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