Large Scale Central

Switching Jackson

Operations
#1

Ken came down to my place today and we got to run some trains.

We started with Train #2 out of Green Springs. We switched Occoquan and then moved on to Jackson ahead of schedule. Let’s look around Jackson. Doesn’t look too bad. Lots of room… This is Salmons Produce. Two reefers (FSX 6557 and POC 55) are blocked by the building. In the foreground is Mills Fuels with EBT 809 hopper and UTLX 11050 Tank car. The Mills Fuel siding can hold at least 5 cars.

Miracle Chair Company with EBT 898 Hopper, J&B 124 and J&B 111 on the siding. It can hold another car easily.

Matheson Textiles has two sidings; each can hold two cars. Here we have J&B 121 and J&B 120 on the siding closest to the building. J&B 106 is on the other siding.

Here’s the diagram:

The train is on the main, approaching Jackson from the right. You have loco #4, J&B 300 flat car, Shell A10 tank car, DR&G 45 reefer, J&B 101 box car, C&S 8279 box car, and a caboose. Here’s what we need to do in Jackson Local Moves: UTLX 11050 Tank car at Mills Fuels to Matheson Textiles Matheson Textiles Pick up: J&B RR 121 Boxcar Drop off: C&S 8279 Boxcar Miracle Chair Company Pick Up: EBT 898 Hopper Drop off: J&B RR 101 Boxcar Mills Fuels Drop off: Shell A10 Tank car Salmons Produce Pick Up: POC 55 Refrigerator, FSX 6557 Refrigerator Drop off: D&RGW 45 Refrigerator Whoa! Maybe this isn’t so easy after all. A couple of notes. 1) The length of track between the switch at Miracle Chair and Matheson Textiles can hold the loco, tender and one car. 2) All arriving cars should be spotted at the loading dock of the building. That’s to the left end of Miracle Chair, the right end of Matheson Textiles on the track nearest the building and the right end of the track on Mills Fuels. Left end of Salmons Produce. It took Ken and I a bit longer than we initially thought. :wink:

ARTICLE: A Master Index for the J&B RR
#2

Beautiful day to run trains. Couldn’t have asked for better weather for the middle of Oct. I got to Bruce’s about 10:30 and after BSing for a bit we got down to business. 2 hours later after switching out Occuquan and Jackson, we were ready for a lunch break. Or just a plain break!

The second run was a breeze compared to the first run. We switched out Jackson first and then got to Occuquan. That one was done in an hour.

I’ll leave this puzzle for someone else, since I doubt I could remember all the moves we did anyway. Just when you think you have it figgered out, another wrinkle pops up…But it sure was fun!!

#3

Bruce, 2nd siding at M.T. size? Final location for tank car11050 at M.T. ?

Dave

#4

Bruce, 2nd siding at M.T. size? Final location for tank car11050 at M.T. ?

Dave

#5

Well, I guess my first move would be to isolate the cars that are not involved in the switching move. So that means caboose 503 and 300 get left on the main (if I remember you can occupy the main because there is no other traffic) to the right of the turnout to the passing siding. The rest of the cars would be put on the passing siding, with A10 and 8279 being isolated out for my first switching move. A10 would be taken to Mills siding as UTLX 11050 was picked up headed for Matheson along with 8279, not certain how we put both at the loading dock.

121 would be picked up on the way back and shoved in with 300 and 503. Shove them further down the main past the passing siding turnout and grab 45 and 101 from the ass end of the siding. Pull back on the main in front of 121, slide forward to grab 55 and 6557 leaving them on the main outside of Salmon down past the yard switch. 45 is put in their place along with 101. Run down grab 898, 124 and 111 if there is room using the track 106 is on if not pull the amount that will fit on the yard lead and shove them up behind 55 and 6557, put 101 where it belongs. Replace 124 and 111. Get up on main, grab 55 and 6557, pull them past the passing siding turnout. Uncouple, run back past the turnout in front of 121, 300 and 503. Run down the passing siding, then back onto 898, 55 and 6557 and shove them back to 121, 300 and 503 pump up your air and get out of town.

#6

David Marconi said:
Bruce, 2nd siding at M.T. size? Final location for tank car11050 at M.T. ? Dave

The 2nd siding holds two cars. When we switched it, 11050 ended up on the first siding, next to a boxcar.

(http://jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6838.JPG)

#7
Ric Golding said:
Well, I guess my first move would be to isolate the cars that are not involved in the switching move. So that means caboose 503 and 300 get left on the main (if I remember you can occupy the main because there is no other traffic) to the right of the turnout to the passing siding. The rest of the cars would be put on the passing siding, with A10 and 8279 being isolated out for my first switching move. A10 would be taken to Mills siding as UTLX 11050 was picked up headed for Matheson along with 8279, not certain how we put both at the loading dock.

121 would be picked up on the way back and shoved in with 300 and 503. Shove them further down the main past the passing siding turnout and grab 45 and 101 from the ass end of the siding. Pull back on the main in front of 121, slide forward to grab 55 and 6557 leaving them on the main outside of Salmon down past the yard switch. 45 is put in their place along with 101. Run down grab 898, 124 and 111 if there is room using the track 106 is on if not pull the amount that will fit on the yard lead and shove them up behind 55 and 6557, put 101 where it belongs. Replace 124 and 111. Get up on main, grab 55 and 6557, pull them past the passing siding turnout. Uncouple, run back past the turnout in front of 121, 300 and 503. Run down the passing siding, then back onto 898, 55 and 6557 and shove them back to 121, 300 and 503 pump up your air and get out of town.


Ric,

That’s too easy to say the caboose and 503 get left on the main - they’re at opposite ends of the train. :wink:

You are correct, there are NO other trains, so everything is free. Quite a bit different from Fred’s and your place.

I think we need a list of moves. :smiley:

#8

What a great job! I like the diagram you did very much too. Was that generated in your ops program from Bob?

#9

People want lots of things -don’t mean they get them. :wink:

  1. Uncouple and leave 503 on main, pull past left passing siding turnout.
  2. Push 300, A10, 45, 101, 8279 on passing siding, pushing 8279 out in front of 503 .
  3. Pull forward back on passing siding leaving 45 and 101 and go out left side onto main with 300 and A10.
  4. Back down yard lead into Mills grabbing 809 and 11050.
  5. Pull forward with 300, A10, 809 and 11050 past switch on Yard Lead
  6. Back down to Matheson picking up 121 and 120.
  7. Pull forward past switch.
  8. Back 120 in front of 106.
  9. Pull forward up to main with 300, A10, 809, 11050, and leave 121 on yard lead.
  10. Back down to 8279.
  11. Pull forward past yard lead.
  12. Back on to Yard lead picking up 121.
  13. Pull up onto Main.
  14. Shove 121 back to 503.
  15. Pull forward with 300, A10, 809, 11050, and 8279.
  16. Back down to Matheson leaving 11050 and 8279
  17. Pull forward past switch.
  18. Back into pick up 120.
  19. Pull forward past switch.
  20. Back 120 into place and pull out with 300, A10 and 809.
  21. Pull past Mills leaving 809 on yard lead.
  22. Back into Mills leaving A10.
  23. Pull forward on Yard lead.
  24. Back to pick up 809.
  25. Pull forward past Mills.
  26. Back 809 into place.
  27. Pull forward up onto main with 300.
  28. Back down main leaving 300 with 121 and 503 after passing right end of passing siding.
  29. Pull forward picking up 6557 and 55 at Salmons.
  30. Back on to main past right end of siding.
  31. Pull into passing siding wtih 6557 and 55 in front of engine, shove 45 and 101 out left end of passing siding.
  32. Back into passing sifding leaving 6557 and 55, continue on out right end of passing siding.
  33. Pull forward on main picking up 45 and 101.
  34. Back past Salmons lead.
  35. Pull forward leave 45 at Salmons.
  36. Back out leaving 101 with 45.
  37. Pull forward past Yard Lead.
  38. Pull down Yard Lead light past Miracle Chair siding.
  39. Pull 898, 124 and 111 out of Miracle Chair using the siding 106 is on for enough length.
  40. Push 898, 124 and 111 out onto Main.
  41. Leave 898 on Main back past Salmons with 124 and 111.
  42. Pull into Salmons pick up 101.
  43. Back on to Main.
  44. Pull forward Past Yard Lead with 101, 124 and 111.
  45. Back down Yard Lead using siding at 106 for length.
  46. Shove 101, 124 and 111 into Miracle Chair.
  47. Back out onto Yard Lead.
  48. Pull forward onto Main and grab 898 and continue past Passing Siding.
  49. Back down Passing Siding pushing 6557 and 55 and shove them in to Main in front of 300, 1221 and 503, leaving 898 on Passing Siding.
  50. Pull forward on Main, light, past left end of Passing Siding.
  51. Back through Passing Siding picking up 898 and coupling onto 6557, 55, 300, 121 and 503.
  52. Air up and get out of town on Main.
#10

Hoo boy - I’d be lost after move 4 :smiley:

#11
Jon Radder said:
Hoo boy - I'd be lost after move 4 :D
So were Bruce and I, Jon.............;)
#12

DO I need to once again mention how EVIL Jackson is???

#13

I think Ric did it in fewer moves than we did, Ken. :smiley:

#14

I know he did it in fewer moves than I did…

#15
Bruce Chandler said:
I think Ric did it in fewer moves than we did, Ken. :D
Could be.............it's hard scratching your head and countin at the same time.....;)
#16

The good thing about ops is it really doesn’t matter how many moves you take, as long as you get the job done. Trying to recreate the way Ken and I did it… We left the caboose on the main. I do recall Ken asking if we were allowed to push with it - I told him no. Backed the train down towards Matheson Textiles and pulled the two boxcars out of the way. This would allow us to drop CS 8279 next to the loading dock.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6832.JPG)

We moved those two boxcars into the siding at Mills Fuels.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6833.JPG)

The C&S car was now on the back of the train and we backed it into place at Matheson Textiles. Next, we pulled back to Mills Fuels to pick up the tank car for the local move. We grabbed the entire string of cars and took the tank car down to Matheson Textiles.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6836.JPG)

Next, we took the hopper back to Mills Fuels and put it where it was. Backed down to Matheson Fuels, this time on the other siding as it only had one car on it.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6838.JPG)

Broke the train after A10, pulled forward

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6839.JPG)

Then backed in to drop it at Mills Fuels

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6840.JPG)

Back down to Matheson Textiles and drop off 120 on the other track.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6842.JPG)

Next we have to deliver 101 to Miracle Chair - a facing point. But first, let’s make some room. We still have space on Mills Fuels siding, so we go up and drop J&B flat #300 and DRGW 45 on that track.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6844.JPG)

Next, we grab J&B box 101 and J&B box 121. We pull forward…

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6846.JPG)

Back up and put 121 with the other 3 cars.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6847.JPG)

Now, back to the passing siding where we drop 101 and run around it.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6849.JPG)

We bring 101 down the siding and we’re ready to put it into Miracle Chair.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6850.JPG)

Notice that there is not a lot of space between those two switches! Next, we’ll put 101 at the loading dock at Miracle Chair…but that will have to wait until tomorrow… :wink:

#17

I didn’t realize you took that many pictures, Bruce. Just goes to show you where my attention was focused. Between looking at the switch list, looking at the location of the cars on the train and the room we had to maneuver in, I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention to what you were doing.

I’m just glad I wasn’t the switch man on this train. …:wink:

#18

Looks far more interesting with pictures. Great excercise in “operations”.

#19

I’m surprised I have this many pictures as well. But, it does help to understand it. Just remember, that there’s more that a few moves represented by each picture. When we left off, we had just moved down with the train and J&B boxcar 101. Remember that 101 has to go to the loading dock, and we also have to pick up the hopper that’s currently there. The problem is there’s just not enough room to move! Go up and pull J&B boxcar 111 off of the siding and back up to clear the switch.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6853.JPG)

Next we drop 111 off on the other track. Get 124 and do the same thing. Finally, pull the hopper 898 and stick it up there as well. Now there’s room for 101.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6854.JPG)

Of course, now we have to put those cars back, one at a time again. Finally, we are ready to put 124 back. The hopper will stay at the front of the train.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6855.JPG)

After we pass the Mills Fuel siding, we back up and get the three cars that we stored earlier.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6856.JPG)

Drop off the reefer on the main, and run around it.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6858.JPG)

Put DRGW 45 Reefer on the front and come down and pull the two reefers at Salmons Produce.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6859.JPG)

Drop those two off on the main, and come back down and drop 45 off.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6860.JPG)

Put the hopper with the two reefers picked up and run around them.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6861.JPG)

Back up and pick up the caboose. Move forward and stop for water. Then the train leaves town, headed for Lexington.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Operations/2009.10.20/IMG_6864.JPG)

I think we spent over 2 hours switching that train; I didn’t show switching Occoquan this time. :wink: I hope I’ve conveyed just some of the fun you CAN have with short 5 car trains and only a few sidings. When you go to Fred’s or Ric’s, the challenges are different, as you’re now having to keep the main clear to let other trains get by. Either way, operations can sure be a great way to spend the day.

#20
Bruce Chandler said:
I think we spent over 2 hours switching that train; I didn't show switching Occoquan this time. ;)

I hope I’ve conveyed just some of the fun you CAN have with short 5 car trains and only a few sidings.

When you go to Fred’s or Ric’s, the challenges are different, as you’re now having to keep the main clear to let other trains get by. Either way, operations can sure be a great way to spend the day.


One other thing with both Ric’s and Fred’s is having a dispatcher keeping an eye on things. Any move from one place to another has to be cleared through them. But they also have more trains running and more cars moving around the layout. Things can get quite interesting from time to time. On both Bruce’s and mine any train meets can be set up ahead of time.