I have a branch line on my coal hauling layout that I am putting in a small truck dump siding about 1/4 of the way up the branch ( 2% grade), it is a trailing point turnout. There is no room for a run-a-round near this siding.
MY question is how to handle the pickups of the loaded cars... I can drop off empties with my mine run going up with empties easily...and then pull the loaded cars up the rest of the run but that seems to be wasting the energy of pulling the loaded hopper up to bring it back down.
I can pick it up on the way down but it would then be ahead of the loco...don't suppose that is the correct way it would be handled???
How would it be handled in the real world...just curious?
Thanks,
Bart
Just a car or two, they would shove ahead of the loco to the next available runaround, or when makign a setout. If we're talkign a long string of cars being picked up, probably would be a backhaul - take them the wrong way to the yard and then send them on their way in the correct direction.
It's kind of funny that we seem locked on the idea that the order of the train is loco - cars - caboose, which indeed most of the time it is. But if there was no runaround at a spot, the only way to drop a car would be to push it ahead of the loco. Or if there was a trailing point setout, put it behind the caboose. There are plenty of prototype pictures with 'odd' orders of the cars in the train. Just search for a few and have them on hand for the first time someone tries to tell you you're doing it wrong.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I can drop off empties with my mine run going up with empties easily...and then pull the loaded cars up the rest of the run but that seems to be wasting the energy of pulling the loaded hopper up to bring it back down.
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That's exactly the way we would have switched that truck dump..That's the best way and the safest.
Remember shoving cars ahead of the engine requires a trainman to ride the leading car to protect the move and in some cases to flag unprotected crossings.
Would you want to hang on the side of a car in all kinds of weather to the next runaround track which may be miles away?
Nor would anybody else that's why we would take the loads with us.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Thanks Guys...
Appreciate the insight of people who have been there done that
Solution #1: pull the loaded hopper up to the first siding and leave it there to be picked up on the way back down the hill;
Solution #2: if there is going to be no traffic on this branch prior to your return downgrade leave the loaded hopper sitting on the main to be picked up and carried downhill ahead of the locomotive on the return. Most railroads have speed restrictions on pusher movements but then this is a 2% grade and there is probably a speed restriction in effect in the first place.
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
The crew would pick the cars up going up hill, take them to wherever the train switches, sets out or terminates.
Setting the cars out on a grade would take more work, more delay and won't expedite the cars significantly.
Shoving the cars for miles would be a royal PIA, somebody has to ride the shove, protect al the grade crossings, operate at a reduced speed, etc, etc.
Leaving loaded cars sitting on the main track on a 2% grade would be a HUGE safety problem. You'd have to set handbrakes and chock the wheels. If anything fails you have a runaway down the grade. There is a huge risk for the returning train being able to stop short of and not run into the cars standing on the main, if anything happens where another move has to pass, the main track is blocked (track patrols section gangs too). If you are going to pick them up coming down hill, just leave the outbound cars in the spur and pick them up out of the spur on the way back.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Leaving loaded cars sitting on the main track on a 2% grade would be a HUGE safety problem.
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Very true and if that car or cars got away guess what? There could be death or injury if these cars left the rails or plowed into another train.
Needless to say you would still kiss your job goodbye even if nothing bad happen.
TravelinJohnnie I have a branch line on my coal hauling layout that I am putting in a small truck dump siding about 1/4 of the way up the branch ( 2% grade), it is a trailing point turnout. There is no room for a run-a-round near this siding. MY question is how to handle the pickups of the loaded cars... I can drop off empties with my mine run going up with empties easily...and then pull the loaded cars up the rest of the run but that seems to be wasting the energy of pulling the loaded hopper up to bring it back down. I can pick it up on the way down but it would then be ahead of the loco...don't suppose that is the correct way it would be handled??? How would it be handled in the real world...just curious? Thanks, Bart
If you don't want to take the loads up the hill, you could start back down the branch with the engine shoving the caboose and pulling the rest of the train (stick a red flag in the knuckle on the last car). When you get to the spur, put the loads between the engine and the caboose and come in that way. Have seen it done like this on the B&O even if there was no pick-up on the way if the engine was running in reverse they would sometimes just shove the caboose ahead of the tender.