card order update training march 2011

Card OrderUpdate Training

March 2011

TOPICS

• Operations– Why, What & How– Call Board– Yards & Permissions– Operating Tips– Manifests

• Interactive Lessons

Card Order Basics

• What are we trying to do?– Railroads exist to move goods (and people) from one

point to another as efficiently, effectively and profitably as possible.

– Model railroads attempt to recreate in miniature the prototype railroad.

– Operations on a model railroad try to emulate what the prototype railroads do to move freight (and people).

• To organize how we operate the model railroad, we use an “operating scheme” – in our case, a card order system.

Card Order Basics

• Types of Car Forwarding Operation:– One-for-one

– Car marker system

– Waybills / Card Order

– Switchlists

Card Order Basics

• What is Card Order?– An advanced scheme for operating a model

railroad

– Allows for a realistic means of determining what car goes to what location & when

– Uses individual pieces of paperwork (the “Card Cards”) for each rolling stock

Card Order Basics

• How does it work?– The waybill tells the train crew what industry

in which town to spot the car.

– The yard sorts cars based on the destinations on the waybills

– Train crews only work on cars for which they have paperwork

• Set-out cars with waybills in the train pack

• Pick-up cars with waybills in the pick-up box

Elements of the Card Order System

• Car Cards– Rolling Stock Sleeves– Waybills– Engine Cards– Caboose Cards

• Train Packs

• Card Pockets in Towns

• Call Board

• Yard Operations

Car Cards

• Train Packs– Collects all of the car cards for a train in a

convenient carrying pouch– All made-up trains will have a train pack

• Trains ready for departure will include a caboose card as the last card in the train pack

• Train crews reporting for duty in Pontiac must collect the appropriate engine card and place it in the train pack of their train

• Trains in staging will have the engine card already included in the train pack

Train Packs• Train Crews are responsible for placing the

waybills for their train in proper order:– Engine Card on top– Waybills for rolling stock, ordered from front-

of-train– Caboose Card

• Manifest number card behind Caboose Card (if applicable)

• Train Crews must insure that their Train Packs are in proper order every time you leave or arrive at a Yard.

Call Board

• Lists the available trains & crews

• Shows the order of trains to be ‘called’ during the operating session.

• Allows train crews to ‘sign-up’ for train assignments, or ‘mark-off’ to take a break

Call Board

• TRAINS WILL BE RUN IN THE ORDER POSTED ON THE CALL BOARD!– or in order as determined by the TrainMaster.

• DO NOT ‘cut the line’ and grab paperwork / report for duty until you are called for a train by the TrainMaster.

• Stay in the ‘lobby’ or workshop while waiting to be called for a train – don’t crowd the yards or aisles.

Yard Operations

• Yards are key to the success of the entire operating session:

– The yard works at 1:1 speed, while the trains on the rest of the layout run ~ 10:1.

– All trains and crews originate & terminate in a yard.

• Thus, yard efficiency is critical to smooth operations.

Duties & Responsibilitiesof the Yardmaster

• Controls all train movements in the Yard

• Classifying cars

• Handling Paperwork: Waybills, Train Packs, and Mark-up Cards

• Calling for Trains

• Working with the Dispatcher

• Prioritizing Manifest Trains handling

Permissions In/Out of the Yard

• All movements into and out of the Yard must be approved by two managers: the Dispatcher and the Yardmaster.

• You must have both permissions before you can move in/out of the yard.

• This includes the staging yards – the Trainmaster is normally the YM for staging yards.


• Departing a Yard:

– You must have two authorities from the Dispatcher to depart a yard:

• Verbal permission to occupy the mainline

• Signal authority

– NOTE: just because a signal clears at the exit of the yard does not mean that have permission to leave the yard.

– The signal may be for another train.– You must also have verbal authority.


• Arriving into a Yard still requires two permissions:

– You must receive verbal permission from the Yardmaster before knocking-down the approach signal to the yard.

– Permission from the Dispatcher will be by signal indication.

– Operating Tip: Eastbound into Pontiac Yard – always hold at the bottom of the main helix until you receive Yardmaster permission to enter.

OPERATING TIPS• Operate like an “old head”

Tips from the April 2010 MR article by Andy Sperandeo

– Run Slowly!

– Don’t lean waybills against cars or scenery

– Walk around with your train – observe all signals

– Restore turnouts to ‘normal’ positions

THROTTLES• REMINDER!

– Dial & Plug with the UT-4R.

– We still see too many operators plugging in the UT-4R and then dialing an address. The DCC system sees this as multiple acquisitions, and it abnormally fills up the slots in the system which could delay the response to throttle actions.

Local Trains• Typical Sequence for working a Local Train:

1. Report for Duty with Trainmaster; pickup paperwork (train assignment card, signal card, horn/radio reference card); pickup throttle, radio & apron.

2. Report to Pontiac Yardmaster for locomotive assignment. Acquire locomotive & pick-up Engine Card.

3. At direction of YM, move locomotive & couple to your train (or caboose).

4. Check waybills against train consist. Conduct air test.5. With permission of YM and Dispatcher, proceed on signal

indications to Local Town.6. Obtain Track & Time Authority; Switch Local Town.7. When finished, release Track & Time, return on signal

indications to originating Yard.8. At direction of YM, spot your train, uncouple locomotive.9. Spot your locomotive at the Pontiac Engine Facilities; place

Engine Card in box.

Track & TimeWhen receiving track & time from the Dispatcher, you are receiving permission:

a) To occupy the mainline(s) between the limits specified for the amount of time specified, and;

b) To control the mainline turnouts within those limits manually.

Signals between track & time limits can be ignored – pass such signals at restricted speed.

Track & TimeWhen releasing track & time, you are returning control of the mainline to the dispatcher. When releasing track & time, you are reporting to the dispatcher that:

a) You have placed all mainline switches in the normal position; and

b) You are in a safe condition – other trains can safely proceed through the territory.

Card Boxes & Rails• Place waybills for cars you have spotted

in the “Set-Out” box.

• Waybills for cars you need to pick-up are in the “Pick-Up” box.

• Cars that should remain where they are have waybills in the “Hold” box.

Card Boxes & Rails• The card rails are provided so you can organize

your waybills without placing the cards on the layout.

– DON’T place waybills on the layout; or leaning against the rolling stock.

• This can damage the scenery• If you want to move a string of cars -- you have to

pick-up the waybills, move the cars, and then set-out the waybills again.

– Extra rails can sometimes be found above or below the area you are working.

– Tip: to save space on the card rail – when you pick-up a car, put the waybill in your train pack.

Chrysler Local• When working Chrysler Center, the local crew

will not receive Track & Time at the Seven Mile Road interlocking.

Chrysler Local

Chrysler Local• When working Chrysler Center, the local crew

will not receive Track & Time at the Seven Mile Road interlocking.

• Work the industries at Chrysler Center using mostly the Ford interlocking:– Your Track & Time limits for Ford interlocking let

you proceed up to, but not thru the Seven Mile interlocking. If your train is too long, then double it.

– Use Milwaukee Junction interlocking primarily for running around your entire train at the end of your work.

Chrysler Local

East Pontiac Job• The East Pontiac Job must always receive

permission from the Pontiac Yardmaster prior to proceed westward past the roundhouse onto the Johnson Avenue ladder.

East Pontiac Industry PlanMSM 8Mar10

InlandPlywood

PontiacFreightHouse

Eastern Oil

GM Truck & Coach Assembly PlantReceiving Dock

GM Truck & Coach Yard

Tracks

GTWPontiac Yard

Receiving Dock

LEGENDMainline

Existing Sidings

New Industrial Track

YELLOW CABYELLOW CAB

JOHNSON AVE.JOHNSON AVE.

East Pontiac Job• The East Pontiac Job must always receive permission

from the Pontiac Yardmaster prior to proceed westward past the roundhouse onto the Johnson Avenue ladder.

– The turnout to the ‘aisle-side’ East Pontiac industries (i.e., GTW Yard, Inland Plywood, GM Truck &

Coach) doubles as the mainline turnout from the yard to Johnson Avenue interlocking.

• Do not realign this turnout for East Pontiac without explicit permission of the Yardmaster.

• If this turnout is aligned for the mainline, then the Dispatcher has control of it & you should expect inbound/outbound traffic !!!

East Pontiac Industry PlanMSM 8Mar10

InlandPlywood

PontiacFreightHouse

Eastern Oil

GM Truck & Coach Assembly PlantReceiving Dock

GM Truck & Coach Yard

Tracks

GTWPontiac Yard

Receiving Dock

LEGENDMainline

Existing Sidings

New Industrial Track

YELLOW CABYELLOW CAB

JOHNSON AVE.JOHNSON AVE.

Industry Sidings• You are spotting cars at a local industry, but the siding

does not have enough capacity for the number of cars that are supposed to be spotted there.What do you do?

– This is unusual -- double-check your paperwork. Look for a pick-up you missed, or a set-out in the wrong location.

– If paperwork is correct, contact Trainmaster for resolution. ONLY the Trainmaster can determine the proper course of action for the problem.

– DO NOT spot ‘extra’ cars at other sidings!

Bad Orders• What is a “Bad Order” ?

– A car that consistently derails, unexpectedly uncouples, or otherwise is unable to run properly on the railroad.

• What should you do with a Bad Order car?– Contact the Trainmaster for advice. Don’t

just assume you know the cause of the problem.

Bad Orders• ALL Bad Order cars must be taken off the

layout, and placed in the Workshop. – IMPORTANT – take the waybill(s) for all

affected bad order cars and place the waybill with the car.

– Write a note with the apparent symptoms of the bad order, and the car identification (so we can figure out what is going on) and place it with the car.

Bad Orders• If you believe you have a coupler height issue,

don’t just take the ‘problem’ car off the layout. Take the adjacent car, or cars, and bad order the entire “string” of cars. – Often, what appears to be a “high coupler” on a car

turns out to be a low coupler on the adjacent car.

• Provide more details on the bad order note than “the car derails”! Be specific as to where (or on what type of trackwork) it tends to derail – this helps us figure out what is wrong.

Chance Cards• Chance Cards provide some additional events (or humorous

situations) for Train Crews to react to – providing some randomness to the operating session.

– Train Crews should read the Chance Card copy carefully and completely, and then follow the instructions.

• Some cards don’t impact your train – but instead the are intended for next train you encounter. Keep these Chance Cards a secret until the next train passes by, then spring it on them!

• Some cards require to you pass the card to the Trainmaster – don’t read the inside copy, just give the card immediately to the Trainmaster.

– Don’t read the copy aloud or over the radio. Follow the instructions – they tell you what you have to do. If you are instructed to contact the Dispatcher, keep to the facts presented by the card.

Operating Schemes - Manifests• Manifest Trains

– In a card order session, the objective is to generate ‘revenue’ by delivering & picking-up cars at the local industries served by our railroad

– We run the Manifest Trains to bring fresh revenue cars to the yards, and pick-up cars billed to destinations off our railroad.

– Manifest Trains are the # 1 priority of the railroad!

Operating Schemes - Manifests– Without Manifest Trains, we would not be able to

run all of the Local Trains – the yards will run out of fresh revenue cars, and yard tracks would fill up with cars billed to off-layout destinations.

– Manifest Trains visit both yards (Pontiac and Ferndale), then continue on to the opposite staging yard.

– Manifests are pre-arranged into 2 blocks, one for each yard

Locomotive BLOCK A BLOCK B Caboose

Operating Schemes - Manifests

– The block for the yard can be in the front, or rear of the train.

– Each Yard only takes the cars billed for destinations that that yard serves. The Yardmaster should only take a portion of your train, and leave the remainder behind.

– Manifest crews are responsible to check that the proper block is set-out, and that the appropriate cars are picked-up, before leaving the yard.

Locomotive BLOCK A BLOCK B Caboose

TOPICS

• Radio Etiquette• Operations

– Why, What & How– Call Board– Yards & Permissions– Operating Tips– Manifests

• Interactive Lessons

It’s time for Audience Participation…

There is something wrong in each of the following pictures. Can you find it?

What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

Clue:

1 Major Item

What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

ANSWER:

Not observing signals !!!

What is Wrong with this Picture?

Clue:

1 Major Item


ANSWER:

Signals imperfectly displayed !!!

Another perspective of the same scene . . .

Signals imperfectly displayed !!!


Clue:

1 Major Item


ANSWER:

Not observing signals !


Clue:

2 Major Items

"TD2, this is 351 ... finished our work in Waterford, ready to proceed west, over."


ANSWER # 1:

Releasing Track & Time with turnout in reverse

"TD2, this is 351 ... finished our work in Waterford, ready to proceed west, over."


ANSWER #2:

Derailed car

What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

Clue:

1 Major Item

What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

ANSWER:Blocking the yard ladder while waiting for a departure signal.

Another perspective of the same scene . . .

ANSWER:Blocking the yard ladder while waiting for a departure signal.


Clue:

1 Major Item


ANSWER:

Dial THEN Plug-in !!!


Clue:

1 Major Item


ANSWER:

Not walking with your train !


Clue:

1 Major Item


ANSWER:

Invalid Signal !!!

What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

Clue:

1 Major Item

1 minor item

"TD2, this is 250 ... finished our work in Royal Oak, ready to return to Pontiac, over."

What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

ANSWER #1:Sitting on service track when reporting ready to return to yard.


What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

ANSWER #2:Throttle on tracks.



Clue:

1 minor Item


ANSWER:

Car cards leaning against rolling stock


Clue:

1 Major Item

1 minor item


ANSWER #1:

Mismatch between car & car card


ANSWER #2:

Car cards leaning against rolling stock


Clue:

1 minor Item


ANSWER:

Uncoupling by hand


Clue:

1 minor Item


ANSWER:Auto racks spotted on wrong track

What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

Clue:

1 Major Item

. . . reporting for duty . . .

What’s Wrong

with this Picture?

ANSWER:

No Radio!

. . . reporting for duty . . .

REVIEW

• Radio Etiquette

• Operations– Why, What & How– Call Board– Yards & Permissions– Operating Tips– Manifests

• Quiz

Questions? Other Topics to Discuss?

This has been a presentation of:

card order update training march 2011

Documents

card order basicstypes

card cards

order of trains

proper order

train assignments

train packpick

train dont

train packtrain crews