Many larger model railroad layouts have yards and combined with engine terminals, caboose tracks and associated structures. But where I live in central New Jersey, there are many yards surrounding Newark, that appear to be unattended and have no structures.
There's a major yard in Newark that appears to include a small(?) engine terminal. Not far from this main yard is a pair of yards that appear abandoned since the end of Conrail, but appear to have no associated structures. And similarly, there is a small yard in Manville that also appears unattended and has no structures, but which cars are stored(?) at and trains actively move through.
i'm curious about full-scale railroad operations at these unattended yards and where the engine's home(?) is.
I don't believe all these yards are used to switch freight cars to make up or break down trains. So what might the Manville or abandoned yard be used for?
Why are they unattended? When trains originating from presumably Philadelphia (88 mi) enter one of these smaller outskirt yards, do the trains crews know what cars to drop-off or pick up before continuing (30 mi) to their eastward destination, the main yard in Newark?
Is the engine terminal in Newark indeed small and just sufficient to quickly service engines for their return trips, if needed, and there is a larger yard elsewhere?
Is the Newark terminal a place where train crews start/end their day?
Is an engine dropped-off at the end of the day, or are they on constant operation unless being serviced?
I realize that Newark/New York is a very busy place, a destination for many mainlines and even a large yard may be inadequate. Maybe in areas like this, a collection of yards is necessary to pre-sort some of the trains coming into the main yard.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Those are outlaying yards to hold industry overflow cars or complete trains-these are call satellite yards..The train is dropped there and the engines ran light to the servicing area..Some times the complete train is stored there awaiting a rested crew.There are interchange yards as well.There are yards that is used for staging cars for urban industrial branch lines as well..Every yard has a rhyme and reason for being and should the yard lose that rhyme and reason due to a merger or business down swing the yard is closed or mothballed.
Railroads prefer a quick turn around on locomotives.A bunch of engines idling on the outbound ready storage tracks is loosing money.
Larry
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gregc Many larger model railroad layouts have yards and combined with engine terminals, caboose tracks and associated structures. But where I live in central New Jersey, there are many yards surrounding Newark, that appear to be unattended and have no structures.
Welcome to the year 2013.
You missed the half dozen other former yards between the northmost and southmost yards you mentioned.
Those smaller yards were used as industry support yards. They were used to hold cars for industry, for locals and shifters to sort out industry cars.
At the nearby main yard.
The Manville yard appears to be an interchange yard.
Because there doesn't need to be anybody there. I would doubt that crews out of Phillie do any switching at any of those points (except the major yard). The engines that work the smaller yards probably come from the large yard out to the small yards, do the switching and go back. Railroads don't use yard clerks anymore so there aren't any offices required.
I doubt they service many engines there, they probably just turn the power sets and run the engines back out again. A modern engine has a range of about 1000 miles. They could fuel the engines in Pittsburgh, run them to Newark, turn the power and run them back to Pittsburgh and still have gas in the tank.
Yes.
Guess; if its like most of these type of operations there are local engines and through power. The through power comes in on a through freight terminate, wait for the outbound train, then run a train outbound. The local power hangs around and is used on various local and industry jobs. The engines will spend weeks there doing local work and be swapped out to a larger terminal for major work.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
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Let's look at CSX GP40-2 6224.Today the engine is assigned to Wade Park Industrial Switcher.When the Wade Park crew returns to the yard 6224 is left on the inbound engine service lead for servicing.
Several hours later.
The power desk needs 2 units for the Crestline Turn..They have several units available but,selects 6224 and 6288 for the power.The hostler will assemble the unit consist and will leave the units on the outbound ready track.I'm told at larger terminals the engine(s) is placed on the train by a hostler helper but,I have not been able to verify that.
Later after the Wade Park switcher is called they assigned GP38-2 2528 as the power.
There's no requirement that even a large yard have a connected engine service facility. When the Northern Pacific served Minnesota's Cuyuna iron ore range, empty ore trains started at the NP's Hill Avenue yard near their ore dock (and yes, it was only one dock) in Superior Wisc. However, the power was kept at NP's Rice's Point yard across the St.Louis river / harbor in Duluth Minn. A mainline ore train crew started their work in Duluth, where they picked up their engines and a caboose. They then used the twin swing-bridges to cross over to Superior, where they would connect up to their train and head southwest to start their trip to the range. I'd have to check a map, but I'd guess Rice's Point roundhouse and the NP ore yards were maybe 4-5 miles apart.
appreciate all the comments. helps me better understand railroad operations. I hadn't realized small yards might be used by local switchers to consolidate car exchanges to numerous small industries not nearby a mainline.
while i showed a small CSX engine terminal, I see that the Norfolk Southern, which shares yards in Newark, has its nearest major engine terminal near Harrisburg, PA.
gregcwhile i showed a small CSX engine terminal, I see that the Norfolk Southern, which shares yards in Newark, has its nearest major engine terminal near Harrisburg, PA.
Today there is no need for outlaying yards to have a engine terminal since its cheaper to have a contract fuel dealer to refuel the unit(s).When the crew is finish for the day they simply shut the engine down and lock the cab doors with switch locks,set the handbrake and go home.I think they also remove the reverser handle.
A intermediate yard that has several locals working out of it may have a small servicing area but,no engine house..The fuel storage tank may be nothing more then a tank trailer.A hostler's helper may drive a company truck to that outlaying yard and refuel the engines or the crew might refuel the engines-depending on the company/union work agreement for that job.
I suspect those shared yards are Conrail Shared Assets Operations (CSAO).