kay, let’s start with this. As the dispatcher, I goofed up last night. Extra 2007 was coming west through Weirton on Track 2. But I’d already cleared 247 West on Track 1. And unfortunately, west of Weirton, it’s all single line. When the crews started giggling like fiends, I knew I’d made a mistake. Got called to the site where both westbounds were in emergency and reviewed orders but I already suspected I screwed the pooch. My board didn’t show my updated 247 move so I’d failed to take him into account. I admit it. And here’s a picture of the event, shot by gleeful crews.

A near miss between Cody and John (taken by NTSB Investigator J. DeVasto)

I’ll point out that I know world leaders who got the trains to run on time and did far worst to the world than I did. So it’s my excuse.

Another excuse: Given 247’s string of engine failures/engine dumps/engine explosions, I was just trying to put him out of his misery. I really didn’t think he was going to actually make Cincinnati and decided to assassinate him.

Another excuse part 2: Sometimes when someone is intensely focused, it’s not a good time to show them a bunch of phone-photos. Like, break out the slide show, why don’t you?

Anyway, yes, we did get everything through the sub-division without too much waiting (hardly any). And the passenger trains were running so smoothly, one of them showed up two hours ahead of schedule (and since I was issuing a number of warrants with time expiration times based on scheduled time-table through times, this blog could have been written about a massive number of passenger deaths, and not a near miss by a MOW junker and a rolling wreck). So there.

Special thanks to the folks (John and Chad) who ran guests around the line. Yeah, it’s a bit of a drag sometimes because you come to run trains, so it is appreciated. So a tip of the Grim Reaper’s cowl to you guys.

Anyway, good runs all around. For the other dispatchers, I think we worked it out so you can keep records to refer back to (and the crews like to bond with the dispatcher through a crisp readback). It was really worth staying up late before a long road trip to run with you guys. See you in a week.

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