Easton & Potomac trackage - red lines

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

An E&P Update

There are several things going on with the E&P right now.

First yesterday was a maintenance day which is usually required after an OPS session.  The Hood station took a beating during the last session and required some maintenance.  That was completed.  A throttle in Thorny Point lost its protective collar around the emergency stop button and that was re-attached.  And the RPO had a low coupler issue.  That turned out to be broken nylon bolts holding the coupler pocket to the truck.  These were replace with brass bolts.  This issue was fixed and should not return.

There is also some construction progress.  There are three Jordan vehicles under construction; a 1923 Mac stake truck, a 1922 Packard stake truck and a farm wagon with horses.  There are also three out houses under construction.  One of these is needed to complete the house on the hill scene.  And this scene needs to be completed before we can bring the forest into Hood.  And speaking of Hood there is one structure under construction and that is JL Innovative Design's Schmiege's Little Dutch Store that will be a general store and gas station in Hood.

On the OPS front, E&P management announced today that starting with the next OPS session passenger equipment will no longer be accompanied by car cards unless something out of the ordinary is taking place with the associated car.  For example, if a baggage car is to be spotted in Hood then that car would have an associated car card with a waybill showing the Hood location.  Or if the RPO needs to stop at a station it normally picks up and drops off mail on the fly, to pickup  or drop off mail, then the RPO car will have a car card telling it which stations it needs to stop at to pickup or drop off mail.  If a passenger car does not have a car card then it will stay with the train and perform its normal function as defined by the train card.  If it has an associated car card then something needs to take place.  This should help the engineers with less material to carry and alert them to exceptions that need to be addressed.

On the rumor front we have the following.

There is a rumor that the AGEIR boxcab has been so successful in Thorny Point that E&P management is considering stopping coal deliveries and removing all of the coal and ash facilities.

There is also a rumor that the team track in White Hall is being discontinued.  But don't tell any of the locals.

And there is a rumor that engine #34 the 4-6-2 Pacific assigned to passenger service between White Hall and Thorny Point is headed for the scrap heap.  All that is known at this time is that #34 was taken out of service during the last session and is being inspected at the White Hall roundhouse.  There are no rumors as to what might replace #34.

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