickup express car.

3 Interchange track out of service for 1 hour.

4 Back to KES. Pick up dead loco in tow, for transfer S

5 Back to KES, minor RIP needed on loco

6 Hold for additional load coming from DAV

Train Order Signal 3, Tower PT northbound

1 Interchange track out of service for 1 hour.

2 Back to PAM, pick up additional load.

3 Interchange track out of service for 1 hour.

4 Back to PAM. Pick up dead loco in tow, for transfer N

5 Back to PAM, minor RIP needed on loco

6 Hold for additional load coming from DAV

Train Order Signal 4, Tower PT southbound

1 First car bad order, flag, set off at PAM for repair

2 Back to interchange track for additional load

3 PAM main out of service, use passing track

4 Back to interchange. Pick up dead loco in tow, for transfer S

5 PAM switch nearest tower out of service to siding, set for main only

6 Back to interchange. Pick up caboose for transfer S

Camping at Kimball's Campground

Railfans grab all the prime camping sites at Kimball's Campground. There is an in-ground pool, and beach swimming by crossing the footbridge over the Cape Ann's yard approach track. Railfans find excellent views of yard traffic entering and departing Davis Yard, as well as mainline action on the double-tracked main beyond. Intermodal activities at adjacent Quinn Intermodal can also be seen from many of the sites as well as the footbridge.

The Great Solar Eclipse of 2017

Work train at Pamola

Cape Ann’s work train is stationed at the northern end of the layout this week. Cape Ann GP20 912, permanently assigned to MoW service, brought the train up to Pamola siding. Now it it leaves the bunk car, kitchen car, office car, and water car on the siding, and departs with the work crew riding in section work car 992. The section work car has a caboose body for the men to ride in, and a 20’ intermodal container mounted on the back for tools and equipment. They are heading to Tower PT to assist in culvert replacement. The section cars have a restriction - the container end must be the last car of the train, as clear access to the end doors must be provided to get material in and out. 

Twilight at Kenton Station

As twilight falls, the Cape Ann's flagship streamliner, The Acadian, is seen idling at Kenton station as passengers board. Soon a pair of F7A's will take the 7 car train up to Cascade, bound for Portland.