Large Scale Central

The Saw By

Operations
#1

I didn’t get to see it, but at the Invasion this year everyone was talking about the saw by that Ric had completed. Never having done one myself, I begin to wonder if I could have done the same thing, and thought I’d poke around on the web for some ideas.

For those of you who don’t know, the saw by is a maneuver used when two trains meet and both are longer than the siding. Technically, that is apparently a double saw by; a single saw by is when the train on the siding is longer than the siding. Though for the life of me I cannot understand why make an issue of a meet when one train fits on the siding but the other one doesn’t.

I first found this nice step by step explanation of how to do the maneuver: http://www.sdmrra.org/Odds-n-Ends/saw_bye.htm

Well, I was alright with it up until about step 3. After than point, it appeared that the train crews were getting paid by the hour. :wink:

I started to think that there would be no way I would have figured the rest out the way they did and no wonder people were afraid of ever doing a saw by.

But, I started to think that there had to be a much easier way, and there, of course, is.

Just have the Eastbound train pull way clear and the westbound train should pull the rest of the east bound train back to the siding.

Then the westbound train passes the back section of the eastbound using the main line.

The eastbound train comes back and picks up the section left behind and continues in the original direction.

However what is not so easy is to draw the little pictures. :wink:

But, you tube to the rescue, with this nice illustration of how easy it is to perform the saw by; or double saw by if you prefer.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28M1Wj1T_Jw[/youtube]

So, next time you operate and neither train fits on the siding, you’ll know how to do this!

#2

Always wondered how that was done. Now I know. Will be a great help at our HO club operating sessions where we are running ever lengthening train consists.

Thanks.

Tom

#3

Cool, nice find !

#4

Here’s what Bruce was saying about Ric’s saw by…had quite the crowd watchin…:wink:

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Invasion%202013/2013Freds36_zps6df3c24d.jpg)

#5

Bruce,

As any railroader will tell you there’s a million different ways to switch. Some are faster and require less moves, while others take a bit longer. The link you provided is certainly one of those ‘interesting’ methods, but it gets the job done.

I’ve always known a double -sawby the way you describe. It’s fairly easy and fast once you know what your doing.

Now a triple meet with a double sawby makes it more interesting…

Craig

#6

The infamous “Wreck of Casey Jones” was the failure of equipment during the operations of a “saw by”. I was infatuated with this accident when I was about 11 years old and even had a copy of “Casey” Jones’s death certificate. An interesting piece of history, that is probably now very easy to research with the help of the internet.

#7

I really like the explanation, now I know what to do in these situations.

I didn’t know that about Casey Jones, thanks for the education Ric.

#8

Here’s the story

http://www.watervalley.net/users/caseyjones/cj~long.htm

Use Jon’s link below, it works!

#9

LSC doesn’t like the ~ in that link. How 'bout if I imbed it with a URL statement like Click Here

YUP - That works!

#10

Thanks, Jon. Appreciate the help, as always.

#11

No trouble. It was a good read and I learned a bit I never knew about CJ. I guess the Dead didn’t get the story quite right :]

#12

That is a neat move. I didn’t know how they were going to get around each other until I saw it done.
I have 2 spots on my RR where I could try this SAW move so I’m gonna have to try it out.

Thanks

#13

Saw by’s are popular today, but are usually not noticed because of the long passing sidings. The track that runs through Carlyle on the CSX’s old B&O line uses a long passing siding about 14 miles west of here. If a couple of trains are real long the saw by is incorporated. A number of years ago, listening to the Dispatcher on the scanner work a break down that occurred on the single track main east of Carlyle. Took most of the day tp get the trains running smooth again and had engines pushing and pulling loads all over the County. It was great Ops on a cold afternoon.