Operations

The ROCK: Illinois Division is an operations based layout.  Ever since the beginning, the ultimate goal was to operate with a group of 2 to 3 people.  It has since grown to 4 or 5 people.

The layout is a loosely based on the prototype Rock Island Railroad from Silvis to Chicago including the Peoria branch. Many modifications were implemented due to space limitations and personal preference.  Trains move across the system via Timetable and Train Orders (TT&TO).

Typical trains that operate during the session are as follows:

• A total of 19 trains are on the official line-up per session.  
• Some trains are annulled or combined depending on crew availability
• An extra train is always a possibility too.
• Four daily passenger trains from the Quad Cities and Peoria to Chicago
• The passenger trains operate eastbound in the morning shuttling workers downtown and return in the evening hours.
• One hot auto parts / TOFC train Chicago to Council Bluffs (and on to California).
• This is the one train you do not want to delay.
• Six general manifests
• Chicago to Houston 
• Chicago to Council Bluffs (UP Interchange)
• Chicago to Tucumcari, NM (SP Interchange)
• Two regional manifests
• Chicago to Peoria
• Six local/turn trains
• Joliet Local
• Based out of Joliet, the local serves a paper mill, can manufacturer, local coal dealer and a small grain elevator on the edge of town.  The local receives and ships cars via the #110 Illinois Shorts road local
• Ottawa Local (1st/2nd Shift)
• Ottawa is the largest volume local mainly moving sand from mine to plant.  During a session, the local might move up to sixty sand hoppers.  The local serves the Ottawa Silica and Belrose Silica mines transporting sand to Libbey-Owens-Ford and Philadelphia Quartz.  In addition to moving sand, the local serves the Westclox factory and a local power plant in Peru/LaSalle.
• Silvis to Bureau Turn
• The Turn is based out of Silvis Yard.  It is the longest running local operating from Moline to Bureau with numerous customers to serve.  Those include a TOFC terminal, grain elevator, cement elevator, appliance manufacturer, local coal dealer, vacuum manufacturer, local freight house, feed mill, flour mill and two local grain elevators.
• Blue Island Local
• The Blue Island local is based out of Chicago's Burr Oak Yard.  It serves the urban area of Blue Island down to the edge of Joliet.  A favorite of the railfans as often it requires to operate down main street in Blue Island to complete its work.  The locals never seem to pleased by the slow moving train though.  The local serves a variety of industries including Proctor & Gamble, a local newspaper, a fruits & vegetable distributor, a latex manufacturer, local freight house and lumber dealer as well as a large flour mill.
• Illinois Shorts
• This train operates from Burr Oak Yard to Silvis and returns later in the day.  It doesn't serve local industries, but does swap blocks of cars for the locals at Joliet, Ottawa, Bureau and Silvis.  
• Burlington Northern Ottawa Local
• The BN local enters Ottawa from the northeast side of town.  It swaps loads/empties at Ottawa Silica as well as blocks of cars at Ottawa yard.  This local is operated at the discretion of the crew of the Ottawa local.

Passenger trains typically utilize a single E- or F- unit locomotive with 3 to 6 cars including a baggage/mail car. Majority of the general manifests operate with three four-axle or two six-axle units and a caboose.  Locals will operate with one to two four-axle units such as a GP7 or ALCO RS2.

Operators follow the schedule avoiding any 1st or 2nd class trains.  Otherwise, they contact the dispatcher for additional orders.  That role is typically portrayed by the layout owner/operator.