FEC202 Jan 31, 2015

202 by mp216 at 6:49 with 814, 804 & 434 lhf. Mark leaning and waving his blue light
special from the cab window to my sparklers. Going slow again tonight for Stanley's
surfacing gang who are tying up on the Sebastian team track. A very long train of rock,
IM, freight, tanks and a lonely NS coal car with EOT.
Meet in Micco with 101.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 31, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/yva2ZLe3R9w

FEC101 Jan 30, 2015

101 by mp216 at 7:46 with 813 & 807 with bops from Mark and crew from the cab to my
sparklers. Racks up front full with shiny new autos, all IM with FEC blue containers
taking over from CXS and UMAX consist the past couple of trains and slowly at
restricted speed due to the undercutting gang.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 30, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/6uGXXn2m88s

FEC202 Jan 30, 2015

202 by mp216 at 6:31 with 817 & 806. All IM up front with UMAX taking the spot from
last night's CSX, UPS, a center beam,  bulk head, box cars and a long string of tanks on
bottom with one rustoleum red! Could make it out in the dark. Meet in Palm Bay with 101.
Went very slow at @25 mph by us due to the undercutting @ the block signal.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 30, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/2GHxnCs_eNQ

FEC202 Jan 29, 2015

202 by mp216 at 4:40 with 800, 816 & 807 lhf. Jim and ECH waving white from the cab to
my sparklers on a much more pleasant evening weather wise. Rock up front with
nothing leaking out by us, IM of CSX up the ying yang, lots of center beams making
waves in the wind, tanks, 3 DJJ with scrap metal and box cars of  various mix
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 29, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/KeAotziqkEA

FEC202 Jan 28, 2015

202 by mp216 at 6:08 with 811 & 805. Tommy and Tony waving to my sparklers trying to
blow out in this cold wind. Rock, tubs, 4 gray WRK' s, IM, a bunch of Crowley, 2 pair of
AgMark, freight on each side of tanks and some empty coal cars with racks and the
bottom. Hard to type, need hand warmers.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 28, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/3kYOL2j9MIY

FEC101 Jan 28, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:41 with 810, 819 and 415 lhf. Jim and ECH waving with ECH waving
double white. Racks up front and all IM with more FEC blue containers double stacks
than others, lots of UPS and apair of AgMark in a well that we have not seen for a long
time. Meet in Gifford with 202. Quite windy and chilly this evening. Plus one of our
local Sebastian finest who usually just waves, stopped and said Howdy. Nice fella.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 27, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/H6lISF7xfDw

FEC101 Jan 27, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:34 with 809, 801 and Pink Lady 436. Crew with road foreman waving away to my sparklers which I kept one after another lit til private cars came by.  Nice train of IM with one Tiger Cool Express and a pair of Ashley's.
Hard to see people on the private cars. Meet in FO with 202.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 27, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/Ds5ouv7vD6w

FEC101 Jan 26, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:55 with 806, 818 and 819 lhf. Mr ECH waving and grinning his
Cheshire cat grin from the cab window. A beautiful long train of IM and double stacks.
A new RBI (Robert Bearden Inc), 3 Tiger Cool Express, 2 Ashley's, Titan and 2 USA Truck.
Meet in FO with 202 who is picking up.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 26, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/aN4lWLaOcGM

FEC101 Jan 25, 2015

101 by mp216 at 7:11PM with 809 & 801. Tommy & Tony waving from the cool cab to my
sparklers on this rather cool evening. Long train of IM with around 85% EMP
containers of red and green looking like Xmas. Two Ashley's breaking the block of
EMP's. Safe trip fellas and looking forward to tomorrow.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 25, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/6APaDEQ64uQ

FEC202 Jan 24, 2015

202 by mp216 at 6:54 with 809, 801 & 435.  Waves and lights from the cab. Rock up front followed by a shirt pile of racks, freight cars, a center beam and coal train cars. With 101 late, not certain of meet. Cool evening but enjoyable.
Anita and Caboose


FEC202 Jan 24, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/3Fwz8vathkc

FEC101 Jan 23, 2015

101 by mp216 at 7:20 with 817, 823 & 814 lhf. Mark and crew waving white to my sparklers or torch as Caboose said. Racks up front followed by all IM and one Ashley.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 23, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/GUiGZ7gkANU

FEC920 Jan 23, 2015

The FEC920 Local behind 438LHF is scampering for home after a long week with those empty rock from 53rd Street and the pick-up from Cocoa Yard on the rear end as they cross the Indrio Team MP236.2 at 4:20PM. Love to see WalMart on the Pineda Turn!

FEC920 Jan 23, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/EVydkccdqvs

FECRG23 Jan 23, 2015

Watching from MP236.2 where the Indrio Team Track switch faces the northbound trains. Surprised to see Conan G. slam open the conductor's window but not as much as he was! Fantastic machine doing its grinding thing - very impressive! - across Indrio Road at 3:15PM.
Anita and cabooseMikey.

FECRG23 Jan 23, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/DTqwoWp_SLI

FEC101 Jan 22, 2015

101 by mp216 at 6:23 with 816 and 807. Tommy and Tony waving from the cab to my sparklers shining brightly in the late dusk. A beautiful long train of IM with lots of double stacks and a Tiger Cool Express in a well. Safe trip fellas.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 22, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/S51NnYnoN0A

FEC202 Jan 22, 2015

202 by mp216 at 5:12 with 815, 822 & 817lhf. Jim and ECH waving from the cab to my sparklers.  Rock heaped high up front, IM, nasty freight cars, 60 + tanks, 4 bulk heads with waves in the wind blowing Caboose Mikey's hat off and sand cars on the bottom. Not sure of meet with 101 as they came out late.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 22, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/qlWJbUVqJR8

FEC202 Jan 20, 2015

202 by mp216 at 6:16 with 813 & 811 and ECH & JIm waving from the cab with blue light special to my sparklers. Rock, rock and more rock up front followed by IM with three Yang Ming, beau coupe empty UPS, tanks and freight on the rear.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 20, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/bG851oQXw1M

FEC101 Jan 20, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:42 with 823, 814 & 816. Crew waving to my sparklers. Nice, neat hot train of IM with a block of Crowley's, various blocks of FEC blue containers, 2 Ashley's separated by FECZ refurbished refrigerator pigs and one lonely Seaboard short shirt on the rear with EOT.
Meet at Bougard with 202.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 20, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/hJeIOTm1cqM

FECCIR Jan 20, 2015

Circus Train by mp216 at 5:21 with 808 & 715. Tommy waving white from the cab to my sparklers. Gone  by too fast and  no one in the vestibules. Bearded lady must be in cab of next north bound.
CT meeting 101 @ Micco. 101 meeting 202 @ Bougard.
Anita and Caboose

FECCIR Jan 20, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/JtcOc6beDiw

FEC101 Jan 19, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:25 with 819, 810 & 808. Jim and ECH waving double white from the
cab to my sparklers with a very nice hot train full of IM. A newbie RBI, one lonely
Crowley, a Tropical & an OCL in a three figure format of two shorts in the well and a
large on top. Lots of EMP, three Tiger Cool Express and two Ashley's.
Meet in FO with 202.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 19, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/DOyrW1NSeL0

Ridge Lines OPERATING SESSION Jan 17, 2015

    Railroaders from all over have converged on the Ridge Lines today for the second and final operating session of the year. Time Table and Train Orders rule the railroad on this day and block signals convey track occupation rather than authority.

 

     No joy rides today, all of us have a specific job to do and must blend in with the rest of the railroad. It's a big operation, too. Nine locals are out on the road along with four interchange jobs and those two first class passenger trains running on their timetable. As long as they stay on their schedule, all else must clear for the two hot shots.

 

     And don't forget the yard guys making and breaking the trains. Elston Yard will keep at least one heavy switcher at work all day long building the departing trains out of arrivals  under the supervision of two yardmasters and the dispatcher. Over and over they drill the arrivals into the yard ladder after the road crew cuts off caboose and pulls power ahead to the ready track. Then they make up the next departure for the next available crew.

 

     Sounds complicated, right? Yep, just like the full-sized railroads once did, Ridge Lines trains move cars to and from the destinations around the line using clearance cards, train orders and waybills. Each conductor receives a clip board with Clearance Form A and specific 19s and 31s. There is a First Class TimeTable and also an individual waybill for each revenue car on the train. And on the back is a track diagram complete with all the sidings and spurs.

 

     Yardmaster tells each departing crew to simply follow the orders, drop off five cars to the destinations on their waybills and pick up the five cars whose waybills are in the train order stand out on the line at the stop we are working.

 

     Sounds simple, right? Yep, sure is for experienced freight guys, but what about passenger guys and visitors who don't know this road well? Well, we can have fun, too! Maybe make a bunch of extra moves or even bring in the wrong car (or two) while we learn the shortcuts (like how many cars will fit into a run around or why that facing point switch isn't a trail) the hard way, but we are railroading now and at the end of the day I'm glad I drove over and 'signed the list'.

 

     I've joined two turn jobs as rear end brakeman, an interchange job as conductor and conducted a sweep to finish up. Met some new friends today and caught up with a few long time ones, too.

 

     Strange thing, though, when I get home and tell Mrs. Caboose about my day she can't believe that I did all that for NO pay!

 

Best regards, cabooseMikey.

VID00515
Ridge Lines PART 1
http://youtu.be/XjKjyd5_N10

VID00516
Ridge Lines PART 2
http://youtu.be/TPGFdxA_TU0

VID00517
Ridge Lines PART 3
http://youtu.be/7fDHUZciqnI

VID00518
Ridge Lines PART 4
http://youtu.be/nMVt14eBOOU

VID00519
Ridge Lines PART 5
http://youtu.be/_uJCzfA4NcE

FEC202 Jan 17, 2015

202 by mp216 at 7:04 with 812, 807 & 805. Mark waving his blue light special from the
cab to my sparklers. Rock up front, IM, lots of tanks+, freight on the end. Missing
racks. Meet not sure with 101 being late. Not so cold or windy this evening.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 17, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/3rOOSv58mKo

FEC202 Jan 16, 2015

202 by mp216 at 6:03 with 808 & 822. Ray giving us waves and lights from the cab to my
sparklers in this horrific wind and just a tad chilly. Lots of rock up front, rest IM with
a lonely CSX waffle sided box car carrying EOT. Meet unsure as there is a work crew in
Micco.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 16, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/KILj3_rN4PI

FEC202 Jan 15, 2015

202 by mp216 at 7:12 with 814 & 801. Jim and ECH waving blue light from the cab to my
sparklers and still windy and chilly. Tanks up front, covered hoppers, lots of Wal-Mart
picked up in FO, ahead of the rock and IM. Nice weekend fellas.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 15, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/5mG4Ot4G8fU

FEC101 Jan 15, 2015

101 by mp216 at 6:34 with 823,817 & 414. Tommy waving from the cab to my sparklers
staying lit in this very windy and chilly evening. A fantastic long (almost 13000 feet) of
all IM, with many UPS, Roadways+, lots of FEC blue containers and a RBL.
Meet in Gifford with 202.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 15, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/Wl9kcmMWM9w

FEC101 Jan 14, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:54 with 821, 820 & 432 lhf. Jim and ECH waving from the cab with
ECH shining his blue light special to my sparklers. What a beautiful, long hot train with
all IM, lots of doubles, FEC blue containers, a Hanjin, 2 Ashley's and an empty deep well
EOT.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 14, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/pvPJD3XYNBk

FEC202 Jan 14, 2015

202 by mp216 at 4:58 with 812 & 819. Tommy stretched out waving from the cab window
to my sparklers on a very windy evening. Rock up front, IM, racks, a block of TTX box
cars, center beams and a tank EOT. Meet in Palm Bay with 101.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 14, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/kc8Y_o5BWzU

FEC101 Jan 13, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:13 with 818, 800 & 809 lhf. Tommy waving white from the window and
Tony taking a form T for mp 233+ with officer Ric heading to site. Consist of IM, lots of
FEC blue containers + doubles, 2 Ashley and the beautiful Azalea with St Augustine
hopefully seeing my sparklers..How much fun and still daylight.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 13, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/b3tgl2dNhv0

FEC202 Jan 13, 2015

202 by mp216 at 4:39 with 821 & 820. Jim and ECH waving white from the cab to my
sparklers. Lots of rock up front, IM, racks with a special articulated FEC 110635,
tanks followed by freight and covered hoppers.
Meet in Micco with 101 that has a treat on the bottom.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 13, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/vnapewpP_6s

FEC101 Jan 11, 2015

101 by mp216 at 7:08 with Big Hertwig's 809, 810 and 412 lhf.  Tommy and Tony waving away from the cab to my sparklers. All IM, FEC blue containers and one Ashley.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 11, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/AAsWi1xrSS4

FEC101 Jan 10, 2015

101 by mp216 at 7:22 with Big Hertwig's 821 & 807.  Crew of Ray waving with lots of empty rock up front, IM, some tubs and 3 Ashley's towards the bottom.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 10, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/f4dGtcTgdxw

FEC202 Jan 10, 2015

202 by mp216 at 6:54 with 808, 818 and 422. Mark leaning and yelling with his blue light special. Bam waving too. Rock a plenty up front, miss mash of freight with beau coupe of tanks. Meet in Micco with 101.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 10, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/PA9FoFksTrQ

FEC202 Jan 9, 2015

202 by mp216 at 6:12 with Big Hertwig's 810 & 806.  Ray and crew waving from the cab. 
No rock, lots of Orange Schneiders, lots of IM, one lonely TTX box car, lots of tanks,
freight cars and racks on the bottom with one TTX articulated.  Meet in Pineda with 101.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 9, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/7JSG1ywS9jg

FEC101 Jan 8, 2015

101 by mp216 at 6:16 with Big Hertwig's 805, 801 & 411 lhf. Tony and Tommy waving from the cab to my sparklers really showing in the dark. All IM with defect detector at mp 212.8 talking as engines approach mp216 meaning almost close to three mile long train. Business cars on bottom lit up in the darkness!
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 8, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/IQvzTCMXxHM

FEC202 Jan 8, 2015

202 by mp216 at 5:01 with Big Hertwig's 823 & 817. Jim and ECH waving from the cab to my sparklers on this very windy, cool evening. Rock up front & interspersed through out, tubs through out, IM, those  Center beams causing waves in the wind  big time and as ECH says junk on the bottom. Meet we think is Palm Bay.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 8, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/V5NKAvuGHls

FEC101 Jan 7, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:43 with Big Hertwig's 821 & 807 , 414 lhf spiffed  up.  Jim and ECH
waving from the cab to my sparklers and Caboose up in the air of his cab.  Had IM, with a
string of empty wells, NFI, Premier and 2 Ashley's paired. Safe trip fellas and catch you
on the flip flop.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 7, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/a1TXeme5kLI

FEC202 Jan 7, 2015

202 by mp216 at 5:17 with Big Hertwig's 800 & 806. Tommy and Tony waving to my
sparklers with rock up front, IM, racks and riff raff not seen for a while. Center
beams, bulk heads with one green clearly stenciled 66 feet between faces, 20 tanks and
various box.  Meet in Micco with 101.
Anita and Caboose

FEC202 Jan 7, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/2I4wzjMrwPY

FEC101 Jan 6, 2015

101 by mp216 at 5:25 with Big Hertwig's 816, 822 & 818. Tony and Tommy waving from
the cab to my big sparklers. All racks up front with two sets of TTX articulated, IM,
lots of building materials, string of empties, short red Crowley, more UPS than have
seen in ages and three Ashley's towards the bottom. Not sure of meet with 202 as they
left so late.
Anita and Caboose

FEC101 Jan 6, 2015 vid link:
http://youtu.be/hgg8w9opO_0

FEC101 Jan 5, 2015

101-05 by mp216 with 804 & 817. Jim and ECH waving to my new extra long sparklers.
Racks up front, IM with a few empties, building materials, love to see those FEC
containers, a Crowley towards the bottom and two Gold Coast containers out of NC
on the rear. A New one for me. 202 late, so probably meet in FO or further south.
Caboose had a meeting tonight, so I am holding down the rails.
Anita caboose

trains annulled for New Years holiday

These trains are annulled for New Years  holiday:

 Tuesday- Dec. 30- 335 & 336

 Wednesday- Dec. 31- 111 & 212, 123 & 224, 335 & 336, 121 &
 226. All locals except 960 & 963.

 Thursday- Jan. 1- ALL TRAINS. All locals.

 Train 121 & 226 will swap on Tuesday, Dec.30.
 Train 101 & 202 will swap on Wednesday- Dec. 31.
 Train 107 & 222 will swap on Friday, Jan. 2.
 Train 109 & 210 will swap on Friday, Jan. 2.
 Train 121 & 226 will swap on Friday, Jan. 2.


Posted by: David
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