General Discussion (Model Railroader)

BRAKIE wrote:

Ron,Your are correct if you follow the rules..However..I know several guys that uses real 10 minutes as one hour without braking it down into "scale" time.On my industrial switching layouts I use 15-1 thats 15 real minutes to one wee hour.60 minutes would be 4 wee hours to my HO crews.. This 10-1 works especially well and doesn't put the rush on the yard masters like your mention 6:1 ratio..Remember there is NO law/rule stating you need to break real time to scale time ratios.

I didn't want to come off like the ratio police. I was just trying to avoid what might cause confusion to some by clarifying the meaning of the ratio.

Ron

n2mopac wrote:

BRAKIE wrote: Ron,Your are correct if you follow the rules..However..I know several guys that uses real 10 minutes as one hour without braking it down into "scale" time.On my industrial switching layouts I use 15-1 thats 15 real minutes to one wee hour.60 minutes would be 4 wee hours to my HO crews.. This 10-1 works especially well and doesn't put the rush on the yard masters like your mention 6:1 ratio..Remember there is NO law/rule stating you need to break real time to scale time ratios.   I didn't want to come off like the ratio police. I was just trying to avoid what might cause confusion to some by clarifying the meaning of the ratio. Ron

Thats cool..

jfugate wrote:

Hmmm ... no questions so far? I guess you're all so stunned by the latest post that you're speechless. (Or maybe you're thinking what bunch of $%^#$#@?)

Hey Joe, just gettin around to the forum since yesterday. I am sure it is all well and good!

Your attention to prototype detail and prototype operations is certainly one I am striving to match, and your clinics continue to point me in the right direction. Thanks once again!

Cheers,

Ryan

Joe,Remember a track warrant *may* not take you all the way to a yard but to a given CP or mile post depending on the yard inbound tracks..Also under CTC no track warrants is needed EXCEPT for SPECIAL moves because train movement is govern by the DS using signals.

What are these special moves? Hi/Rail vehicles,Burro cranes,MOW  equipment working a section of track,reverse switching moves that require entering another block WITH PERMISSION to pass a absolute stop for head room,permission by a stop indication etc..

A track warrant can also be issued with a time limit.

Track Form 23A Permit number 40 dated 08-30-06 issued to L49 At West Benson at 12:02Pm.From West Benson to East Benson single to single and back to your train.Good till 12:30PM

Dispatcher Lowery

All of this adds realism to our operations.

It all depends on the Railroad.

On our outfit, with no passing siding long enough to hold a train, we get a line 2 usually:

2.  Proceed from Yard Limit Horicon South to Yard Limit Slinger North on main track.

If there is another job coming out right after us, we both get line 4 Work Between, with a line 11.

11  Between YL Hor S and YL Slin N make all movements at restricted speed.  Limits occupied by train.

This doesn't cost us much time as all but 2 miles of this territory is 10 mph.  Restricted speed is able to stop within 1/2 the range of vision, don't hit anything, look for broken rail, not exceeding 20 mph (15 on some roads).

We also get a line 16 Track bulletins in effect.  If there are none, we write "None" in the space provided.

When we are coming towards our yards, we call about 30 mins. out, to find out if we should hold outside of town, drag our feet, or come right in.  Sometimes we call at the yard board, sometimes further out.  Sometimes you find out about "bonus moves" at this point, but usually 5 mins before you try to get off the train.

In the CTC I run over (CN using USOR rules), things are different.  You get a TGBO (Tabular General Bulletin Order), which shows all the foremen out working, any messages (watch out for ribbon rail laying along side main track, etc.), and any speed restriction not in the timetable.  If the signal system doesn't work right, or you need headroom or to tie back on to your train, you get talked by the signal if needed.  "WSOR 3801 South, after stopping, you may proceed past the signal displaying Stop indication, hand throw the swich at Grand Ave, and proceed south, CN main to WSOR main, restoring the switch to power."  Then you have to repeat the whole thing back over the radio.  Then do what needs to be done.  If emergency type work needs to be done, the foreman gets a Track and Time.  "Foreman Smith has track and time between South Waukesha switch no and Grand Ave switch no until released.  DS."  The switch yes/no is the area around the switch between the signals.

It seems overwhelming at first, but when you do it every day, it becomes second nature.  You know you work too much when you call out traffic signals.  "Clear"  "Diverging Clear"  "All red, that'll do"

Railfan Alex wrote:

So far I am injoying this clinic very much!

I agree, Joe's clinics are the highlight of the MR forum.

Keep them coming Joe!

jfugate wrote:

Now that I'm finally done bailing water out of my basement, I hope to post the next installment of this clinic in the next day or so.

Bailing water? Did I miss something?

Ron