The ROCK 3.0: Layout Re-staged / Loco Exercises

Re-Staging the Layout / Operational Notes:
Last night, I stayed up late working on re-staging the layout.  Man ol' man are we going to move some serious freight this next session.   The addition of the East Staging yard was most needed!

With the added staging, we will incorporate some new trains.  Here's the line-up for the session:

• OTSW - Ottawa Switcher - works South Ottawa industries
• UTSW - Utica Switcher - works all industries from Utica to Peru
• #113 - Joliet to Bureau Turn - works Ottawa Yard westbound and then again later in the afternoon eastbound.
• SOO Local - Dubuque, IA to Ottawa Turn - works at Ottawa Yard
• GTW Unit Sand Train - Ottawa to Montreal, Canada - departs Ottawa late in the session.
• Freight Train #95 - Chicago to Peoria Freight
• Passenger Trains #12/#13 - Peoria Rockets east and westbound

Not bad for my little layout.  Ottawa Yard is going to be a busy place with trains coming in throughout the day swapping blocks of cars.  

I plan on having a total crew size of four people, but almost consider a fifth.  The first session, I did operate with a fifth person, but that was due to the paperwork confusion of working the Ottawa Local.  Since converting to Tabs-on-Cars, a second person is not required for that job.

Operating Positions for the Session:

• OTSW Job - works Ottawa Local all day.
• UTSW Job - Local job plus run GTW Unit Sand Train
• Ottawa Yardmaster - works the yard all day.
• Train runner - will operate #12, #13, #113 WB, #113 EB, Soo Line, #95

I didn't consider it until just now, but I wonder if I should split the OTSW job into two shifts.  That way someone could run the local and run some road trains as well.  I will have to run that by the boys.

Locomotive Exercises:

Today, I worked from home due to the ice storm we had last night.  While working, I setup a test track on the workbench next to my computer.  I had all the locomotives in the fleet run laps for 15 minutes each.  What a difference that makes.  They all start off slow and hesitant, but after running for 15 minutes they run like a charm.

We have so many trains running this next session, I need to pull out some reserve locos (my RI ALCO RS2s)!  

Track Repair Update:

Repaired the turnout points on the west crossover at Utica this afternoon.