who makes the decision ?

[Anonymous]

On a UP/BNSF train from Chicago to LA,who and how is the decision made on the line up of cars by weight and destination.Do some cars go west at the
expense of others waiting.A train with different types of cars and different destinations must be
interesting.

[Anonymous]

I would venture a guess? I would think it to be the Yardmaster in Chicago. He is the one who writes the manifest to the respective trains?
Anyone want to tell about this? I am curious as to whether I am right, or not........

[Anonymous]

The most general answer is the train brief. This is a document from corporate HQ that states what destination blocks will be handled, what order they will be in train, power required usually stated in Horsepower Pet Ton (HPPT) scheduled departure and arrival times, and where cars are to be set out and picked up.

Cars are not generally sorted by weight but there are often special instructions in heavy grade territory that require loads on head end or adjacent to helpers.

[Anonymous]

the trainmaster or the terminal manager tells the yard master what to do...so they are the ones that make the call on what cars go..and when... and they take thier orders from someone higher up the lader