Layout down for expansion

I have been pondering expanding the layout for a few years now.  This involves tearing out the existing staging yard, and expanding into another room.  Roanoke, IL will also have to be moved to be able to insert the missing Eureka, IL on the TP&W, and to insert east staging for the TP&W.  I have decided to do a helix and an upper level over part of the layout to be able to fully model all 57 miles of the Pekin branch.

New/moved on the lower level:

• Eureka, IL on the TP&W.  ATSF has trackage rights on the TP&W, and interchanges with them here.
• TP&W east staging.
• Roanoke, IL moved from current location.
• Benson, IL.

New on the upper level:

• Minonk, IL.  Interchange with IC charter line.
• Dana, IL.
• Long Point, IL.
• ATSF staging (Streator, IL)

This expansion will add roughly 95 feet of run to the layout, plus whatever distance the helix adds.

Current state of the layout:

Future state of the layout:

The hardest part of this expansion will be being out of operation for at least the remainder of 2023.

Operating Session 19

Operating session #19 took place on Tuesday 5/16/2023.  The session started at 1:45 PM railroad time, and ended at 8:22 PM railroad time.  I had 7 crew, in addition to my self.  We ran at a 3:1 clock ratio.

Here were the assignments for the session, afternoon of Friday 9/18/1959:

• Clock on at 1:45pm
• 1:45pm ATSF/P&E/C&IM/P&PU Dispatcher on duty.  Dan J, all day job.
• 1:45pm ATSF Pekin switcher on duty. Mike H.
• 1:45pm PPU yard switcher on duty. Mark V.
• (Running late) 12:50pm PE #95 Westward freight from PE staging (Bloomington). Kurt V.
• 2:00pm PE Pekin switcher on duty. Mitch R.
• 2:00pm PE #12 Eastward passenger from East Peoria. Charlie S.
• 2:05pm ATSF Eastward extra local freight from East Yard. John S.
• 3:05pm CIM #7 Southward freight from East Peoria. Charlie S or Kurt V?
• 3:15pm ATSF #13 Westward passenger from ATSF staging (Streator). Bill S.
• (Delayed to 4:30pm) 3:30pm ATSF #50 Eastward way-freight from East Yard. Kurt V.
• 4:30pm PE #90 Eastward freight from East Peoria. Charlie S.
• 4:45pm ATSF #1-49 Westward way-freight from ATSF staging (Streator). Bill S.
• 5:00pm ATSF #2-49 Westward way-freight from ATSF staging (Streator). Charlie S.
• 7:00pm ATSF #18 Eastward mail and express from Pekin. John S.
• 7:00pm ATSF Westward coal extra from staging (Streator). Bill S and Charlie S.
• Did not run. 8:00pm ATSF westward extra local
• Clock off at 8:22pm
• Did not run. 1:20am PE #99 Westward freight from PE staging (Bloomington)

ATSF train orders issued during this session, afternoon of Fri 9/18/1959:

Order #	To	Body	Complete
7	C+E Eng 721 at Pekin	Eng 721 run extra Pekin to Streator	1:40pm
8	C+E No 50 at East Yard C+E x721 East at Morton	No 50 run 1 hour late	3:27pm
9	C+E No 1-49 at Streator C+E No 2-49 at Streator	Eng 2105 and 707 run as first and second 49    Streator to East Yard	4:43pm
10	C+E Eng 203C at Streator	Eng 203C run extra Streator to East Yard	6:49pm

PE train orders issued during this session, afternoon of Fri 9/18/1959:

Order #	To	Body	Complete
1	C+E No 95 at Tremont    C+E No 12 at Peoria	No 95 meet No 12    In Tremont No 95 take siding	1:05pm

Thoughts on how the session ran:

• I discovered that some crew had trouble reading the fast clock display in 24 hr mode.  I tend to forget that not everyone thinks in 24 hr mode.  I will reconfigure the clocks to show time in AM/PM mode for the future.
• I switched from the Micro-Mark clearance cards and train order forms to printed out Santa Fe clearance cards and train order forms.  I didn't get any comments on the positives or negatives of this, but I think I like the slightly higher realism of using actual Santa Fe forms.
• The 3:1 clock ratio continues to work well.
• I need to have a more consistent intro talk to remind everyone of things like signing the registers, particularly when we have new operators.

Operating Session 18

Operating session #18 took place on Thursday 4/20/2023.  The session started at 6:30am railroad time, and ended at 1:45pm railroad time.  I had 7 crew, one more than optiomal, in addition to my self.  We ran at a 3:1 clock ratio.

Here were the assignments for the session, morning of Friday 9/18/1959:

• Clock on at 6:30am
• 6:30am ATSF/P&E/C&IM/P&PU Dispatcher on duty.  Dan J, all day job.
• 6:30am ATSF Pekin switcher on duty. Bill S, all day job.
• 6:30am PPU yard switcher on duty.  Bob M, all day job.
• 6:35am ATSF Eastward extra local freight from East Yard.  Mike A.
• 7:00am ATSF#14 Eastward passenger from Pekin.  Charlie S.
• 7:30am PE #94 Eastward freight from East Peoria.  Mike H.
• 7:45am ATSF #47 Westward green fruit express from ATSF staging (Streator).  Chuck R.
• CANCELLED 8:00am PE Corn Products switch job. (Cancelled).
• ~ 8:30am ATSF Westward extra local freight from Streator.  John S.
• 10:00am ATSF #48 Eastward through-freight from East Yard.  Mike H.
• 10:15am CIM #6 Northward freight from CIM staging.  Charlie S.
• ~ 10:15am ATSF Eastward coal empty extra from East Yard to ATSF staging (Streator).  Chuck R.
• 12:05pm PE #11 Westward passenger from PE staging (Bloomington).  Mike A.
• 12:20am ATSF #17 Westward mail and express from ATSF staging (Streator).  Mike H.
• DELAYED, DID NOT RUN 12:50pm PE #95 Westward freight from PE staging (Bloomington)
• Clock off at 1:45pm

ATSF train orders issued during this session, morning of Fri 9/18/1959:

Order #	To	Body	Complete
1	C+E Eng 2395 at East Yard	Eng 2395 run extra East Yard to Streator	6:30am
2	C+E No 14 at Pekin C+E No 47 at Streator	No 14 Eng 70 meet No 47 Eng 21 in Roanoke No 47 take siding	6:35am
3	C+E Extra 2395 East at Morton C+E Extra 715 West at Streator	Extra 2395 East meet Extra 721 West in Morton	8:09am
4	C+E Eng 721 at Streator	Eng 721 Run extra Streator to East Yard	8:11am
5	C+E Extra 203C East at East Yard C+E Extra 721 West at Morton	Extra 203C East Meet Extra 721 West in Morton Extra 721 West take siding	10:10am
6	C+E Eng 203C at East Yard	Eng 203C Run extra East Yard to Streator	10:13am

No PE train orders were issued during this session, morning of Fri 9/18/1959:

Thoughts on how the session ran:

• Overall the session ran well.
• The 3:1 clock ratio continues to work well.
• I need to have a more consistent intro talk to remind everyone of things like signing the registers, particularly when we have new operators.