Yardmastering

[nbrodar]

Mookie, here you go.  A primer on Yardmastering.  Of course every Yardmaster and yard office is different, but this should give you a general idea what goes on.

First, a brief description of the yard.  I work at a SIT (Storage In Transit) yard, that serves a transloading facility, three local industries, an intermodal ramp, and a car repair shop.  We are also a major crew change point, as well as, a junction between two subdivisions. Additionally, we are a midway station for the trash trains to drop and pick up cars. I control a drawbridge, too.

Next, a tour of the office. I actually work in a tower.  There are 42 steps between the parking lot and my desk. 

• Yardmaster Work Station - This computer connects me to the system mainframe, and I use it to preform the majority of my tasks - pull reports, preform clerical tasks, issue switchlists, track cars, issue train documents, etc
• CADS Terminal - basically just a terminal that lets me see the dispatcher's screens.
• Radio Repeater - this radio is connected to a repeater which lets me talk to an outlying yard about 30 miles away.
• Dispatcher Tie Line - my direct connection to the dispatcher.  Just push the button and talk.
• Phone - never stops ringing.  I seem to be the contact point for everyone: customers, customer service, dispatchers, and chief dispatchers from both sides of the division point, crew, other yards, people from other railroads, etc. 
• Radio #1 and #2 - base station radios for my yard.  I usually have one set to the road channel and one set for the main yard channel.
• Taxi Radio - my connection with the crew taxi service.
• Yard Turnover - written document that shows track status, locomotive locations, trains enroute, ect.
• Yardmaster Worksheet - this a book I use to keep track of: what trains are coming, and going, any work they do, when they get recrewed, etc; what my yard crews are doing; any industry, shop and intermodal work to do; the power assigned to trains, and it's location; cars to be transferred between yards in the terminal; and any scheduled bridge opening.   I made this sheet up to help keep track off all that.  Every yardmaster does something similar, but as far as I know, I'm the only one to use such a formal document.
• Not shown - the control panel for the drawbridge and marine radio. My locker, with my Personal Protective Equipment (safety glasses, gloves, supervisors hardhat, etc), rain gear, rule books, extra pens, paper, printer ribbons, and much more.

Now a quick walk through my day.

• First, I read over the Turnover and get a verbal description of what's happening from the YM I'm relieving.  It's sort of like coming into the middle of a chess game, and taking over.
• Second, I pull my reports - a general yard inventory, inventory of cars on the TSA watch list, a list of 30 hour cars and car hire costs, and a power line up. 
• While these are printing, I fill in the train sheet section of my worksheet.  After I read over the reports, I fill out the car and locomotive portions of the worksheet.
• Next, I look up the industry work in the computer, and call the customers to confirm the work.
• Armed with all this information, I plan out the work.  Then write it up for the yard crews.  This usually occupies the first hour or so of the shift.  During this time, I also develop a plan for working the road trains. 
• When the yard crews come on duty, I go down to the crew room. First I give a safety briefing, making sure to note any hazards in the area and any special procedures needed. After that, I hand out and explain the work to the crews.
• I do something similar for the road crews, except they come up to my office for the briefings.  Although not required to, I also get as much of the road crews paperwork together for them as I can.  Things like train profiles, bulletin orders, air slips, waybills for cars missing them, etc.  Some road crews need orders from three or four different railroads, and it can take time to get all of them, especially for the non-regular trains.  Most of the crew appreciate my getting them ready ahead of time.
• The rest of the shift is basically briefing road crews, running the plan, and adjusting to "hiccups" in the plan.

Now I'll open up the floor for questions,
Nick

[Mookie]

Nick! Thank you so much! I printed it out and will have to take the weekend to forumlate some questions. 

If I can't get into the yard to see for myself, then I will rely on my forum friends to help me learn.

Mookie

[TimChgo9]

Thanks Nick... 

I'll have to think of a few questions myself.  I have always wondered how you guys keep things straight in the yard...

[MP173]

What railroad are you on and what location (if you dont mind).  About how many trains per day thru the facility?  How many swap crews vs having yard work done?

How many times per day, on average do you have to open the drawbridge and who has the right of passage...trains or boats?  Ever any issues with the drawbridge not working correctly?

ed

[nbrodar]

On average we have 23 regularly scheduled road trains a day that operate in the terminal.  The break down:

• 6 trains that originate in the terminal
• 6 trains that terminate in the terminal
• 4 trains that work and change crews
• 3 trains that don't work, but change crews 
• 4 trains that pass thru with out work or crew change
• There are also 6 extra trains, we operate on a semi-regular basis.

Additionally there are 6 local trains that ferry cars between yards, interchange with other railroads, and service line of road customers.

Customers with in the terminal proper are serviced with yard crews. 

Water traffic runs in bunches.  We may not have an opening for weeks, and then have 5 openings in 3 days.  Water traffic is suppose to have the right of way.  And like anything else on the RR, there are occasional glitches with the bridge.

For those interested here's a blank copy of my work sheet.  The top section is for the yard crews and work.  The bottom section for road trains and thier work.

If I remember, I'll bring home a blank turnover page and post that as well.

Nick

[Limitedclear]

42 steps to be out the door for coffee...hmmmmm...lol...

Nick, I thought you were TMing???

LC

[CNW 6000]

Nick,

Awesome glimpse into a world lots of us wouldn't ever see or begin to understand.  I'm sure I will have questions later but for now, thanks loads for sharing!

[SealBook27]

   WHEW!!!

Chess would be simpler!

[nbrodar]

42 steps to be out the door for coffee...hmmmmm...lol...

Nick, I thought you were TMing???

LC

LC, I do both.  Sometimes, it seems like I'm filling both roles at the same time.

Nick

[nbrodar]

   WHEW!!!

Chess would be simpler!

It is like playing chess.  Not only do you have the "now" to worry about, but you have to be able to look 4, 6, or 8 hours ahead.  One misstep now, can mean a cluster 4 hours from now.  Likewise a good (and often seemingly meaningless) move now, will make the next 4 hours run like a Swiss watch.

Imagine taking over for someone in the middle of a chess game, taking an attack in progress and melding it into your strategy.  Then a little later, someone else comes and takes over for your opponent.  Now that attack changes and you must change with it, or get rolled over.

Of course, there is also knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your crews, and how to finesse your available tracks, because there are never enough.  A instinctual feel for how things run can keep several crews moving at the same time.

I often tell people, anyone can be taught the mechanics of Yardmastering.  Most people can sit in the seat and do the job, but truely great Yardmasters are born, not taught.  They have a feel for operations, and future vision that just can't be learned.

Nick

[diningcar]

Great story Nick, and a good illustration why many of us love, or loved, railroading. No day is just like the day before so there are always challenges and if you are good at overcoming them you go home feeling great about what has been accomplished.

Perhaps a DS with a very busy territory will provide a similar analysis of the work. Any others also welcome.

[Anonymous]

Great write up! I gave it 5 stars.

A question...

Let's say you get something started at your shift and it goes bad after you go off shift. Is it still your problem?

[nbrodar]

Great write up! I gave it 5 stars.

A question...

Let's say you get something started at your shift and it goes bad after you go off shift. Is it still your problem?

Depends.  If it goes wrong because of something you actually did, they yes it's still your problem.  If it goes wrong just because, then no it probably not your problem, but you'll probably be blamed anyway.  Because that's the railroad way.

As promised here's a copy of the yard turnover.  I use this document to transfer information to my relief.  Most yardmasters simply use this document, to plan thier work, either making notes in the margins, or on the blank sheet beside it in the binder.

Nick

[SFbrkmn]

BNSF has two types of ydmstr poistions--the BN guys are the traditional union ydmstrs while SF are asst trnmstrs (ATM). These are company jobs that are just that--a management, non union position that have almost the same authority as a division trnmstr. Since it is a salary position, these workers have no paid health coverage and monthly premimums is covered on your own. Thats the difference in working a union vs. non union position.

[JSGreen]

Wow.  Reminds me of assuming a watch in Combat Information Center on board a ship!  Which brings up a couple of questions....such as, how long are your shifts, and how much overlap do you get with the off going shift for the "pass-down". 

[nbrodar]

Wow.  Reminds me of assuming a watch in Combat Information Center on board a ship!  Which brings up a couple of questions....such as, how long are your shifts, and how much overlap do you get with the off going shift for the "pass-down". 

Our shifts are 8 hours, but since we are not covered under HOS (one of the few crafts not so covered), we can be forced to work 16 straight, if we have no relief.

We get as much time as we need for turnover.  Unless there's something out of the ordinary happening, it only takes 10 minutes or so.

Nick

[Mookie]

So you don't actually have time to really "look over" the dispatchers shoulder and see much more than how things are moving? 

I think my questions would probably fall more under a dispatcher's area. 

But for you - do you have an ebb and flow within the yard?  Do you have times when the yards are stuffed and other times when they are relatively empty?  Or do they run about the same all the time?

[listorama]

For a layman having an interest in railroads, the description of your job was enlightening to say the least. From reading and from talking on occasion to train crews, I know that the work of railroad employees can be challenging. The "chess game" analogy is spooky and gives me even more respect for the work you do. Thanks for the summary! ---Dave Beedon; Renton, Washington

[nbrodar]

So you don't actually have time to really "look over" the dispatchers shoulder and see much more than how things are moving? 

I think my questions would probably fall more under a dispatcher's area. 

But for you - do you have an ebb and flow within the yard?  Do you have times when the yards are stuffed and other times when they are relatively empty?  Or do they run about the same all the time?

I use my access to the CADS screens to keep track of the trains coming my way.  It's also helpful for making sure the DS and I are on the same page as to how I would like moves to take place.

There is a natural edd and flow.  

At my SIT yard, Sunday and Monday tend to have more cars in the yard, becuase we normally don't perform any industrial switching, over the weekend.  Also one local and one northbound trash train don't run.  So the customer, local, and some trash builds up for Monday and Tuesday.   After working the week, Friday normally has fewest cars in the yard.

At the class yard, Thrusday, Friday, and Saturdaytend to be heavy because of the influx of outbound cars from by yard, with Tuesday and Wednsday being light.

Nick

[BaltACD]

Managing the operations of today's, heavy duty, Class I railroads is somewhat analogous to a seriously advanced act of juggling.  The system normally has more traffic available than can be handled at any terminal or on any sub-division at any particular point in time.  Operational managements aim is to keep all the cars/trains in movement, without overloading either the sub-divisions that the trains operate over, or drowning the terminals that must switch/classify to cars into or out of train.  When a railroad is operating well the jugglers balls are all in the air, except for those that he has the hands to handle.  When a railroad is operating poorly, the juggler has his hands and all his other body parts in use trying to catch the descending balls and the balls are still descending.

[Pistol Pete]

 

 

  As SealBook27 stated  "Chess would be simpler!"     Yardmastering is a chess game,  only with BIGGER  and MORE pieces to move around.   Best part is the human factor which becomes involved, and really makes it INTERESTING!!!   Did it for five years and enjoyed the challenges.