I was picking up my lunch in Hummelstown today when I heard westbound 11J comment about how unusual it was to see a pair of cabooses on a train in this day and age. I came out of the grocery store just in time to see eastbound 36Q go by with a pair of DODX (Department of Defense) cabooses carrying the marker (EOT).
I knew that I wouldn't get a photo of it, so I just filed it away in my brain with all of the other unusual railroad scenes I've seen and not been able to photograph. After taking the first bite of my lunch, I heard 36Q call out an approach signal on my scanner. Maybe I can catch it after all.
I headed east and heard 36Q call out a stop signal at CP Millards. I found the cabooses behind the Lowes on Route 422 east of Palmyra . . . .
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=232161
The stop signal was due to westbound H68 being on the track 36Q wanted to use to go east, but the dispatcher was unable to get the crossovers to lock up. A signal maintainer was called and worked on the switches . . . .
http://rgkitchen.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1129984
Soon, H68 was able to cross over and head west . . . .
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=232162
Right after it cleared the interlocking, 36Q continued east on its way toward Reading . . . .
http://rgkitchen.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1129990
Being the first day of the year with temperatures in the 80s, there was a lot of chatter on the scanner about stubborn switches at many locations.
Rob Kitchen
Harrisburg, PA