Part 2 - A trip down the Midland Western (using DCC) - Departure from Midland

[trainman203]

Note:  all DCC references or to operation with an NCE pro cab running steam engines with tsunami 2–2 decoders.

The Midland Western is a subsidiary of the Gulf Coast Lines, operated by both the Missouri Pacific and the Frisco.  The year is 1940.

Midland western westbound mixed train number 3 stands out on the main, getting ready to depart. The cross-compound air pump is heard in the background pumping the train brakes up to air line service pressure before departure. (Air pump sounds for an automatic background sound.)  While this is going on, the engineer and fireman walk around the running gear of 2-10-0 no. 1632, oiling around on the valve gear and rods, and tapping the rods occasionally with a hammer to check for flaws.( another automatic background sound.) Both brakemen walk up and down the length of the 8-car train, checking the air hose connections and the couplers.  When done, the rear brake man returns to the caboose, while the head end brakeman walks to the from the train, and climbs up the tender to get into the "doghouse" (brakeman shelter provided on the tender deck by state law to prevent overcrowding the engine cab.)

Air line service pressure is achieved after a few minutes, but the train will not move until the conductor signals to the engineer to do so.  The train is short enough that the engineer can look back to see the conductor give the highball sign, which is a vertical wave of the entire arm up and down. In this case, though, the train is not actually leaving, but it will back down the yard to the yard office to pick up the few passengers that will ride the caboose. Passengers are not allowed in the caboose until all switching is completed.

The engine has been standing for some time now, and condensate water ihas collected in the cylinders, so the engineer must open the cylinder cocks before backing (F4). Slowly backing down a couple of hundred feet down to the yard office, the engineer closes the cylinder cocks after about 10 seconds. Before reaching the office, he cuts the steam off (option key), which silences the chuff and all that is heard from the engine is the rods clanking as the train slowly drifts to a stop with a minimal brake application right at the end.

After a few minutes of passenger and LCL freight loading into the caboose, the train is ready to depart Midland. The engine has been standing still long enough to have to open the cylinder cocks again.  The engineer pulls two shorts on his personal ATSF six-chime whistle and slowly begins to open the throttle softly to take up the coupler slack in the train, so as not to cause passenger discomfort in the caboose. (coupler crash function.) After 10 seconds or so, the engineer closes the cylinder cocks, but the 1632 is having difficulty getting the train in motion on the rails wet from a 4:00 AM thunderstorm.  She loses traction and drivers slip.(F19).

Once sand is applied to the rail (F21), the 1632 gets hold of the rail and the train rolls out of the yard, approaching the Midland Western's 20 mph speed limit. The yard in Midland is an interchange yard that runs parallel to the north – south Missouri Pacific mainline. But once outside of the yard, the Midland Western begins to curve towards the west, heading towards the Frisco interchange at Thunder Grove 20 miles distant. Once on the curve, after whistling at the last grade crossing in Midland, the line enters a non-populated heavily wooded area, where the engine crew customarily blows down the engine safely to clean sludge and accumulated particulates out of the bottom of the boiler. (F10).  The engineer closes the blowdown valve after about 10 or 15 seconds. The train is now rolling at speed westbound towards the first community it will encounter, Laskey.  At speed, the engineer is able to use his Johnson bar to cut steam usage back some.(F5). The chuff audibly softens as the train continues its relatively uneventful trip to Laskey.