Rougemere and Delray this afternoon

[GP30M4216]

I took an afternoon spin around Rougemere and Delray Tower this afternoon between about 1PM and 2:30PM. Lots to see and report!

Rougmere was packed today. A mixed freight led by CSX SD40-2 #8199 and followed by two rental SD40-2s was waiting to come into the Yard from the Plymouth direction. A crew was switching the north end of the yard, and CSX GP38-2 #2630 in rusting scheme 6 paint was on the Eagle St. bridge. A train led by an FURX SD40-2 and a BNSF C44-9W were stationed to depart the yard toward Plymouth near the Mechanical Building.

Along Wyoming Avenue was the usual assortment of RCPHG drones (including former C30-7 #9303) and five unused sleds. On the Ice Dock track was fading CSX GP38-2 #2710, SEABOARD SYSTEM GP38-2 #2667 and another CSX GP38-2. CSX SD70MAC #4757 (scheme 7) and AC6600CW #698 were a few tracks in at the Yard Office. CSX GP38-2 #2732 (x-CR) and a drone were switching the south end along "the hill". CP Rail SD40-2W #9016 ( a so called, wide body "red barn"), an SD40-2, an AC CP unit, and a CEFX AC unit were on the point of a train near the south throat of the yard.

Near the Tunnel Tower, A CEFX SD45 and GCFX SD40-2 were on the point of a loaded Coke Express train from Plymouth. Two tracks over, CSX GP15T #1501 (in scheme 2 modified, with C&O reporting marks) was on the front of a short local job, possibly Y151(?), facing Delray. Delray gave clearence to CP Train 137 to enter Rougemere, which was led by a trio of CP Rail SD40-2s, the first in the Flagger scheme, and the other two in classic CP red with white stripes. They had containers, autoracks, and some general mixed freight on the end. As they locomotives approached Tunnel Tower, (from what I heard on the scanner) the air dumped suddenly and a knuckle broke about 12 cars behind the locomotives. Of course the train came to a halt with most of the train stretching through the Delray Interlocking (it had come from the Tunnel via the CR Shared Assets mainline) effectively blocking Dearborn St. for about 45 minutes and tying up just about every other rail route through the interlocking.

While this mess was going on, I also caught some local industrial operations, as RLCX #1262 (an SW switcher at Rouge Steel) was moving Coke Cars around at Rougemere. Also on the Ford side of Rougemere, CSX Scheme 7 GP38-2s #2801 and #2770 (both ex CR) were also working with Coke Hoppers assembling and breaking down trains. The Delray Connecting was also moving around, as their SW unit #001 was pulling a long line of NS coke hoppers across Jefferson and the 141 bridge toward the Union Belt.

As CP137 finally got their train reassembled and obtained permission to move into Rougemere, a CN train on the Short Line appeared from the New Center direction, led by an SD40-2. All in all, a very busy few hours, and a lot of action and equipment at Rougemere!