I'm Not Sure

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Just how to do this w/o writing a whole chapter:

We have a hump yard and a freight train is made up to leave town.

Who actually makes the decision on when the train leaves? The Yardmaster?
And is it actually the person with the title, or as in most offices, the person/people that work(s) for them?

And if the Roadmaster is in charge when the trains are on the road, where is his office? Is he, for instance, in our depot and he works the Lincoln Division? Are these people more just “in charge” and have people that do the actual work?

Can someone please fill in a few blanks here?

Mook

2

Substitute trainmaster for roadmaster/MTM/Track Supervisor (BNSF/UP/NS)…he is usually somewhere near the yardmaster and just up in the pecking order. There are more trainmasters scattered out along the route and maybe more than one in a 24/7 Terminal like Hobson.

(Roadmaster is responsible for the physical plant, “the road”, the others run on and are fewer in number. )

3

MC – roadmasters may be fewer in number, but the rest of the crowd couldn’t do much without them!

4

Yeah, but after being a roadmaster in LA you wish Alexander Graham Bell had not invented the telephone that interupted your sleep and weekends constantly.[:D]

(Or that the operating guys weren’t so lonely in the off -hours.)

5

OK, I’m not a railroad employee, but from what I’ve seen and heard, the dispatcher holds the “authority” since he/she is the one tracking traffic. The train can’t go unless it has somewhere to go, and the DS is the one who knows…

6

Dear SJ,

I started this once, but familial distractions dragged me away.

I assume, since you mentioned cars being humped, that it’s manifest freight trains (as opposed to unit trains) that you’re talking about. I have a little familiarity with the subject, as a classifier of cars (I’ve been gone a while–they may have to retrain me…or is that rerail me?).

Manifest trains usually have schedules–not as precise as those of Amtrak trains (theoretically) are, but enough that one should be able to count on a given train departing its initial terminal within a few hours of the same time every day. These scheduls aren’t usually known to the public, but you can be sure that any employee with a degree of responsibility knows a little something about when the trains go.

Preparation begins hours in advance, with the yardmaster assigning a crew or crews to pull the cars out of the classification bowl. Typically, a manifest freight has cars of two or three different classifications in it; these will be known as “blocks” in the departing train. The tracks have to be coupled, then doubled together in the right order–usually the block for the nearest destination is nearest the locomotives, and so on. So the cars are coupled up, doubled up, and moved from the classification bowl to a departure track, where they’re blue-flagged and given to the Car Department for inspection. The car-knockers have to make the air hoses (connect tthem, not manufacture them) and otherwise inspect the cars for defects. If worn brake shoes need replacing, this is when/where it happens. The cars are usually connected to “yard air” so the brake reservoirs can be filling up and badly leaking connections weeded out (often repaired with a replacement gasket or a new hose).

Following the inspection, the blue flags are taken down, power is attached, and an initial-terminal brake test is performed, often taking considerable time (if it’s done right). The brake cylinders have to be ins

7

On the lighter side of the news, you may remember those photo books the NATIONAL LAMPOON put out in the Seventies and Eighties. They featured gauche or double-entendre signage such as the seafood store that flogged: “Put those pots and pans away, Mama, I’m coming home with the crabs.” LOL

One of the signs, obviously from some classification yard, proclaimed: “DO NOT HUMP FROZEN FOOD.”

You’d be amazed how often I’ve had to explain the meaning to non-railfans! [;)][;)]

8

Mook

Who authorizes the train? First, there is the “System Schedule” that is built around the historical traffic movements from a terminal. This is the authority for a “start”. This authority is built into the operating budget and it is difficult to operate more “starts” than the budget provides for.

Once you have an available start, you can run a train. But first, it must either be a “scheduled start” (like a regular train - #14 or #701 or 01LABRT 15) or the Yardmaster must inform the trick Chief Dispatcher that tonnage is available for an “extra”. At that point, the Chief checks with the Crew Dispatcher for the district involved to see if a rested crew is available. The Crew Chief advises when rested crews come available, the Chief then checks with the trick Train Dispatcher to see if he has the capacity to operate the extra (the trick Dispr must keep capacity available for regularly scheduled starts). Then the trick Chief notifies the roundhouse of the power needs and when the roundhouse has available power, “calls” the start (extra or regular) with the Crew Chief.

The train is now authorized and called, the power is made ready, the crew reports at the appointed time and the train runs. Its actual departure time is dependent on when the terminal inspection is completed and there is actual room on the main line.

Haven’t seen you here for a while. Good to see you again!!

9

After reading all that, I am not sure how any train gets out of town! But I will come back tomorrow and re-read it with a little clearer head and start in on the questions!

Thanx

Mook

10

…even doing this for a living I’m sometimes not sure how any train makes it outa town…

11

I believe that a person called a “dispatcher”, controls and operates the trains. At least thats what I think, because I here the Norfolk Southern dispatcher in Dearborn, Michigan tell the trains what to do all the time. So I believe it’s a dispatcher.

12

alstom: It is a team effort and the DS is only an integral part working within the accepted protocol/ decision matrix. A DS is not god and final arbiter of what moves or doesn’t. (if he thinks he is, he won’t be in the job for long)[:D] -CSX dispatcher where are you?

A roadmaster, with sufficient reason, can take the track away from the operating guys and the train goes nowhere…muahahahahah[}:)] (I’ve done it.)

[;)][;)][;)]

13

Most of the time. its whenever another crew is ordered is when it leaves.

Alec

14

Carman…lower life form.

Switchman/helper, brakeman, one step above lower life form.

Yard foreman/conductor, mini god, arrogant but useful, builds the trains with the switchman…

Yardmaster, decides which trains get built, and in what order.
Is responsible for filling orders for customers or trainmasters.

Plans the yard movements, and decides where inbound train can go in
the yard.

Coordinates all yard work to keep the yard fluid and moving.
Is responsible for keeping dwell times down.

Makes sure “scheduled” trains are built and ready by their assigned times.

In a hump yard, he relies on guys like Carl to keep him informed of who, what, when and where.

In flat yard switching, he relies on guys like me to build and set out trains according to an established plan.

If he is lucky, and has guys like Carl or me working for him, he can hand us our “lists” and then stay out of our way.

If he is a butthead, and make enemies of Carl or me, he can be in for a long, long day full of delays.[}:)]

Trainmasters…more arrogant than foremen, decides when train runs, and makes decisions that can save the railroad, or shut it down.

Sorta like a department store manager, responsible for one small part of a big chain.

Trainmasters have the authority to over ride yardmasters on what trains are built.

If they exercise that authority, they run the risk of closing up the yard, as they don’t attend to the day to day building of the trains.

Trainmasters have the authority to call an “extra” if the yardmaster advises it, and they OK overtime, payment of meal periods, a lot of middle management stuff.

Yardmasters and just what their name implies, masters of the yard.

They make most of the decisions on what is built, who builds it, things like that.
If it moves inside yard limits, it’s their call.

15

Beautifully written, Ed, as always!

You Da Man! [bow]

16

Mookie

Murphy’s Law as it applies to railroads is “If anything can go wrong, it will FREQUENTLY”. Thus the coordination, cooperation and “best effort” that is necessary to get a train out of a terminal and over the road in something close to an efficient and timely manner. If the people involved are smart and and no one is on a power or ego trip, things can work out quite well. Get someone that has “all” the answer and won’t listen and consult; it’s MELTDOWN time.

Personaly, I think there is also direct divine intervention-minor miracles, if you will.

Jay

17

As long as the paycheck, and the cars, don’t bounce back!
Ed

18

Sure makes railfanning easier, if you railfan at a yard that originates trains.

19

Hey!

20

OK - I am printing this off to study it in depth.

Appreciate all your help and when I get it all digested, I will be back with more questions.

Mook!

(now why did they release both of those trains at the same time, when they are going to have to occupy the same track when they get out of town…mumble, mumble… I know how - just not why…grumble…I would have held one back a little longer, except I need the room in the yard… ah ha…and it is better for them to wait in the country in air conditioned comfort than to occupy my valuable space…scratch…hmmmm…I think I am going to make a good yardmaster…)