Gardner Gawking

0350-0600/07-13-2018 didn't add any evidence of ill-fortune to Fridays that are the 13th. The earlier-than-usual timeframe? A crew was scheduled for an 0700 arrival at Château-Jaymaque, so early departure was made for an early return.
D-3 rewarded my early departure by letting Q426 know that the PAR crew was sitting at New Bond Street and waiting for them. At 0407 began the reception of a number of POED transmissions -- car countdowns and 3-steps -- that would continue. There will be more about POED later.
At 0420, Wachusett showed a Clear on the 333 1 WL and -- again -- a marker on WB racks about150 yards west on racks sitting on 2. The west wasn't getting any louder, so it was over to 334 were the ELs and 1 stagger were at Stop, and solo NS 4058 -- my first sighting of one of those rebuilds -- was sitting dark on the racks. Again, the west was quiet, and a couple later, the 335 ELs were dark. so no EB seemed soon likely.
Up Da Hill, there was general on Yard 4, general that included MT centerbeams plus 3 racks to the east on Yard 2, and racks to the west on Yard 1. In a break with past practice, the Extension was MT. The only entries for this Friday's Sameoldsameold Ledger were the 345 and 346 signals and untucked stone on the Heywood. At 0449, Parkers was MT and the 346 WL dark, prompting the trip-flip. On the way, D-3 issued Form D G-301, Line 2ing Burncoat to MP X25 to the previously mentioned Q426/SEPO. Of particular interest was the power -- CSXT 977, so no Greendale power-swap this time. There will be more later about SEPO.
Back down Da Hill, the 335 ELs were dark, and at 0508, the 333 WLs were all at Stop, 400 well east, but the WB racks still in place. Further east, the 330.8 WBs were both at Clear. At 0513, there was a Zombiefied D-3 to someone one about the rest of their power, but there was nothing -- Zombiefied or otherwise -- from the 40.2 on or near 400's time. The 330 and GL WLs were at Stop, and the FG WLs dark, and at 0519, D-3 told someone it was OK to go west from Moores and that it would be a straight shot from there. At 0521, OldPaint 353 was sitting on the east of 4 boxes -- including 2 CSXTs -- on West Side. Dunno if they had come back from Otter River. The old layover still held the regulator and spiker. At 0528, there was a badly-broken report from the 40.2, track not heard and total axles ?2[l]3[/i], prompting a decision to invest time at North Leominster, where the EB staggers for Derby showed Approach for 1 and Stop for 2. There was another burst of garble from the 40.2 at 0532, only the ID being intelligible. In a display of the the determinacy of topography on UHF High-Band propagation, a minute earlier, the 7.8 talker -- double-digit miles to the southeast -- announced that it was checking train. At 0539, the 7.8 gave out a no defects and transmission over, so even though iI had been on the wrong side of the Temple Street/Rte. 140 MP X7.8 crossing, I wasn't and wouldn't be stuck at the protection. T wrap ups SEPO entries, at 0548, D-3 said it had been decided to recrew them, asked where they were, and then proposed Clinton. If there were subsequent changes, they woulda happened after I stopped listening.
In a bit, brightiewhities showed up by the EB staggers and KCIRs 7561 and 7545 -- the same pair shown in Hayden Logan's http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=244864" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; of 07-12 at CPF-HA waiting for 219 -- got 49 west of North Leominster at 0541. There were MT slurries, MT centerbeams and bulkheads, one Twin Rivers and a few Irving centerbeams, boxes that included a Smurf, full-size covered hoppers, and 1 MT table.

0410-0610/07-16-2018 was a period of spotty receptions and more-than-spotty ground fog. Among the various bursts of static, there was a relatively clear D-3 side of a convo with AY-4, but naught informative. The 0435 arrival at Wachusett showed the 333 WLs dark, so it was over to 334 where the dark signals turned to Stops for the ELs and Approach for the 1 stagger when 400's equipment did the 0441 shunting, a total of 4 flats and 1 bi plus a 1000 getting east at 0443. The 335 ELs were dark so it was WB, part of that trip including a mangled 40.2 report, but obviously not for the 400.
Up Da Hill was pretty well filled -- general on Yard 4, general on Yard 2 with 3 racks on the east, general on Yard 1 and the Extension, and more general on the #2 from a bit east of the Wilkins Road dogleg to New Switch with the bills in the easternmost knuckle. The 2 northerly tracks had loads that included tented and wrapped lumber, flats with structural steel and piping, and full-size covered hoppers, plus gons. One advantage of being in Gardner a touch early was a relatively clear reception of a Line 4 -- time effective 0500 -- for TC 2528 between the south limit of CPR-1 and MP S27. Things musta been relatively quiet cuz it was Form D G-301, a full five hours into new counting.
The Heywood stone was still not neat, and the the CPF-345 1 WL was showing Clear. At 0512, however, the 346 WL was dark, that and an MT Parkers clues to be EB.
Down Da Hill, the 335 ELs were dark, 402's equipment still in the facility, and the 333 WLs were dark at 0527 for precisely the same reason. 0527 was also when D-3 told someone he'd get a cab for them somewhere -- "the stairs" -- sometime soon. For those who may have missed the opportunity to see the tracked Kubota mini-excavator at the 333 lot, it's back. A second retention pond was put in, this one south of the driveway into the lot.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs showed a Stop for 1 and Clear for 2, the 330 1 WL a Slow Clear, and the GL Controlled Siding WL a Medium Approach Medium. The FG WLs were dark, D-2 gave a broken 241 for POSE with the 7528 at WA -- good news for someone soon to transit the Temple Street/Rte. 140. MP X7.8 crossing -- and next at 0541, OldPaint 353 was solo in the FI-1/2 parking spot. Well, not quite solo -- 1 track north was KCIR 7585, both units appearing in johnpbarlow's http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=244888" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; of 7-14 of the 07-13 ED-8 at Gardner. The old layover still held the regulator and spiker, and a few later, the EB staggers for Derby showed an Approach for 1 and Clear for 2.
28N? 287? 22K? EDPO? POED? ED-9? Any of the other-than-AY-4 AY locals? Dunno. Just dunno.

Jaymac, you may want to make a special Tuesday trip to CPF-345 & CPF-346 this morning....

EDFLD Bill-
Thanks, I'd like to, but can't. If the LEDs do go live, I'll see them 07-18 and know that Santa does deliver.

For 0415-0645/07-18-2018, things were busy. To get the obvious out of the way, and as suggested by EDFLD Bill, things have been brought into the 21st century at CPFs 345 and 346, johnpbarlow's 07-08-2016 post -- with photo of 07-09 -- all the way back on P.113 of <Gardner Gawking> showing the start and Al LaPierre's http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=244969" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; of 07-17-2018 showing the completion of the changeover. The new 345 ELs are clearly visible from Rte. 2 WB, but too late for the Pearson Boulevard offramp. That will probably change for Fall, Winter, and early Spring. The shorter 346 WL should eliminate the occasional solar-glare EB 241s. The old 346 WL heads have been removed, and the old 345 WL heads have been bagged. Didn't think to get a good view of the old 345 EL.
Dunno if it was cuzza yesterday's storms, but reception seemed more compromised today. At 0415, there was a Zombiefied 241 mebbe for FG, and throughout the trip, there would be partials on the Yard Channel. The 0443 arrival at Wachusett showed the 333 WLs lit, a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding. Why lit so early? 22K was tied down on 1 with NSs 7510, 2572, and 9204 doing their Ponies-can-be-elephants-too act. At 0453, AY-3 was doing a car countdown -- clear for a change -- and a minute later 400's head-and-ditch lights would reflect off the east end of the platform. Almost immediately, they gave themselves permission to depart, a total of 4 flats and 1 bi plus the 1051 producing 9/9 red at 0455. No noise got made to the east, so that was taken as an indication that there were no WBs in the near term, more about which later.
The 334 ELs and ! stagger were all at Stop, and 22K extended west, the 335 ELs and WLs at Stop, but the marker not visible from the 335 lot. What was visible at the lot -- besides the still-there tie-handler -- were a hyrail Doosan excavator with a grapple, a chipper, and a tracked Cat Skid Steer, with a stack of felled and limbed trees over by the MOW stub. On the way up Da Hill, there was a Zombie-Zoned D-3 transmission to AY-3, followed at 0516 by a garbled 40.2, in line with 400's delayed departure, followed at 0518 by a clear D-3 transmission to POED, advising that he couldn't give them the light till 400 went by.
Up Da Hill had much more than new signals. Both Yards 4 and 2 had a mix of general and racks, On the curve there were a coupla racks on either Yard 1 or the Bull Run, and 3 racks sat on the Extension. Heywood stone still awaited attention, and next came a surprise. Starting somewhere west of the Timpany Boulevard UGB, the #2 had general that extended a bit west of the still-OOS Pleasant Street OHB and changed into racks that extended somewhere west of the Wilkins Road dogleg. Neither power nor marker was visible at Parkers at 0531, and the new 346 WL was at Stop, so it is either constant-on, or 346 was lined for the #2.
At 0522, D-3 had asked someone if they could get to 333, ending with an OK for 330, followed in a couple with the D-3 side of a convo with FI-2, asking if they could get back to Fitchburg, upshot unheard, but more will follow.
Back down Da Hill, the 335 ELs were at Stop, 22K's containers visible through the trees across from Ashburnham Road. At 0553, there was a both-sides-heard D-3/POED exchange, POED now to wait for the 402. The 333 WLs were all at Stop, the route not yet in for 404 at 0558.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs showed Stop for 1 and Clear for 2, and the 330 WLs a Slow Clear for 1. What had gotten to 330 was an EGT sitting on 2 with NewBlue 600, KCIR 7517, and NewBlue 3403. Curiously -- and with the adjacent #2 occupied -- the GL WLs were dark. The EGT ended in back of the old gym, a bit clear of the FG WLs, the 1 WL showing a Limited Clear.
At 0613 -- the same time the FI-1/2 parking spot was MT, a broken-to-me 241 went out for Derby to the F!-2. The power? NS 9101. And yes, the old layover still had the regulator and spiker. In case FI-2 was headed back to the parking spot, a 0621 look was taken that showed the EB staggers for Derby both at Approach. More garble occurred at 0631 with an OK to reverse direction at Derby, followed by wondering -- answer unheard -- whether FI-2 would stay at Derby or go back to the yard. One other transmission was at 0634 to 28N asking about the light at 312. Zombei-Zone transition limited fuller understanding of the issue.
Unheard during the time-slot was anything to, from, or about SEPO or POSE, but a delay-free transit of the Temple Street/Rte. 140/MP X7.8 crossing showed the post-rain wear-surfaces to be well polished.

Consumption of drinks and snacks is recommended for consumption of the 0400-0645/07-20-2018 report.
At 0402, D-3 told someone their Fitchburg pickups would be from 1 on the West and 3 on the West and would total about 60 cars, the count not accurate cuz lists -- plural -- had been sent to the Yard Office. Clear receptions tapered off until 0426 and 0427 when D-3 tried to raise TC T669. Never heard what the reason(s) might be. Emerging from the garble at 0430 was a clear "22K," more about which later. At 0435 and well before 400 would be doing the shunting, the 333 WLs were all at Stop cuz 28N with elephant wannabes NS 9320 and UP 4103 -- bad news for photographers of a future 287/I87 unless a major intervention happens -- was sitting tied down on the 2. At 0441, there was something about 334, probably 400 calling out the WL cuz the next minute, the Controlled Siding WL went to Medium Clear, At 0444, the 7643 called out a Stop for FG, and at 0446, D-3 gave 22K with NS 9904 permission to reverse direction at CPF-AY on the #2. Remember 7643? D-3 told POED -- with the same set of numbers -- they'd be holding for 400 at 0450, the same time 400 gave themselves the OK to depart. 4 flats and 1 bi plus an 1100 -- whose side numbers weren't all that legible and whose number boards were dark -- restored redness at 0451. There would be no noise made to the near east.
Yes, an offering was made -- one that would prove like bread upon the waters -- and a trip was taken to 334. The 334 ELs were predictably at Stop and the 1 stagger was G/G Clear. Given that 28N's marker was single-digit yards east of the 334 2 EL, D-3 musta been involved in calling them clear for their tie-down. 335 ELs and WLs were dark, and the lumber equipment was still in the 335 lot, although in different positions and with more felled and limbed trees. As a guess, this may be for PTC work.
On the way up Da Hill, there was a Zombiefied Form D G-304 Line 4ing CPR 1 to MP S27 -- time effective 0514 -- just about the same time that 400 would be transiting the 40.2, so no report for them. Around a quarter-hour later, there would be another Zombied Form D -- G-305 -- sounding like somewhere to Northfield was being given away. The 07-18 Line 4 for the Conn River was given about the same time and received in the same general area, but was clearer than today's 304 and 305.
Up Da Hill had a mix of general and racks on both Yards 4 and 2 and 3 racks to the west on Yard 1 between the easterly Bull Run switch and the Yard 2 switch. Dunno if this is the new set-out track and/or if the Bull Run is OOS. If what was up there might seem familiar, there will be more about that possibility later.
At 0528, the new 346 WL was at Approach, no surprise since the 345 WLs were both at Stop. To deal with old-signal issues, the 346 bridge was still in place, the 345 WL masts had gone, and the 345 EL head had gone, but its mast -- at 1 time with 2 heads -- was still in place.
Now it was time for Form D G-306 to AY-5 with the 7749 -- not Ns and not MEC, but GECX -- with 2 lines, a Line 12 to protect the #2 only at Wagon Wheel MP 312.50 and a Line 13 to leave MP 313, time effective 0532.
You might think things are over, but at 0537, the 7609 called out a Stop, and D-3 responded with a Single-to-2 241 -- correct at 0539 -- with the advice that EDPO would be passing by them. KCIRs 7609, and 7542, and 7585 got west of the Jade on 2 at 0542, eventually stopping west of West Switch. 0550 was when the 346.6 came on, and 0552 was when she gave a no defects, 52° (in line with my car's thermometer), 1677' (more about which in a bit), and train too slow. Just to keep my fingers and your eyes busy, at 0553, D-3 acknowledge that FI-2 -- back to the 353 -- was lined and locked normal for the #2 at Lafarge and would head west after 402 went by.
The 345 1 WL had gone to Clear, so EDPO got loud as they came around the bend, KCIRs 7605 and 7575 and OldPaint 374 getting 70 onto the Single at 0600. Given not just the car-count but the presence of large numbers of MT centerbeams and lidded CHUX gons and LPG loads and full-size covered hoppers, the few shorties and paper-service dangerouses weren't enough to indicate that the 346.6 length feature didn't need a recal.
If you have been availing yourself of food and drink, please make sure you now have an MT mouth. At the west end, the KCIR trio had begun to work. 3-step had been asked for and was acknowledged not by ED-9 but -- again an MT mouth is recommended -- by LA-5. That's gonna be some cab-fare home, and any spitting or choking after fair warning is on you.
An info exchange was commenced with a more local and more frequent observer at the Jade lot, and it was his view that what was in the yard was what had been there days earlier. Sameoldsameold Ledger? The Heywood stone plus whatever unmoved cars were in the yard.
I made the decision to truncate the return trip, a decision aided at 0601 when D-3 acknowledged that Q427 had cleared Barbers and that I would have clear sailing over the Temple Street/Rte. 140/MP X7.8 crossing.
Is it lunchtime yet?

0410-0645/07-23-2018 kinda made me wonder if things had gotten turned upside down. At 0421 and again at 0429, D-3 reached out to ED-8 -- yes, eight -- with the 7797. At 0433 and again at 0434, the object of interest was 23 -- yes, three -- K, leader unheard. The 0438 arrival at Wachusett showed the 333 WLs lit, stops for 1 and 2, and a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding, the why being WB racks tied down on 2. At 0439, 400 completed their air, and D-3 reached out again to ED-8, with another 0446 call, this time asking for an update, advising them they would follow the 400 and take Moores and West Wye into the yard to Track 11, and some other instructions, concluding with handing their marker over to AY=3. Then there was an inquiry about whether ED-8 was using yesterday's speed summary, advising them of an update that the 1 was now back to normal and the 2 was at 25. The nature of the conversation hinted that ED-8 was probably at Fitchburg, but not even static was heard from them.
In the meantime, 400 was on the move, 5 flats and the 1074 turning the WLs all red at 0452. At 0453, extra confirmation of ED-8 being east came when D-3 advised they were OK to Leominster and would -- as mentioned earlier -- follow 400. There was no noise to the east, nor was there any indication of WB headlights a few later, so the ritual offering was made with an adjournment to 334 where the ELs were at Stop and the the 1 stagger at Approach. Clear of the 2 EL were NS 9320 and UP 4103, the selfsame elephantine power couple of the 07-20 28N. Wow! 3 days to turn 28N's power into 287's power?
The 335 ELs and WLs were dark, the lumber and lumber equipment at the 335 lot seemed pretty much as on 07-20, and at the approximate time-window, naught for the 400 was heard from the 40.2. Naught from the 40.2 would be heard later from 402, 28N, or FI-2.
What did get heard on the way up Da Hill was 28N with NS 9065 asking for a 241, a 1-E-to-Single-at-345 being called correct at 0520. There had also been a 28N update, but that -- mysteriously -- had gotten garbled. NSs 9065, 2766, 9398, and 1120 got 35 racks -- including 1 articulated set -- onto the Single at 0529, a minute after D-3 told FI-2 with the 353 they's be running around ED-8 when they got to the Camp. Gardner itself had racks on Yard 4, a few general -- including MT centerbeams -- east and a good number of racks west on Yard 2, 5 racks on the east of Yard 1 and onto the Yard Lead. Racks west on 1 of Bull Run? The rain was in carwash mode, so hard to tell which. The Heywood was no surprise -- still-untucked stone -- but the Extension was a surprise -- KCIR 7500 (east) and NewBlue 3400. At 0535, Parkers was MT, the new 346 WL dark, and the old signal bridge down and cut into pieces beside the ROW. The concrete bases were still there with steel stubs. The old 345 EL structure was still in place. 28N would get yarding instructions that were less than precise because the situation in the yard was less than precise.
402 and probably 28N already east, a straight shot was made to Wachusett, where the WLs were all Stops and 287 was still in place. To the east, the 330.8 WBs were both at Clear, the 330 WLs at Stop, and the GL and FG WLs dark. At 0604, FI-2 had gotten permission to reverse direction from where they stood, advising D-3 they'd be going back to West Side, but at 0612, they weren't yet visible. What was visible on West Side -- but not visible enough to get numbers -- was a sitting pair of NewBlues. Oh yeah, the regulator and spiker were still in the old layover. A few later the EB staggers for Derby showed Approach for 1 and Stop for 2, but -- again -- there was nothing audible from the 40.2 to indicate who might be where.
At 0628, AY-3 reached out to D-3, response unheard, but at 0640, D-3 advised AY-3 to head up to East Wye and wait for at least 1 passenger.
The way-late ED-8 and 23K? Mebbe cuz the Single at 346 had been OOS cuz the old signal-bridge was being dropped.

Gawking at 1430 Tuesday showed racks on the east ends (at least) of yard 2 and 4, the 7500 engine (and probably the other one behind it to the west) on the yard 1 extension, at least one rack on the east end of the yard 1 lead, and an EB freight on track 1 blocking a more detailed view. This train had 2 engines facing red at the 345 WL and went back almost to the closed bridge. Interesting, the train had a block of racks in the middle (the westernmost was a double articulating) and had loads like wrapped lumber and scrap metal that are usually seen in west bounds. A crew was in the cab so they might have been waiting for something to come up the hill. Don't know if the P&W had visited yet today.

For 0405-0635/07-25-2018, more interesting sounds and sights, starting with 0406+ calls to AY-4 and then Ayer Utility to ask if the cars on 4 had been tested, getting a "don't know," and asking for a "let me know." Next and at 0408 and 0509, AY-6 would get called. Never heard the upshot of those calls. Next was the 0413 D-3 call to EDPO with the 7585, and unheard-by-me response, and D-3's counter response, "No, 7585, the one ahead of you." There will be more later.
Transits through Zombie Zones complicated understanding of receptions, but there were more calls to AY-6 and the 7585.
At 0438 and in a break with the recent past, Wachusett was MT and the 333 WLs dark, so instead of burning 20 minutes or so for the 400, t was over to the equally dark and MT 334. The 335 ELs were at Stop, but it would turn out that 400's equipment had gotten east while I was getting west. The 335 lot's timber equipment and timber were still pretty much in place, so it was more WB travel.
Up Da Hill, the 345 ELs and WLs were at Stop, and today's offering was made at The Shrine Of The Deity Of The CPF-345 Dunks, immediate reward coming immediately to the west. johnhenry's 07-24 post had already set the table: KCIR 7500 and NewBlue 3400 were still on the Extension. It was raining when I had seen them on 07-23, so my windows had been up, but on 07-25 it wasn't yet, and the pair were both audibly at idle. and the possibility of frozen plumbing was sets of double digits away. Others can calculate the amount of fuel consumed. Part 2 of johnhenry's table setting sat on the #2 -- general that included an ARMN reefer, company gons and other general from New Switch, changing to racks by Pratt's and west beyond the Timpany Boulevard UGB and then back to more general until 100+ yard east of the still-OOS Pleasant Street OHB. The rest of the yard has some general on the east end of Yard 4 with mebbe more to the west, general on Yard 2 that included MT centerbeams, and more general on Yard 1. During observation of Gardner -- including the Heywood's stone still in need of replacement -- D-3 gave a shoutout to EDPO, this 1 of the 7797 variety, asking if they had the signal at AY and advising that they could accept it. Wow: 2 EDPOs on D-3 simultaneously!
D-3 would answer FI-2 at 0510, rogering whatever they said, and at 0512, Parkers was MT and the 346 WL at Stop, that indication taken as indication that CPF-346 was lined for 2.
Down Da Hill, the 335 ELs were dark, and at 0539, the 333 Controlled Siding WL showed a Medium Clear for 402 sitting at the platform.
Further east the 330.8 WBs showed a Stop for 1 and Clear for 2, the 330 1 WL a Slow Clear, and the GL and FG WLs were dark. To break the pattern up, an EGT with 3403 advised D-3 at 0551 that they were ready to go, their Form D G-305 Line 13 to leave MP F47 made effective at 0555, with the word they'd be holding for 402 to get east of FG. 402's total of 4 flats and 1 bi plus an illegible 1100 cleared the FG EL at 0557. Noise got made, the EGT got loud, and NewBlues 3403 and 600 and KCIRs 7517 and 7622 got their 113 mostly BNSFs west of the FG EL at 0602. A couple later, the FI-1/2 parking spot was MT, no surprise since D-3 had just given FI=2 permission to reverse direction from wherever they were. Not only were the regulator and spiker still in the old layover, but West Side seemed pretty well full, too.
At 0608 and on 402's time the 40.2 gave a no defects on 1 to 25 axles, and a couple later, the EB staggers for Derby showed an Approach for 1 and Stop for 2.
Remember the 7797 EDPO? D-2 advised them at 0621 that they'd be holding for LA-5, location unheard by me.
There were more partials to, from, and about various AY locals, but naught heard to from, or about 28N, 287, 22K, POED, or ED-9 as of 0635.

A quick gawk at high noon on Thursday showed no steel wheels in Gardner save a string of racks on yard 1 between new switch and Bruce's Auto Service. Just west of Gardner,observed from the Pleasant St bridge, there was general freight on Track 2 (from about 6 cars east of the bridge to out of sight to the west). Because I stopped to get a slice of pizza at Sorrento's (highly recomended) I was rewarded with FI- (353) pulling onto the Heywood with 4 boxes (one looked empty, judging by the loose springs).

I cannot believe that they pulled down the old signal bridges so fast. They're still sitting on the west end a decade after being taken out of service.

As the length of the 0410-0710/07-27-2018 time-window might indicate, things were busy. There were occasions of static, 0423 being the start of some clarity when POED -- much more about which much later -- would start a series of car-countdowns, D-3 adding at 0429 that it was OK for POED with the 7534 to reverse direction at CPF-Camp to the #2. At 0431, there would be a brief AY-2/AY-2 exchange, garble otherwise being the rule. The Wachusett arrival showed dark 333 WLs, that changing with not just a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding, but also a Clear for 1. 400's equipment did the usual job of brightening the platform even more, 0450 being on-the-move time. A total of 4 flats and 1 bi plus the 1138 did the 0451 dropping, darkness return at 0453, a puzzlement given the Clear for 1. An offering was made, and over at 334 the ELs and 1 stagger were all at Stop at 0503 and then -- at the selfsame minute -- dark. The 335 ELs were also dark, kinda quick for a WB to get outta shunting range, so the supposition became that FI-2 musta gotten itself east while I had gotten myself west. Yes, the timber equipment and timber were still at the 335 lot, as was the long-term resident tie-handler.
For those who have heard about the much-hyped Blood Moon, at first it wasn't low enough on the horizon to be really bloody, and then it got obscured by cloud and/or fog banks. At 0512 and on 400's time, the 40.2 gave a no defects on 1, all else garbled.
Up Da Hill, the 345 ELs were at Stop, but the 345 1 WL at Clear. The only entry for the Sameoldsameold Ledger was the Heywood stone, but there was a TC parked in the lower lot. Yes, the Extension no longer hosted KCIR 7500 and NewBlue 3400. There were rack loads on Yard 1, and the #2 had general from New Switch west to somewhere east of the Wilkins Road dogleg, with possibly a few racks mixed in. Yards 2 and 4 mebbe mighta had a few, but fog plus stuff on the #2 and Yard 1 limited the view..
Over at Parkers was a Clear on the 346 WL and a more frequent and more local observer who observed that an EDPO had gone through Baldwinville ~0400 at speed with 4 units and 50 cars. He also confirmed that my hearing was accurate and that it was LA-5 working Gardner earlier in the week. The west got a bit loud, and the 346.6 got on the job at 0528, 0530 being the time for a no defects, 63°, and 2340'. What was it? Solo NS 9769 and 27 racks. Dunno if it was a 28N or I8N.
A straight shot was taken to Wachusett, in time to see the 333 WLs at Stop, except for the Controlled Siding's Medium Clear. 402 gave themselves the OK to go at 0545, a total of 4 flats and 1 bi plus the 1120 doing the 0546 dropping. Darkness did not come when expected, so thinking mebbe something was up at 334, a look was taken from the platform that showed naught west.
What were we about to relearn today? Occasionally, patience should be practiced. Back at the 333 lot there was a WB on 1 -- 3 KCIRs and 48 cars -- that cleared the 333 WL at 0555. There were corn-product, slurry, and a coupla HCl tanks, lidded and non-lidded CHUX gons, boxes, and covered hoppers, but no centerbeams, MT or otherwise. Over at the 335 ELs, POED with the now-legible KCIRs 7534, 7797, and 7835 came to a stop at 0601. 404 was finishing their air and -- with a bi control cab and a total of 4 flats and 1 more bi plus the 2032 -- was east of 335 at 0609, noise being made. There had already been a few Zombied 241s, there would be another couple, and there was another at 0611. Dunno if any of these were for the EB racks to do a set-off in Gardner -- the #2 already having cars west of New Switch -- or if it was a Transfer-Time issue, but the 345 WLs were blocked from view by foliage and POED seemed to be going nowhere near-term, so I was EB with no further sight or sound of said racks.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs showed Stop for 1 and Clear for 2 and the 330 WLs Stops. The GL and FG Wls were dark, and at 0637, OldPaint 353 was in the FI-1/2 parking spot, the regulator and spiker still in the old layover. At 0629, the 404 E had advised the 404 C they'd be track 1 at North Leominster, and sure enough and on 404's 0648 Shirley advertised, the 40.2 gave a no defects on 1 to 28 axles. A couple after that, the EB staggers for Derby showed an Approach for 1 and Clear for 2.
There had been 1 or more Zombied Line 4s earlier -- probably Conn River-- but 0651 was the time effective for Form D G-305, Line 4ing Burncoat to MP X25 to TC 1621 at Clinton West with the proviso that there would be an EB later on, time dependent on CSXT.
There had also been a 0631 Zombied D-3 transmission to EDPO, and at 0659, D-3 told EDPO with the 7545 that they'd be holding for 401 -- Ayer advertised 0714 -- and to accept the signal afterwards.
287? 22K? ED-9? Dunno.

0410-0635/07-30-2018 was action-and-inaction-packed, the later caused by 2 tie-fires east of Shirley across from the High School and between Walker and MacPherson because of rail-grinding, available details to follow.
The 0410+ news seemed little better, a garbled D-3 to someone about something being shut down at Moores and not working at all. There would be clearer reception at 0426 when D-3 asked POED with the 7535 if the 2nd unit -- the 600 -- was facing east or west, response not being heard, and dunno if the 0410 was to/from POED or somebody else.
The 0443 arrival at Wachusett showed the 333 WLs all at Stop, but no EB or WB tie-downs. 0444 was when the WLs went dark, prompting the supposition that an EB had just been missed, a supposition buttressed when the WLs came back on 0445 as 400 pulled up to the platform and the Controlled Siding WL changed from Stop to a Medium Approach at 0447. Given later transmissions, 28N was probably the just-missed EB. At 0450, 400 gave themselves the OK to depart, still not in line-of-sight of the the 333 Controlled Siding WL, which seconds later went over to Medium Clear. A total of 4 flats and 1 bi plus the 1133 did the 0451 dropping, and 0453 brought darkness, and 0456 brought the lights back, this time the Medium Clear showing for the 1.There was a staticky 0458 D-3/FI-2 exchange, D-3 advising their move would have to wait cuz there was an EDPO just behind 400, and in another couple the west got bright, KCIRs 7609 and 7643 and NewBlue 381 getting 63 east of the 333 WLs at 0504. There was a utility-pole bulkhead, a few wrapped-lumber and 2 MT centerbeams, placarded tanks, a good number of full-size and a coupla shortie covered hoppers, and boxes that included a Smurf. 0508 was when darkness returned, and yes, an offering was most definitely made. Signals were dark at 334 and 335, the timbering array still at the 335 lot.
There had been a 0505 28N call-out to D-3, response not heard, a garbled 40.2 at 0514, almost on 400's Shirley advertised. At 0514, there would be a both-sides audible 28N/D-3 exchange about mebbe leaving racks at OX, wondering if the west end of OX was OOS, and then the decision to leave the racks on the main at San-Vel and running EDPO around and ahead of them. In another couple, there was an EDPO/D-3 discussion of a tie fire between Shirley and Paterson Road -- later narrowed to across from the High School -- on 2.
Up Da Hill, there was general on Yards 4 and 2 and racks on Yard 1 and onto the Extension. There were racks on the the #2 from west of the Wilkins Road dogleg, changing into general west of the Timpany Boulevard UGB that included new-looking OMNX gons and min bulkheads of structural steel, back to a few more racks, and the more general up to New Switch that included SSEX gons. The Heywood still had untucked stone, and the lower lot still had the TC that was there on 07-27.
At 0536, D-3 told AY-3 they were OK to 312, but would hold for EDPO to get past, at at 0538 Parkers was MT, and the 346 WL at Stop, mebbe lined for the 2. At 0541, the D-3 side of a convo with EDPO revealed another tie-fire, a coupla hundred yards ahead of POED -- remember them? -- between Walker and MacPherson.
A decision was made for another straight shot to 333, the 0551 arrival producing reception of D-3 telling 28N that he was holding them at Derby account the tie-fire and vision of dark WLs, 402 already well east, 0558 being when D-3 advised 402 that they would also hold at Derby, and further east, the 330.8 WBs were both at Clear, the 330 WLs at Stop, and the the GL and FG WLs dark.
At 0606 solo OldPaint 353 was sitting on West Side and the regulator and spiker were still in the old layover, and at 0612 -- no surprise -- the EB staggers for Derby were both at Stop.
D-3 had earlier advised EDPO to call D-2 from 312 for a Line 12, Form D G-202 effective at 0619 for Pleasant Street, mileage 310.13. Remember AY-3 holding at 312 for EDPO? D-3 would later alert them about having to get a Line 12 from D-2, as well. Dunno how far east they were going.
To tie up the tie-fire, D-3 gave 402 the OK to move at 0623 and POED -- still with the 7535 -- the same OK at 0633. Never heard anything about the rail grinder giving up the track.

0410-0625/08-01-2018 had as its key and unifying themes 22K and puzzling reception, the 2 often intermingling.
At the start, there was garbling on both the yard and road channels, some clarity coming at 0428 with an FI-2/D-3 exchange about crossing the road at FG engine light to pick up 7 MTs. Starting in a couple of minutes and extending throughout the listening period were exchanges -- sometimes clear, sometimes not -- between D-3 and what would emerge as 22K's recrew. Boiling things down, 22K had been tied down ~0100, the new crew arrived to alarm bells, train in emergency, 0 train-line pressure, and a leader -- the 8134 -- that could not be restarted without risk of spillage. The Chief was consulted and doing a set-off of the leader was discussed and and the word was given to call the Deerfield engine house.
During all that, the 0436 arrival at Wachusett showed the 333 WLs at Stop cuzza pigs, but moving and WB pigs. 23K or I3K got west on 1 of the WLs at 0437 -- meaning power had already gotten too far west to be seen -- and darkness ruled at 0439 until 400's equipment started coming east, getting a Medium Clear for the Controlled Siding. 0450 was when the 400 gave themselves the OK to depart, 4 flats, 1 bi, and the 1051 doing the expectable an expectable minute later, and -- no noise to the east -- the expectable darkness returned 2 expectable minutes later. A nonexecutive decision was made to bypass the offering at The Shrine Of The Deity Of The CPF-333 Dunks in favor of higher elevations and to try to catch the WB pigs. Expectable darkness was the display at 334 and 335, and naught was heard from the 40.2 about the 400 cuz I would be way west when that would happen.
In other events, there had 241s given to TC 614 -- yet another more about which later -- from 1 west to FG and then 1 east to FMW, with a 0447 cancellation of the the TC's Form D G-327 of 07-31.
Up Da Hill, the 346.6 came on at 0506. That transmission -- added to the Stops on the 345 ELs -- was taken as a sign that I was too late for the WB pigs. Was I downhearted? No! Staring at me from 2 were EB-and-just-on-the-move brightiewhities. A presumed POED with N&W h/u 8103, NewBlue 600, and KCIR 7535 -- May the Wizard of Wyeing and/or Power Control keep the 8103 as WB leader! -- got 24 -- yes, twenty-four -- onto the Single at 0511, a mix of Ciment Québec shorties, full-size covered hoppers, MT and wrapped-lumber centerbeams, structural-steel bulkheads, and -- on the tail -- mebbe a dozen "experienced" no-end gons carrying equally "experienced" CWR, tie-plate ghosts showing on the bases. The 346.6? 0510 gave a no defects, 62°, and 92??' at the Jade lot, a place from which I normally have 0 trouble receiving the 346.6. The rest of Gardner? Yard 4 was pretty much FP-FP with racks and ditto for Yard 2 with general. The westerly half of Yard 1 had more racks, the Heywood still had untucked stone, and the lower lot still had the parked TC. Yes, an offering was made at The Shrine Of The Deity Of The CPF-345 Dunks, and no, no trip was made to Parkers cuzza the very recent EB and WB.
A straight shot EB was made to Wachusett for the presumed EDPO, but the 333 WLs were dark at 0532, more than a bit ahead of 402 expected arrival at the platform.
A bit OT, the new gas station under construction at the River Street rotary is a Cumby's. What's gonna happen to the old Cumby's, dunno, but the new one is probably the biggest structure in that area since the mills and UFC.
Further east, the 330.8 WBs were both at Stop, the 330 2 WL was at Slow Approach, the GL WLs dark, and the FG 1 WL at Limited Clear. Not only was the FG2 WL at Stop, but its was being obeyed by 22K with the aforementioned 8134 and fellow Pony 8095. Remember the mention of 22K and reception issues? While I was parked by the Credit Union, the E -- Elvis -- began a convo with D-3. D-3 was clear, but the road channel was stomped on by the National Weather Service every time the unit's mic got keyed. This went on for a coupla minutes. I know Elvis was talking, but the NWS was louder. D-3 advised that they were getting into the passenger rush, and to accept the signal when they got it. By this time I was a coupla hundred yards away, and 22K now had no NWS override. Weird that such an NWS hotspot should exist...
At 0550, dunno where it was, but the usual FI-1/2 parking spots were MT. The old layover still had the regulator and spiker and Loram grinder LMIX-614. Remember the earlier 241s and cancellation of the 07-31 G-327?
The EB staggers for Derby showed Approach for 1 and Approach Limited for 2. But that's not all -- sitting on the RVJ stub was a line of dozen-bundled pre-Pandrolled ties. Dunno if these are for the 07-30 tie-fires and/or other work.
At 0607, the 40.2 would give a no defects on 2 for 4 axles -- FI-2? -- and at 0608 a no defects on 2 for ??(?) axles, close on 402's Shirley time, but there had been a once-only 287 mention earlier.
Just after 0600, 22K had reached out a coupla times to D-3, and at 0607 called out a Medium Approach.

The 8103 was on EDPO this AM. Dropped in Ayer, presumably for 23K tonight.