SA37 out of PH has arrived Sag yard and has cars on the head end for GR. The Sag yardmaster has a yard job building GR87's train and will add those cars to the train. Around noon, the chief dispatcher talks to the yardmaster to see when the train will be ready. The yardmaster says by 4:00 pm. The chief calls the roundhouse to make sure power is on hand and will be ready. If yes, the chief calls the crew caller and notifies him to call the crew for GR87 for 4:00 pm. We know who the crew will be because they came in on yesterday's SA88. The crew requires a 2-hour notice, so the crew caller calls the crew at the hotel at 2:00 pm and tells them they are on-duty at 4:00 pm. The chief dispr notifies the train dispatcher of the call time, gives him the engine numbers. The dispr enters the info on his train sheet along with the name of conductor & engineer. In sufficient time to have them ready, the dispr issues the necessary train orders to be delivered to the train at Wash Ave and Mershon towers for the train to operate between Paines and Elmdale. He also has to communicate with GR to see when they will call SA88 so he can set up a meet between SA88 and GR87. The yard clerk calls Wash Ave and gives him the car count on the train -- loads, empties, tonnage and a breakdown for any set-offs enroute. Wash Ave gives this info to the dispr to enter on the train sheet. The dispr issues a work message for any pick ups for the operator at Wash Ave to deliver with the train orders. At 4:00 the crew is on duty and the crew works with the yardmaster to get the engines from the roundhouse to start putting their train together in the yard. They may have to double two or more tracks together. The conductor also gets a train list and waybills from the yard clerks. When the train is put together and they make their air test, they call Wash Ave and Mershon and say they are ready to depart. Mershon talks to the GTW to get permission for the train to operate over their territory between Mershon and Paines. Wash Ave does not give the train a signal to leave until notified by Mershon that he is ready for them. As the train passes both towers, they snag their train orders and clearance for their movement over the Elmdale Sub. The operator at Wash Ave gives the departure time to the dispatcher. The train is on its way! As you can see, a lot of people had to work together to make this happen. And this is just ONE train!
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