Hi Folks,
I'm reading and trying to understand the sequence of events that would happen in a flat classification yard for an arriving train. I'm a beginner so bear with me. I want to build a yard that is reasonably prototypical.
Scenario:
Train arrives, e.g. an engine with 5 cars on the Arrival track.
My question revolves around what happens to the engine on the arriving train? Does it decouple and then somehow work its way over to the engine facility? How does it get off the arrival track unless it's double-ended?
The other events I'm assuming would happen:
The yard switcher comes in from the lead or drill track, and classifies the cars on the incoming train on the classification tracks. Side question: Where does the yard switcher reside normally? Does it sit on the yard lead/drill track waiting for trains trains to arrive it can classify them?
Thanks in advance
ChrisVATrain arrives, e.g. an engine with 5 cars on the Arrival track. My question revolves around what happens to the engine on the arriving train? Does it decouple and then somehow work its way over to the engine facility? How does it get off the arrival track unless it's double-ended?
Typically the tracks in a yard that they use to arrive a train are double ended.
If not the switch engine has to pull the train off the inbound engine and allow them to escape.
The other events I'm assuming would happen: The yard switcher comes in from the lead or drill track, and classifies the cars on the incoming train on the classification tracks. Side question: Where does the yard switcher reside normally? Does it sit on the yard lead/drill track waiting for trains trains to arrive it can classify them?
Here's what happens in a prototype yard. You don't need to model all of this.
We are assuming its a classification yard that has its own switch engine.
The train arrives and is told what track to pull into (we will assume its double ended).
The road power cuts off and goes to the engine facility or where ever they keep road power. OR, the hostlers get on the engines and move the engines to the engine facility/tracks.
The carmen "blue flag" the track (set up warning flags that they are working on the track and lock out other trains.) The carmen bleed off the air brakes (manually release the brakes) and inspect the cars, doing minor repairs as they go.
While that is going on, the clerks/yardmaster make a track list of of the cars on the inbound train in the order they stand, get all the paperwork for the train and based on where the cars are going, use the track list to make a switch list.
When the carmen are done they remove the blue flags and turn the track over to the yardmaster. The yardmaster gives the switch list to the switch crew who switches the the inbound train and puts the cars in the class tracks.
The switch engine is someplace not blocking the track the train was brought into. That could be on the ladder, in a class track, on the switching lead or in a specific track ("pocket") just for the switch engine. Where the switch engine is kept depends on how big the yard is.
Going the other way, when its time to build an outbound train, the yardmaster will give the switch crew lists on which tracks/cars to put together to make the outbound train. The switch er will put the outbound train in a track or tracks in the order its supposed to depart in. They will add a caboose.
If the yard has a system to deliver air to the train (ground air) the next step involves the carmen, if the yard doesn't have "ground air" the hostlers (or outbound crew) will put the outbound power on the train.
Once the train is connected to ground air or has the outbound engines on it, the carmen will put up blue flags and do the outbound inspection, testing the air brakes.
Once that is done, they remove the blue flags and turn it over to the yardmaster who can put the outbound crew on the train.
Meanwhile the clerks/yardmaster has made up the list of the outbound train, along with any other paperwork required (switchlists, hazmat shipping papers, waybills, etc.), plus train orders or track bulletins and gives all the paperwork to the train crew.
The train crew gets on the train, if any cars failed the brake test, they set those out, if they don't already have authority from the dispatcher to depart, they get that and then they depart the yard.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
And why you see so many semi trucks on the highways.
The late Andy Sperandeo put out this excellent book on freight yard design and operation.
The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Yards (Model Railroader Books): Sperandeo, Andy: 9780890245767: Amazon.com: Books
You can get it from Amazon or direct from Kalmbach I believe. John Armstrong's classic book Track Planning for Realistic Operation also has an excellent chapter on freight yard operation.
As other have pointed out, stub end yards are unusual in prototypes but not unheard of. Mainly they are a modeler's tool for saving precious space, but they do cause operational headaches as you have come to see.
UPDATE: OOPS!!! I didn't notice that the Amazon listing shows it is out of print. There's one listing on ebay and it has a ridiculous asking price of $125. I realize when a book is out of print, the value goes up but that seems over the top to me. If you do come across a copy at a reasonable price, I would highly recommend it.