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Question about team tracks

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Question about team tracks
Posted by DavidH66 on Saturday, February 24, 2018 1:03 PM

Could a Team track have been used as a Trailing track too? I had a design idea for a layout i'm doodling but I realized the Team had to likely double as a trailing track, is there any prototypical use of a team track as a trailing track? I am of course talking about a traditional ramp style team track and not one of those larger grain unloading facilities that mosts moderns ones are. .

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Posted by BRAKIE on Saturday, February 24, 2018 1:27 PM

DavidH66

Could a Team track have been used as a Trailing track too? I had a design idea for a layout i'm doodling but I realized the Team had to likely double as a trailing track, is there any prototypical use of a team track as a trailing track? I am of course talking about a traditional ramp style team track and not one of those larger grain unloading facilities that mosts moderns ones are. .

 

I don't think so because that track would be under blue flag protection just like any industry track where there are standing cars. We couldn't couple onto a car on a team or industry track without first checking to see if it was safe to do so.

Today's transload tracks handles more then grain.

Can you use a crossing diamond instead?

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by NHTX on Saturday, February 24, 2018 8:38 PM

     David, would you please define "trailing track" so we could better understand your question.  It sounds as if you want to combine a lead track with a team track????

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Posted by mbinsewi on Saturday, February 24, 2018 10:07 PM

NHTX
David, would you please define "trailing track" so we could better understand your question. It sounds as if you want to combine a lead track with a team track????

I'm sure the OP means a track that a loco would have to use in a reverse, or forward move,  The loco backs/pulls in to the team track, pulls forward/backs to the industry leads he needs to get to, and backs/forward  his way out, using the team track, and clearing a turnout, to get back to the main.

You call this a "lead track", the OP is calling this a "trailing track".

What Larry is saying, the crew can't move any cars on the team track, to make room for the switching move they need to make.

Just my take on what the OP means.

Mike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted by dehusman on Sunday, February 25, 2018 9:41 PM

A couple definitions.  A team track is a public track owned by the railroad that customers who did not have a private could use to load or unload cars.  A car would be billed to that customer with a destination of the team track.  Generally a private track has 1 customer on it and a team track could have hundreds. 

A team track might not be "blue flagged" because a blue flag was put up by railroad employees and the people working the team track would not be railroad employees, they would be empoyees or contractors for the companies involved with the shipment.  Some railroads were lax and let private companies use a blue flag, even though its not really according to the rules.

Since its a railroad owned track, a railroad could use a team track for anything it wants to, but the uses are pretty much mutually exclusive.  If you wan to use it for tail room then it can't be used for loading and unloading cars, if you want to use it for storing cars then you can't use it for tail room.  It isn't safe to mix loading and unloading and using it for tail room at the same time.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

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Posted by wjstix on Sunday, February 25, 2018 10:32 PM

I'm still a bit confused by "trailing track" and "a traditional ramp style team track"? Team tracks started in the 19th century, basically a spur track or double-ended side track with a clear area (dirt, gravel, whatever) where wagons pulled by teams of horses (hence "team track", "teamster") could be backed up to or along side of freight cars to manually unload them. There were situations where a team track was really just a designated area of say a house track - a long double-ended spur track going behind a rural station - that might also serve some industries directly, like a grain elevator or lumber yard (sometimes on their own spur branching off the house track).

Stix
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Posted by BRAKIE on Sunday, February 25, 2018 11:03 PM

dehusman
A team track might not be "blue flagged" because a blue flag was put up by railroad employees and the people working the team track would not be railroad employees, they would be empoyees or contractors for the companies involved with the shipment.

Today OSHA rules requires any track that is used for loading/unloading must  have  blue flag protection.

Check out these signs.

https://www.aldonco.com/store/c/36-OSHA-Sign-Plates.aspx

Another scenery detail for modern modelers.Thumbs Up

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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