To the list
I can atest to the roll a way problem with bottled air. I won a 1988 BN Safety
Award for rolling 120+ or - cars down the West Burlington Hill on XMas eve.
As the 2nd trick Ottumwa Dispatcher I had a 491 go west thru Burlington and stop
for a pickup at West B. It was a cold day and 491 wanted to get over the road
and
home for the holiday. The wayfreight was getting ready to head to Galesburg out
of the yard downtown. I am one of the few who leave my radios on monitor(So you
can tell where your trains are at and what is going on) I could hear both 491
working as the wayfreight got ready to leave. I lined the wayfreight out and
across the bridge. In the mean time I heard 491 head back out to the main to get
his rearend. And heard the ground man ask the engineer if he knew where the
train was at. "You don't think it rolled away do you" As the CTC approach dinged
on the Westward track. I reached over and flipped the radio on as I flipped the
CTC machine to stop for the wayfreight and told them to head for the hills as it
sounded like 491's train was coming down on top of them. They ran in to the
clear and the time was running on the CTC. I had hoped it would run down and I
could line the runaway across the bridge. The cars come down thru Downtown
Burlington reported at 60 MPH. Being a holiday evening no one was out and about
as the crossing flashers did not start in time to protect the crossings. Due to
the excess speed the cars piled up at the kink just before the bridge blocking
both mains and the K Line Main.. SO we called the Supt. and said Merry
Christmas??? The wayfreight would have been in the middle of the pile if they
had left when lined.
Another time while working 2nd trick East End I had the retarder operator call
for the lead as the bowl was rolling out at Cicero. The cars rolled out the bowl
and down the lead to the dirt pile(the big pile of dirt at the end of track at
LaVergne) over the pile and across Ridgeland Ave and into the wood depot which
use to stand at LaVergne. Next day on the way to work there was still a CHEX
(Ralston Pureina)box with its nice checkerboard square hearld sitting on top of
the dirt pile.
Or the time the East End Tower called for three signals on four and three more
right behind them as the bowl rolled out the east end of the yard with a switch
engine chasing it.
Steve Holding
2nd trick Union Ave Dispatcher
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