The ROCK 3.0: Progress Report 03.12.14

Today, continuing my thoughts on operations, I created a Train Register for the station at Utica and Ottawa.

I felt it would be too cumbersome to model complete Time Table & Train Order (TT&TO) operations, but considered tracking trains through the two stations on the layout.

I'm not sure if this would be too much for crews to mess with, but I might try it.  If anything, I think I will keep track of times at stations for my personal records for each op session.  I can fill in the loads/empties post session looking back at the switch lists.

At Ottawa:
Train #217 Ottawa Local and #118 LaSalle Turn will need to sign off on the Ottawa Train Register stating when they depart in the morning.  They will sign back in when he arrives back at the yard in the evening.  Very simple.

At Utica:
Train #118 LaSalle Local, upon arriving at Utica, the crew will sign in with their arrival time and also state their departure time upon leaving town.

Trains #112 & #113 Road Local out of Joliet and Return will stop in Ottawa Yard and Utica to log their times as they travel through.

A sample of what both sheets might look like after an op session.

Creating these sheets made me think clearly on the train movements specifically for the the LaSalle Turn.  There is some gray area in what occurred prototypically with this local as I just don't have good factual information.  I know for a fact there was a scale at Ottawa Yard.  I know later (but not when it was installed) there was a scale at Belrose Silica.  Currently, I have my local departing Ottawa Yard, working the industries and then returning to weigh the sand from Belrose Silica.  He would then depart again returning to Utica to deliver it to PQ.  What dawned on me is what would the crew do with the cars that they have already switched out or crews like my friend Larry that refuses to move cars unnecessarily.  The crews will want to store those cars in the yard.  I don't have that room to do that on my layout. 

So, what to do?  I believe I'm going to move the scale track that resides at Ottawa Yard currently over to Belrose Silica.  I haven't installed the scale yet, just the gantlet track is in place.  It would be an easy move.  This will keep the local out of the yard all day until it is complete with its work.  Then it can return with its cars for the yard to classify.

This evening, I went upstairs to ponder this idea.  I decided to move the scale track from Ottawa Yard to Belrose Silica.  I went ahead and removed the scale track at Ottawa Yard.  Later this week, I will cut it in at Belrose Silica and replace the flex track at the yard.