t seems that Geep-9 of mine roams around like some sort of Flying Dutchman.

A week ago, I was riding it back and forth through Tuscarora, dragging coal one way and dust the other, pretty amazing since we’re in Pennsylvania and it’s a Southern Pacific unit.

Now I’m eighty miles north, up in Martin Yard, rolling down track 9 with engines and a caboose, getting ready to pick up my cut off 1 and head over to Mingo Jct. 927 is holding on track 2, ready to roll, but he’s waiting for a silver bullet to go by on the main. I send a brakeman legging over to ask if we can cross through the ladder in front of him and he agrees – nice chap. Once I’m clear and the varnish is past, 927 rumbles out of the yard for Zanesville. Soon as his crummy is clear of the ladder, I follow him (very cautiously) around the blind turn out of the yard, passing passenger engines pressing into yard duty – how the mighty have fallen. Then it’s a smooth run across to track two, a quick gondola drop at the quarry, then on the Mingo.

This job was a lot of fun. The track has been relayed so it ran smooth as butter. Also, there have been little changes on it so it handles different. The paper mill is far more busy and I have fewer drill stubs facing it. So it was all new.

Local 927 meets an Eastbound freight in Zanesville – Photo Credit: Frank Z.

It was a great session on Thanksgiving Eve. Some of our members couldn’t make it but enough could to move everything through the session. It was a great time with a comfortable bull session after it.

I’m still smiling, even though I lost a crown as soon as I got home. The session more than offsets this chewing difficulty.

Thanks guys. Great running with you again.

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