Back In Illinois

I finally made it back to Galesburg, IL on December 9th 2008. I marked up on the Brakemans board and made my first trip the morning of December 23rd. I was called for a dogcatch... went out to Biggsville, IL to get a loaded coal train and bring it into town, tied up and went home... not a bad morning.

The morning of December 24th I was called to work as a Brakeman on the GALBUR this train runs from Galesburg, IL to Burlington, IA. my trip was 12 hours plus some. We had so many problems with the snow, and trains going DOL in front of us. We made it back to Galesburg and tied our train down in the yard...

With no more than 8 hours rest I was called Christmas Eve December 24th on a dogcatch to Chicago. Train was the GALIHB. The Engineer and I caught the train at Logistics Park and brought the train into Blue Island, IL. I think we were on duty for a total of 11 hours and 55 minutes.... tied up and went to my hotel room for some much needed rest. I was woken 8 hours later by the hotel phone... picked it up and low and behold it was the railroad calling me to deadhead back home on Amtrak. I took my 2 hour call, got up, watched some tv, and had dinner. I made my way down to the lobby where I found my other crew members... I was told Amtrak wouldn't be running due to mechanical problems so we caught a ride on a Z train out of Willow Springs back to Galesburg. I was only on duty for about 5 hours tied up and went home for the evening.

My next trip out was the morning of December 27th. I was on duty at 0600 for a empty hopper train to Creston, IA as a conductor. These trips are sweet. Mileage on the trip one way is 233 miles not too shabby on the money part. The engineer and I had a great time all in all it was a good trip. Our trip back home was on a loaded coal train we were on duty December 28th at 1400.

I ended up making one more trip to Chicago on December 30th. I was on duty at 1300 for a stack train to LPC Logistics Park Chicago. We had a fast 70mph run on the transcon and made it to LPC in under 4 hours. On the 28th I deadheaded back home.

Things were really starting to slow down in Galesburg traffic wise... There were people already on the furlough boards and I knew my time was coming to be placed there too. I managed to make a trip out to Ottumwa, IA on the local and that was it for me. I was bumped off the Brakemans board on January 2nd and furloughed January 8th 2009.