I once was handed a 1/2 sheet of legal note pad by the ym with 5 car numbers and the location that the he needed on the "ice" track.Of course these fool cars had to be "cherry picked" from the cut of cars.As a rookie yard brakeman I decided as soon as my 6 months is up I will request a student slot on the road crew extra board.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
jrbernier Back in the 50's, a 'waybill' was usually cut for each car/load. Multiple copies were generated and one of those copies followed the freight car on it's journey from shipper to consignee. The conductor had a large packet/sleeve with the waybills.
Back in the 50's, a 'waybill' was usually cut for each car/load. Multiple copies were generated and one of those copies followed the freight car on it's journey from shipper to consignee. The conductor had a large packet/sleeve with the waybills.
At least one railroad in the 50's prepared a single waybill for multiple cars moving from one shipper to one consignee. I know this because a great uncle was a B&O agent at a small station in WV. I clearly recall my uncle typing as many reporting marks as he could on one waybill and cussing a blue streak when he made a mistake. We're talking very thin paper and several carbons to be corrected.
At that time, waybills moved with the car. Conductors were responsible for having a waybill for each car in their train and a car for each waybill. I've often wondered what the B&O (or a connecting railroad) did if cars on one of those multi-car waybills got separated from each other. Sounds like a real nightmare.
ChuckAllen, TX
If I were trying to simulate operations from the past I would consider the waybill route. No longer. I know of no North American railroad that manages operations using waybills. They use switchlists. There is no reason whatsoever to have a copy of a waybill in the field. With today's modern systems the waybill is just a data structure used to pass information.
So, if your goal is to simulate modern operations you should use switchlists. That would be the "correct" way.
It is a nightmare. The term is "straggler". Even in today's modern computer systems they cause problems.
A point here. In today's real world with two man crews the conductor is the brakeman. So if you are modeling a modern operation and want to simulate what it is like, you would use a switchlist and assume the responsibility of both jobs.
And yes indeed, "off spot" cars happen in the real world as well. Nothing is perfect.
If you are remotely talented in excel you can generate switchlists for a decent size operating session in very little time. It's not difficult at all. Remember to also fold your switchlist and stuff it in your back pocket...makes you look like you've railroaded.