Some clarifications:
Nobody needs to use the mainline. So no worries or pressures from the dispatcher. Ideally, you would have your train with the cars in the right order, but for various reason it doesn't always happen.
Don't over think it too much, just work with what I presented.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
henry6 Ulrich, I think the cars come in one or two at a time and not in the order which they will be unloaded. Zug has set the problem up based on the fact that the cars as presented in the diagrams are how the customer wants them put into the siding. I think.
Ulrich, I think the cars come in one or two at a time and not in the order which they will be unloaded. Zug has set the problem up based on the fact that the cars as presented in the diagrams are how the customer wants them put into the siding. I think.
Ok thanks for clarifying...I may get a big fat F on Prof. Zug's course...
Keep dreaming!
A serving yard that has multiple customers is lucky to get each customers cars together in the order in which the local will service them (work rule change of about 15 years ago eliminated the penalty for not having a local built in station standing order). Crew that build trains in serving yards are not unnecessarily the same crews that will service the customer and have no idea of the specific orders of the customer.
Ulrich Sounds like a good way to do it...looks like the railroads employ people who can really think on their feet. . But what about contacting the receiver in advance to determine which loads he wants and in what order? Doing that would eliminate or at least minimize the need to switch at the customer's siding. Switch and order the cars in a yard...I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that there is a classification yard or at least a yard of some sort between the shipper (s) and that receiver. That's what yards are designed for.. the perfect tool for that job. Also, jury rigging a solution at a siding, although creative and smart, is probably less safe than having the cars classified in a yard. You're out there all by yourself in the cold after all..what if something happens? At least in a yard there are people around and maybe even emergency response availability.
Sounds like a good way to do it...looks like the railroads employ people who can really think on their feet. . But what about contacting the receiver in advance to determine which loads he wants and in what order? Doing that would eliminate or at least minimize the need to switch at the customer's siding.
Switch and order the cars in a yard...I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that there is a classification yard or at least a yard of some sort between the shipper (s) and that receiver. That's what yards are designed for.. the perfect tool for that job. Also, jury rigging a solution at a siding, although creative and smart, is probably less safe than having the cars classified in a yard. You're out there all by yourself in the cold after all..what if something happens? At least in a yard there are people around and maybe even emergency response availability.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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I'll attempt with the following two tries.
A: Pull the pit and 5 double to 1 on lead put all that against against 2, got 2 to 3 then go for 4 and put on lead. Put 5 on main, pick lead cars against 5 and push all up lead with 1,2,3,4,5 behind pit. and pit on pit.
B: Put lead against pit and five, then put 3, pit and ,5 on lead, put one against 2, on the main and place against 3 and pull 3 against 4 on main, then grab pit and put on main, put 1,2,3,4 on lead, pic up pit, push all down the lead.
Also didn't mention if you are working off the Main Track and if other trains are waiting for you to finish this job and if the waiting trains are running for the law and what kind of relationship you are having with the Train Dispatcher this trip and how you feel about the crews on the trains that are waiting for you. Also haven't mentioned how you and the engineer are getting along this trip.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.
Despite all the iron and steel involved in railroading - it still is a people business.
jeffhergert Even with the cold, you didn't mention if we're going for an early quit or overtime. Might make a difference. Jeff
Even with the cold, you didn't mention if we're going for an early quit or overtime. Might make a difference.
Jeff
First you get a bottle of dramamine for the engineer.
Then couple onto "Pit" only, leaving "5", "2", and "4" on the main. Train is now "Engine, Pit"
Then couple to "1", leaving "3" on the spur. Train is now "Engine, Pit, 1"
Then get "5" and "2" together, leaving 4 on the main. Train is now "Engine, Pit, 1, 5, 2"
Then get "3". Train is now "Engine, Pit, 1, 5, 2, 3"
Then get "4" and leave it and "2" and "3" on the main. Train is now "Engine, Pit, 1, 5"
Then leave "5" on the spur. Train is now "Engine, Pit, 1"
Then get "2", "3" and "4". Train is now "Engine, Pit, 1, 2, 3, 4"
Shove the whole shebang into the customers track, picking up "5" on the end in the process. Train is now "Engine, Pit, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5"
Leave "1, 2, 3, 4, 5" in the tail and pull "Pit" to the Pit.
Use a hose to clean of the side of the cab below the engineer's window.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
zugmann [snipped] Maybe a remedial switching school. I'm still new at this yet (and will be until the day I retire/quit).
Thanks for posting this. I've been looking for someone to do that for quite a while now. I've got to head out to an appt. shortly, but maybe later tonight I'll post an answer.
In the meantime, a couple questions: How'd you draw that nifty diagram/ sketch ?
And: How did you get it to appear here ???
Finally: Check your PM's when you have a moment.
- Paul North.
Maybe a remedial switching school. I'm still new at this yet (and will be until the day I retire/quit).
In the past, I had this industry to switch. Pretty simple place, just a single siding that goes to an unloading pit. There's room behind the pit for 5 more loaded cars. As they empty the cars, they drop them down on the lead towards the main and pull down the next load. The "normal" move is to grab any empties they have, then grab the remaining loads, pull them all out to the main, then grab the new loads. You then shove back up to the industry, and the new loads are behind the old loads. Just like restocking a store shelf. But there's a catch: this company unloads various products. So the "normal" move isn't always possible or wanted.
Sometimes they want their cars switched in a way that they can unload a car of one product, then a car of another product, etc. Here's a situation I stumbled upon: They have 2 empties that were on the lead. Ok, I grabbed them. They also had 2 old loads behind the pit. My train on the main has 4 new loads for them. And they want them all in a specific order. Think about how you would accomplish such a move. I did it a way that I believe was the best, but it may not have been. There's always several ways to switch a customer.
FIrst photo shows the layout of the place. (from bottom to top) you have the main, the lead (which holds about 10 cars between the switch and the pit), the pit itself (holds one car), and room for 5 extra loads. These "spots" are numbered 1-5, with 1 being closest to the pit, and 5 closest to the bumping block.
After I pulled the empties (and pulled the 2 old loads down to the switch at the main), I was looking at the following situation:
The numbers on the cars correspond to where the customer wants the cars to end up when you are all done. That pretty red thing to the left of the switch is your engine. Now the fun part.. how would you switch this with the goal being as few moves as possible? It is cold and you are working by yourself. So you don't want to be out here all night. And your engineer is going to get seasick if you make him go back and forth too much.
Anyone (preferably non-railroaders) up for the challenge?
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