Operating Session 7 (Amrail)

Operating Session #7 took place on Saturday 8/25/2018.  This was my first time hosting the Amrail operating group.  We had six operators from Amrail, and two from my usual operating group to fill in the remaining spots.  The session went well and I look forward to hosting the Amrail crowd again.  Only one problem was reported by the operators, which was a problem with the couplers of one of the P&E Pekin switch engines.

Here were the assignments for the session, Tuesday September 8, 1959:

• 6:45am ATSF/P&E/C&IM/P&PU Dispatcher on duty.  Dan J, all day job.
• 6:45am ATSF Peking switcher on duty.  Rich S, all day job.
• 7:00am PPU yard switcher on duty.  Greg B, all day job.
• 7:00am PE Pekin switcher on duty.  Mike R, all day job.
• 7:00am ATSF #14 Eastward passenger from Pekin.  Bill S.
• 7:15am ATSF Eastward extra local freight from East YaRD.  Gary S.
• 7:45am ATSF #47 Westward green fruit express from ATSF staging (Streator).  George S.
• 8:30am ATSF Westward extra local freight from ATSF staging (Streator).  Charlie S.
• 10:00am ATSF #48 Eastward through freight from East Yard.  Gary C.
• 10:15am CIM #6 Northward freight from CIM staging.  George S.
• 11:00 ATSF #17 Westward mail and express from ATSF staging (Streator).  Bill S.
• 12:05 PE #11 Westward passenger from PE staging (Bloomington).  George S.
• 12:50 PE #95 Westward freight from PE staging (Bloomington).  Gary C.
• 1:00pm ATSF #18 Eastward mail and express from Pekin.  Gary S.
• 1:10pm ATSF Westward coal extra from ATSF staging (Streator).  Bill S.
• 2:15pm PE #12 Eastward passenger from Pekin.  George S.
• 3:05pm CIM #7 Southward freight from East Peoria.  Greg B.
• 3:15pm ATSF #13 Westward passenger from ATSF staging (Streator).  Charlie S.
• 3:30pm ATSF #50 Eastward way-freight from East Yard.  George S.
• 4:30pm PE #90.  Did not run before session end.
• 4:45pm ATSF #49 Westward way-freight from ATSF staging (Streator).  Did not run before session end.

Operating Session 6

Operating Session #6 took place on Thursday 7/19/2018.  We had eight operators, plus myself acting as dispatcher.  This is the first time we've operated with a full eight person crew.  This is also the first time we managed to complete all the trains for the day.  Overall I feel the session went great, and the layout performed without problems.  For the future I will shoot for eight operators as the goal.  Being able to focus on dispatching and not having to also run a yard job was nice.  

Here is some of the operator feedback:

• A couple of locomotives stalled on the road crossing on the siding in Roanoke.
• The track map in Pekin industrial is inaccurate and American Distilling is missing from it entirely.  Additionally the car card boxes for American Distilling should be re-labeled to match the order of the tracks.
• The IT and PRR interchanges in Morton clog up with cars.  The dispatcher might need to move some cars from the interchange tracks down to a storage box under the layout mid session.  There is unfortunately no room to make the tracks longer.

Here are some of the observations and lessons learned during this operating session:

• While test running locomotives before the session the MRC sound decoder in one of the Kato F3A units died.  The decoder appears to be fully dead, also not responding to DC power.  MRC sound decoders are generally thought of as unreliable, and my track record of having 2 out of 3 of these sound decoders die confirms that.  The dead decoder will be replaced with a Digitrax non sound decoder for the time being.  This decoder death makes me wonder if I'm getting voltage spikes on the layout.  I will install snubbers at the end of each power district to absorb spikes.
• A few locomotives stalled in the staging yard.  Currently the yard does not have power feeders due to it originally having been built as a temporary staging yard.  Temporary things sometimes become permanent.  It is time to extend the power bus and run feeders to each staging track instead of relying on track power through 15ft of code 55 track.
• The Corn Products and American Distilling switch jobs performed by the P&E Pekin yard switcher can tie that operator up for too long.  I will create instructions for these as stand alone jobs, and suggest that the P&E Pekin yard switcher call in crews to operate those switch jobs separately.
• Switching Morton continues to tie up the locals for a long time, causing some complications for meets.  I should consider if Morton needs to have a permanent switch job.

Here were the assignments for the session, Monday September 7, 1959:

• 6:45am ATSF/P&E/C&IM/P&PU Dispatcher.  Dan J, all day job.
• 6:45am ATSF Pekin switcher on duty.  Frank S, all day job.
• 7:00am PPU yard switcher on duty.  Art J, all day job.
• 7:00am PE switcher on duty.  Michael H, all day job.
• 7:00am ATSF#14 Eastward passenger from Pekin.  Mike A.
• 7:20am ATSF Eastward extra coal empty from East Yard.  Bob M.
• 7:40am ATSF Eastward extra local freight from East Yard.  Bill S.
• 7:45am ATSF #47 Westward green fruit express from ATSF staging (Streator).  Charlie S.
• ~ 9:00am ATSF Westward extra local freight from ATSF staging (Streator).  Kurt V.
• 10:00am ATSF #48 Eastward through-freight from East Yard.  Bob M.
• 10:15am CIM #6 Northward freight from CIM staging.  Charlie S.
• 11:00am ATSF #17 Westward mail and express from ATSF staging (Streator).  Mike A.
• 12:05pm PE #11 Westward passenger from PE staging (Bloomington).  Charlie S.
• 12:50pm PE #95 Westward freight from PE staging (Bloomington).  Mike A.
• 1:00pm ATSF #18 Eastward mail and express from Pekin.  Bob M.
• 2:15pm PE #12 Eastward passenger from Pekin.  Kurt V.
• 3:05pm CIM #7 Southward freight from East Peoria.  Dan J.
• 3:15pm ATSF #13 Westward passenger from ATSF staging (Streator).  Charlie S.
• 3:30pm ATSF #50 Eastward way-freight from East Yard.  Bob M.
• 4:30pm PE #90.  Mike A.
• 4:45pm ATSF #49 Westward way-freight from ATSF staging (Streator).  Mike A.

PPU yard switcher switches the yard, while the P&E switches Corn Products in Pekin.

ATSF Eastward extra local freight waits for ATSF #47, the Green Fruit Express, to pull into the arrival track in East Yard.

Operating Extra 2101 East

As is often the case, during Op Session 5 there were too many eastbound freight cars in Pekin at the end of the day for #50 to haul, requiring us to call an extra train.  Today we will follow the operation of extra train 2101 east, which will handle local work in Morton, Crandall, Washington, and Roanoke, along with a few cars bound for staging (Streator).

As an extra train, extra 2101 east has lower priority than any 1st or 2nd class train on the schedule.  We receive our clearance card and train orders from the dispatcher at 3:40pm.  We have one train order, #5, which reads "Eng 2101 run extra east yard to Streator".  This is about as simple as train orders get, with no time restrictions and no mention of other extras.  We only have to worry about dodging scheduled trains.

Clearance Form A, indicating we have one train order, #5.

Train order #5, authorizing us to run extra from East Yard in Pekin, IL to Streator, IL.

We look at the timetable to determine what trains we need to stay out of the way of. 

ATSF Pekin branch timetable

Looking at the eastward register at East Yard we see that all departing trains have already left, with the latest one, #50, having left just 10 minutes ago at 3:30pm.

Eastward register at East Yard in Pekin, IL.

Looking at the westward register (not pictured) we see that two scheduled trains, #13 and #49, have not yet arrived.  #13 is scheduled to arrive in Pekin at 4:15pm, leaving the previous town, Morton, at 4:00pm.  With it now being 3:45pm there is no way we can complete a brake test and make it to Morton in time.  So we must wait for #13 to go past East Yard.  We'll use the time to review our car cards and write up our switch list for the local work that needs to go on along the route.

Paperwork for extra 2101 east.  Car cards, Clerance form A, train order, and switchlist

Extra 2101 east, with 9 cars, waiting on the departure track at East Yard in Pekin, IL.

The Pekin Chief #13 rolls through East Yard at 4:12pm, just in time for a 4:15pm arrival in Pekin.

The Pekin Chief #13 rolls through East Yard

Looking at the timetable we see that the next scheduled train, #49, isn't scheduled to arrive at East Yard until 6:20pm, and leaving the previous town of Morton at 6:00pm.  This gives us plenty of time to get to Morton and do some work.  We depart East Yard toward Morton at 4:15pm.  We sign the register with our information: Train x2101 east, engine 2101, white flags (indicating extra), train order #5, departing 4:15pm, 9 cars, conductor DGJ.

We add our train to the eastaward register at East Yard in Pekin, IL as we depart.

We arrive in Morton at 4:30pm, and as the lower priority train we take the siding.

Taking the siding in Morton, IL

We still have time to do some switching before needing to clear the main for #49.  Looking at our switchlist we have 5 deliveries in Morton.

• CIM 11018 with coal for Libby McNeil.
• FGEX 35288 empty for Libby McNeil.
• WM 7020 TOFC for the TOFC ramp.
• ATSF 89989 TOFC for the TOFC ramp.
• NYC 436643 with parts for Morton Meyer.

We then have 2 pickups and 1 move in Morton.  

• PRR 19103 from Morton Meyer with parts for the Illinois Terminal interchange in Morton.
• AESX 195 from Illinois Terminal interchange with corn syrup for ATSF staging.
• MILW 50105 from Libby McNeill with canned pumpkin for ATSF staging.

We use the card sorting shelf to help visualize the work that needs to occur, and update our switchlist.

Sorting car cards to determine work that needs to take place in Morton

Updated switchlist

We end up having to pull and shuffle several cars from Libby McNeill to get our newly delivered cars to the right spots.

Switching Libby McNeill cannery in Morton, IL.

Next we deliver the trailers to the TOFC ramp.

Morton had a TOFC ramp that saw a fair bit of traffic.

At 5:40pm we head back to the siding to clear the main for #49, which is scheduled to arrive at Morton at 6:00pm.  At 6:10pm #49 arrives.  With no pickups or deliveries in Morton, #49 quickly gets moving towards East Yard.

#49 rolls through town as we wait in the siding.

It is 6:20pm and we are delivering a boxcar to Morton Meyer.  Next we deliver a boxcar to the Pennsylvania Railroad interchange, and pickup a tank car from the Illinois Terminal interchange.

Working the IT and PRR interchanges in Morton.  After 1955 the IT ran on the PRR's line through town after abandoning their own trackage running down the middle of a nearby parallel street.

At 7:10pm we have our train coupled up, brake tested, and ready to depart for Washington.  With there being no more scheduled trains for the day, and no train orders received notifying us of other extra trains on the line, we can safely head to Washington.

Extra 2101 east ready to depart Morton, IL

At 7:30pm we arrive in Washington.  We have one pickup.

Arriving in Washington, IL.

At 7:43pm we depart Washington.

At 7:50pm we enter trackage rights on the Toledo Peoria & Western at Pekin Jct.

At 8:15pm we arrive in Roanoke.  We take the main as we know that no scheduled trains remain today, and have received no train orders informing us of extra trains.  We inspect car cards to update our switchlist.

Inspecting car cards in Roanoke, IL.

We have 3 deliveries in Roanoke.

• ATSF 31595 with dried distillers grains for Eureka Milling.
• ATSF 148595 with wheat middlings for Eureka Milling.
• CIM 11047 with coal for Roanoke Farmers Co-op.

We have 1 pickup in Roanoke.

• NKP 8081 from Prairie Dehydrating with bagged alfalfa feed for ATSF staging.

Picking up NKP 8081 loaded with bagged alfalfa feed pellets at Prairie Dehydrating.

Main street in Roanoke crosses the railroad.  We have to break the train to avoid blocking traffic while we switch the town.

Main street crossing in Roanoke, IL

At 8:55pm we have completed our switching in Roanoke, have coupled back up, and brake test is completed.  We depart for staging and terminate there.

As can be seen from our switchlist we delivered 10 cars, and entered ATSF staging with 5 cars in our train.

Switchlist at the end of our run. 10 delivered cars, and 5 cars still on the train as we entered staging.

Motive power on the Pekin branch

In an effort to learn more about operations on the ATSF Pekin branch I've been digging through old clearance cards and train orders from the branch. In doing so I was able to get a glimpse of what motive power was being used over the years.

• 6/23/1948: No 47, engine 3268 Baldwin 2-8-2 Class 3160 (external picture)
• 6/29/1951: No 47, engine 2606 Baldwin DT-6-6-2000 (external link)
• 7/17/1951: Extra 100 west, engine 100 (external picture) EMD FT-A
• 6/7/1952: Work extra 1933, weed burner (external picture) 1933
• 9/15/1956: Engine 176 EMD FT-A
• 12/6/1956: Engine 2111 Alco RSD-5 (external picture)
• 12/10/1956: Engine 2157 (external picture) Alco RSD-5
• 12/25/1956: Engine 2111 Alco RSD-5
• 12/27/1956: Engine 2111 Alco RSD-5
• 1/4/1958: No 47, engine 2157 Alco RSD-5
• 1/4/1958: No 48, engine 2111 Alco RSD-5
• 5/27/1958: No 47, engine 2111 Alco RSD-5
• 5/27/1958: No 48, engine 2157 Alco RSD-5
• 6/15/1960: No 47, engine 2800 EMD GP-7 (external picture)
• 6/15/1960: No 48, engine 2819 EMD GP-7
• 11/8/1960: No 47, engine 2800 EMD GP-7
• 11/8/1960: No 48, engine 2823 EMD GP-7
• 2/13/1962: Rail detector 9171
• 11/24/1962: No 48, engine 1154 EMD GP-20 (external picture)
• 6/9/1964: No 47, engine 1140 EMD GP-20
• 10/9/1964: No 47, engine 1130 EMD GP-20
• 10/14/1964: No 47, engine 1110 EMD GP-20
• 10/15/1964: No 47, engine 1130 EMD GP-20
• 10/16/1964: No 47, engine 1110 EMD GP-20
• 10/26/1964: Extra 1120 west, engine 1120 EMD GP-20
• 10/14/1968: Extra 1146 west, engine 1146 EMD GP-20
• 1/29/1971: Engine 1151 EMD GP-20
• 1/29/1971: Engine 1152 EMD GP-20
• 2/4/1971: Engine 1151 EMD GP-20
• 2/4/1971: Engine 1152 EMD GP-20
• 1/22/1981: Extra 3701 west, engine 3701 EMD GP-39-2 (external picture)
• 3/16/1983: Extra 3541 west, engine 3541 EMD GP-38 (external picture)
• 3/21/1983: Extra 3065 west, engine 3065 (external picture) EMD GP-20U

On the layout I'm modeling the fall of 1959.  The realism of my current set of motive power is constrained by what is available in n-scale.  I'm currently using RSD-5s, GP-9s, and F-7s for freight power, and a mix of F-3s and F-7s for passenger power.

Operating Session 5

Operating Session #5 took place on Tuesday 5/8/2018.  The railroad ran well, with no electrical or mechanical flaws.  I had six operators, one short of an optimally sized crew.  This meant that I had to perform double duty as dispatcher and P&PU East Peoria yard operator.  This lead to some slightly less than optimal dispatching, and traffic being a bit slow coming out of the P&PU yard.  We operated using the timetable and train order system, running a mix of scheduled and extra trains.  Fast clock was used at a 4-1 ratio.  Registers were in place on the ATSF at East Yard and Streator (staging).  Good times were had by all and I look forward to my next scheduled operating session on Thursday 7/19/2018.

Here are some of the observations and lessons learned during this operating session:

• The eastward extra local freight took a long time to perform work in Morton.  This lead to it meeting the westward extra local freight in Roanoke quite a bit later than anticipated.  They met in Roanoke right as #17 came through Roanoke, making for a tricky meet.  The eastward extra should probably have waited in Morton for #17, and new train orders issued to the extras to move their meet to Morton.  In the future I should think about ordering the meet to take place in Morton in the first place.
• The dispatcher needs to remember to turn the passenger power and equipment in ATSF staging before 11am, and again around 2pm layout time.
• The dispatcher needs to remember to turn car cards mid day at industries that need switching multiple times per day.  Libby McNeil in Morton, Corn Products in Pekin, American Distilling in Pekin.
• The ATSF could use a couple of more locomotives.  We were running tight on power.
• The P&E needs another couple of locomotives.  A borrowed TP&W unit powered P&E #11 and #12.
• Shorter operators have trouble seeing into the P&E staging track.  I need to get a small mirror on the ceiling so they can see where their train is as they pull into staging.
• I need to find a corner to place a dispatcher's desk.  The space inside the TP&W/Washington peninsula is a bit too tight for a dispatcher.

Here are the assignments for the session, Saturday September 5, 1959:

• 6:45am ATSF/P&E/C&IM/P&PU Dispatcher.  Dan J, all day job, performing double duty as P&PU yard switcher
• 6:45am ATSF Pekin switcher on duty.  Mike A, all day job.
• 7:00am P&PU yard switcher on duty.  Dan J, all day job, performing double duty as dispatcher.
• 7:00am P&E switcher on duty.  Greg B, all day job.
• 7:00am ATSF#14 Eastward passenger from Pekin.  Charlie S.
• ~ 7:30am ATSF Eastward extra 721 local freight from East Yard.  Bob M.
• 7:45am ATSF #47 Westward green fruit express from Streator (ATSF staging).  Bill S.
• ~ 9:00am ATSF Westward extra 707 local freight from Streator (ATSF staging).  Frank S.
• 10:00am ATSF #48 Eastward through-freight from East Yard.  Charlie S.
• 10:15am C&IM #6 Northward freight from Springfield (C&IM staging).  Bill S.
• 11:00am ATSF #17 Westward mail and express from Streator (ATSF staging).  Bill S.
• 12:05pm PE #11 Westward passenger from Bloomington (P&E staging).  Bob M.
• ~ 12:40pm ATSF Westward extra 2105 coal from Streator (ATSF staging).  Charlie S.
• 12:50pm P&E #95 Westward freight from Bloomington (P&E staging).  Greg B, performing double duty as P&E Pekin switcher as well.
• 1:00pm ATSF #18 Eastward mail and express from Pekin.  Bill S.
• 2:15pm P&E #12 Eastward passenger from Pekin.  Bob M.
• 3:05pm C&IM #7 Southward freight from East Peoria.  Charlie S.
• 3:15pm ATSF #13 Westward passenger from Streator (ATSF staging).  Bob M.
• 3:30pm ATSF #50 Eastward way-freight from East Yard.  Frank S.  Train did not finish run before end of session, halted in Roanoke, IL.
• 3:30pm P&E #90 Eastward freight from East Peoria.  Greg B.  Train was run an hour earlier than scheduled 4:30pm.
• 4:45pm ATSF #49 Westward way-freight from Streator (ATSF staging).  Dan J.  Train did not finish run before end of session, halted in Roanoke, IL.
• ATSF Eastward extra 2101 local from East Yard.  Train did not depart due to a combination of lack of crew and end of session.

Clearance Form A, authorizing extra 707 west to leave staging.

Train order No 2, creating a meet between Extra 721 east and Extra 707 west at Roanoke, IL.

Train order No 3, creating extra 707 west.

ATSF extra 707 west switches Roanoke, IL.

ATSF #47 meets ATSF extra 721 east in Morton, IL.

ATSF #47 works the Illinois Terminal and Pennsylvania Railroad interchanges on the west side of Morton, IL.

P&E Pekin switcher (left) and ATSF Pekin switcher (right) work the town.

3D printed depot

I have a number of nice lasercut wood depot kits for the layout.  I have yet to get around to building any of these.  Recently my friend Bob demonstrated his very impressive 3D printer to our model railroad group.  He 3D printed me this stand-in depot for Washington, IL so that all of my towns don't have to be depot-less.  I'm quite impressed with the current state of 3D printing.  That combined with how nice some of the modern card stock models are getting makes me wonder if the future of model railroad structures is some sort of combination of 3D printed shell with printed textures.

3D printed stand-in depot in Washington, IL