GLC Chilson Siding
Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 10:55 pm
I had to work in Brighton this evening and drove by Chilson Siding today.
For several weeks or longer there has been a long cut of cars located on the siding. The northern end of the cut was older covered hoppers (GLC/TSBY reporting marks), while the southern end was what appeared to be brand new hoppers similar to the ones up by the Ithaca plant.
Today I noticed only a single new car at the south end of the siding, and a string of the newer cars at the north end. The older cars have been removed from the siding.
Two thoughts crossed my mind as to the why the siding would look like this.
First, the crew intentionally left a car at the south end as some sort of marker regarding the siding. They have done this previously with a single car located on the siding.
Second, when they pulled the older cars they intended to pull all the new cars to the north end of the siding, and did not realize that one car had somehow become uncoupled from the rest. A train pulling the cars from the north end of the siding would likely make this move on the northbound trip from Osmer, so they likely would have left the train on the mainline, while working the siding. If the trail car on a long cut was disconnected, the crew may no know it wasn't still coupled and would pull the cars, thinking all of them were attached, when in fact one car wasn't. Once the first of the cars remaining in the siding was where the crew desired it to be, the crew would uncouple the old cars from the new, take the old cars clear of the switch, then back up to the rest of the train. Given the curved nature of Chilson Siding, the crew may never have seen a single car "left behind".
What do people think the reason for the single car being left at the south end of the siding would be? Does anyone who works for the RR know what the reason is?
For several weeks or longer there has been a long cut of cars located on the siding. The northern end of the cut was older covered hoppers (GLC/TSBY reporting marks), while the southern end was what appeared to be brand new hoppers similar to the ones up by the Ithaca plant.
Today I noticed only a single new car at the south end of the siding, and a string of the newer cars at the north end. The older cars have been removed from the siding.
Two thoughts crossed my mind as to the why the siding would look like this.
First, the crew intentionally left a car at the south end as some sort of marker regarding the siding. They have done this previously with a single car located on the siding.
Second, when they pulled the older cars they intended to pull all the new cars to the north end of the siding, and did not realize that one car had somehow become uncoupled from the rest. A train pulling the cars from the north end of the siding would likely make this move on the northbound trip from Osmer, so they likely would have left the train on the mainline, while working the siding. If the trail car on a long cut was disconnected, the crew may no know it wasn't still coupled and would pull the cars, thinking all of them were attached, when in fact one car wasn't. Once the first of the cars remaining in the siding was where the crew desired it to be, the crew would uncouple the old cars from the new, take the old cars clear of the switch, then back up to the rest of the train. Given the curved nature of Chilson Siding, the crew may never have seen a single car "left behind".
What do people think the reason for the single car being left at the south end of the siding would be? Does anyone who works for the RR know what the reason is?