Not sure if this is written down as a real process but I am after some guidance. Let us assume this local branch line railway:_ Terminal station A – through station B to main through Station C and then back to B & A. At C, there are lines coming from & going to further stations D, E , F etc So would station A marshal/block the goods wagons so that all wagons for each station are next to each other and would B also add any pickups into the same blocking format to assist C in sorting out when the train arrives at C for shunting not only at C but for stations D, E , F etc? Or would there be no attempt made at all on any blocking of wagons? The reason for these questions in the model rail scene and having timetables; having no blocking requirements make operating simpler at Stations A & B but can really make it harder at C or Having blocking means more time required at A & B but helps C in shunting
My take on it Ron, Would be how it would be dealt with in the real world. I feel that if it is known that C is a busy interchange point, that the word would have been passed down the line by the management, to block wagons whenever it is possible to make life easier at C and thereby make the whole ( railway ) operation more efficient with less moves required at C. Granted more moves are required at A and B, however their work loads are far less than C, so they should be able to cope with a slight increase in moves to benefit the whole system. Hope that makes sense...????? http://www.clickGormo
Thanks Gormo - it does make sense.... I have thrown it to my crew as well as they are the ones doing the shunting
Perhaps I better give some explanation about my layout. All locos are diesel but still use brake vans (as a train doesn't look complete without one..) The D&S railway has modernised in all rolling stock has been fitted with modern braking and knuckle couplers. Station A – terminal has a yard loco with a 2 car DMU stabled and has traditional Good Shed & cattle dock but a large printing works, memorial firm for cemetery head stones, etc & a Farm & Fuel depot. Station B – the smaller of the two through stations has a yard loco with traditional Good Shed & cattle dock combined with a larger Farm & Fuel depot of 2 tracks, Gravel/Stone loading plant that handles 14 open/hopper wagons; container loading track; railway stores building: a large electronics factory & a depot for Leather Supplies factory. Station C – the large through station has tracks for marshalling of trains back to stations A & B but for other stations D,E & F which in reality are “hidden†storage tracks for upto 60 plus working wagons and 3 through running goods trains from storage to storage via Station C. Plus trains from storage that stops at C to set down & pick up wagons before going to other storage tracks. So C has a large Goods shed of 2 tracks, container loading track, railway stores building, 3 track Brewery; 3 track Flour mill, 2 track Farm & Fuel; Carpet Co Depot plus a large MPD. In an average operate session of 2 hours, Station C can move around 60 wagons. Stations A & B are one person operator while C has 2 people. During these goods movements, passenger services are also run. this is the plan for Station B
That should keep you busy Ron..... It`s a well thought out busy scene with a purpose..... http://www.clickGormo
Hi Sol, What you are requesting is what was commonly known on British Railways as a Class 8 or a Class 9 freight working. A Class 8 train consists of a partially vacuum fitted formation which has a braking force not exceeding an amount stipulated in the Working Appendix (W.E Notice), in other words combine the total weight of the train against the steepest gradient and the locomotives brake force ability. A Class 9 freight train is an unfitted freight train running as and when specially authorised, now having got all that gobeldy gook out the way generally speaking a local pick up goods train on a branch line stoping to set down and pick up wagons would be either designated Class 8 (a timetabled regular working) or a Class 9 special trip working to deal with extra traffic flows. In these instances the train consist would be marshalled with loaded wagons nearest the loco and the lighter empties and unfitted stock set at the rear by the brake van. It often made sense for wagons to be positioned in the train so that the shunter or guard would work picking up and setting down wagons with a minimum of delay in mind at station yards or wayside sidings. It would not be unknown for the loco to shunt into a wayside station siding with twenty odd wagons attached and the remainder of the train with brakevan left on the running line. Of course these days this practice is now very much a thing of the past, even in the 1970's and 1980's when I was on the railway vacuum stock and trip working was well on the way out and unfitted short wheel base wagons such as the 16 ton minerals and 21 ton coke hoppers were being scrapped ten to the dozen. A typical trip loco would often be an 08 or a pair of 20's or 25's on the Midland region. Hope this helps.Cheers for now Paul
Thanks Paul for that slice of history. In reality,even though I run UK outline, the layout plan is a mix of UK, USA & Australian concepts as I use timetables,wagon cards and waybills favored by USA/Aust modellers in operations. Described http://www.nmra.org.au/Operations/Solly/Devan%20and%20Summersett.pdf as part of http://www.nmra.org.au/Operations/Systems%20Of%20Operation.html relating to the Devan & Summersett
I like the running / time tabling cards Sol. Really fascinating but must take some getting your head around. Again, it must be satisfying getting the layout to run to these. I'd love to see a layout like this being operated and watch the communications side of it going on between the operators. It must need a bit of focus. Great stuff. Cheers Toto
