05-24-2010, 08:59 AM
As a former "railroader" for the NYS&W, I can give you some information on how we "swapped trains". First, to answer your question, yes, you can model a yard without all the space hogging that goes along with it.
A yard, simply, in most cases, is defined by yard limits specified in the timetable. Yard limits, on the NYS&W, were placed at locations where a lot of switching was done, up and down the line. The "yard" was nothing more than the mainline between 2 fixed points (usually mileposts) with a passing siding or sidings in the middle.
Here's how it worked: The Utica job (UT-1) would head south to meet the Binghamton job (BH-1 or BH-2) with cars destined for Binghamton NY. These were usually empties for the D&H (now CP) interchange and cars destined for Little Ferry, NJ. Some insight: NYS&W had interchange points with Conrail at Utica, Binghamton and Little Ferry (Passiac Jct.). Conrail would, for some reason, interchange the Little Ferry cars at Utica...my guess was that Susie-Q got a line haul fee. They would also interchange cars for Utica at Binghamton...go figure.
The BH-1 would head north to meet the UT-1 and swap their trains. The usual meeting place was Sherburne, NY. That was the halfway point for the Utica main and it's where a great little pizza joint was. Somtimes meets would be in Norwich or Sangerfield depending on the amout of work to be done on the way by either crew.
This is how the "meet" took place: the train that arrived first usually "parked itself" away in a siding or sidings depending on it's length. After the train is put away, they then pulled their engine(s) back out to the main and waited for the other train. When the 2nd train arrived, they cut their engines away from their train on the main and took their engine(s) into the siding and "tied on" to their new train. Meanwhile the first train, still sitting on the main with just their engine(s), proceeded to the train that was just left for them. Both crews now do a brake test. Then the train on the main departs. Once they clear, the other train pulls out of the siding and proceeds as well. If a "complete swap" (locomotives and train)was to be done, that was even easier. The entire train took the siding and the other train pulled up alongside. Once stories and manifests and crews were swapped, then they each departed in seperate directions. After train 1 pulled out, train 2 came off the siding. Presto, a "block swap" was done.
That's it. No complicated yard needed. Just a passing siding, or, at least a stub ended siding. As long as you have a way for two trains to pass, you can have a "yard". That's how it's done on the real world so that can be applied to the models as well, and be prototypical too!
A yard, simply, in most cases, is defined by yard limits specified in the timetable. Yard limits, on the NYS&W, were placed at locations where a lot of switching was done, up and down the line. The "yard" was nothing more than the mainline between 2 fixed points (usually mileposts) with a passing siding or sidings in the middle.
Here's how it worked: The Utica job (UT-1) would head south to meet the Binghamton job (BH-1 or BH-2) with cars destined for Binghamton NY. These were usually empties for the D&H (now CP) interchange and cars destined for Little Ferry, NJ. Some insight: NYS&W had interchange points with Conrail at Utica, Binghamton and Little Ferry (Passiac Jct.). Conrail would, for some reason, interchange the Little Ferry cars at Utica...my guess was that Susie-Q got a line haul fee. They would also interchange cars for Utica at Binghamton...go figure.
The BH-1 would head north to meet the UT-1 and swap their trains. The usual meeting place was Sherburne, NY. That was the halfway point for the Utica main and it's where a great little pizza joint was. Somtimes meets would be in Norwich or Sangerfield depending on the amout of work to be done on the way by either crew.
This is how the "meet" took place: the train that arrived first usually "parked itself" away in a siding or sidings depending on it's length. After the train is put away, they then pulled their engine(s) back out to the main and waited for the other train. When the 2nd train arrived, they cut their engines away from their train on the main and took their engine(s) into the siding and "tied on" to their new train. Meanwhile the first train, still sitting on the main with just their engine(s), proceeded to the train that was just left for them. Both crews now do a brake test. Then the train on the main departs. Once they clear, the other train pulls out of the siding and proceeds as well. If a "complete swap" (locomotives and train)was to be done, that was even easier. The entire train took the siding and the other train pulled up alongside. Once stories and manifests and crews were swapped, then they each departed in seperate directions. After train 1 pulled out, train 2 came off the siding. Presto, a "block swap" was done.
That's it. No complicated yard needed. Just a passing siding, or, at least a stub ended siding. As long as you have a way for two trains to pass, you can have a "yard". That's how it's done on the real world so that can be applied to the models as well, and be prototypical too!
Doing my best to stay on track and to live each day to it's fullest, trying not to upset people along the way. I have no enemies.....just friends who don't understand my point of view.
Steve
Let's go Devils!
Steve
Let's go Devils!