Karl, at left, was the footboard yardmaster/foreman on the 322 job, while Mark was the engineer. Karl started his railroad career with the Santa Fe as a switchman in Kansas. At the end of the night, he complained in true railroad fashion that this was too much like work!
Here’s the view down the Seventh Street alley, looking towards Alameda Street. Job 322, the midnight Patch job, is pulling a reefer from the Maxwell House Coffee building (the tall one). The engine will then run around the cars on the middle, or drill, track.
By all accounts, the addition of a Tsunami sound decoder was a hit. It was great to listen to the burble of the ALCo 539 engine, augmented by the “run-up” and “wind-down” sounds of the turbocharger. Also lending authenticity was the Leslie A-125 horn, standard on Santa Fe’s ALCos. Prototypical sound really made the ALCo HH-1000 come alive.
Mark, who is an engineer on the BNSF, works the throttle while glancing at where the future Holmes Supply will be. He’ll have to keep a sharp lookout while threading the curve between the buildings. Karl, in the background, decides which move to make next.
Watch the ALCo move!
