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Local Switching Operations
Steve Prevette
PNR Vice President
Burnt Hills and Big Flats RR
http://users.owt.com/prevette
Scope
• How to do switching on a model railroad
• Common configurations of sidings
• Considerations for track planning
• Considerations for planning operating sessions
The Challenge
• Operations should be FUN!
• Too simple can be boring
• Too complex can be a headache
• Need to consider what is right for you, and for your operators
• Realism (following prototype practices) can add to the fun
Why do we set out cars?
• Passenger trains can load and unload without setting out or picking up cars.
• Cases of freight cars loading and unloading on the main are rare in the prototype.
• Toy trains have accessories for loading and unloading cattle, pipes, logs, milk cans while in the train.
Loading and Unloading
• Fortunately for model railroads (and unfortunately for the prototype), loading and unloading of most cars takes time.
• We can then have “fun” shifting and switching cars around, a cost the prototype would just as soon do without.
A simple siding
Mainline
Turnout
Siding
A simple siding
Switching a simple siding“Trailing Point”
Mainline
Turnout
Siding
The yellow boxcar is to be delivered to the siding for unloading
Switching a simple siding
Mainline
Turnout
Siding
Pull engine and car to be delivered ahead of turnout
Leave rest of train on mainline
Switching a simple siding
Mainline
Turnout
Set the turnout for the siding, and back car into siding
Switching a simple siding
Mainline
Turnout
Uncouple car, pull engine forward and set turnout back for the main
Switching a simple siding
Mainline
Turnout
Couple up to the rest of the train, and proceed to next assignment.
Switching a simple siding
Mainline
Turnout
What happens if the train is going the other direction?
Mainline
Turnout
Siding
The yellow boxcar is to be delivered to the siding for unloading
?
This is “Facing Point”
Options
• Double end the siding
• Add a run around track
• Only switch this siding when the train is going the proper direction (left to right)
• Push the car ahead of the locomotive from a previous location
A double ended siding
Mainline
Turnout
Siding
Turnout
Double ended siding
• Can be switched from either direction
• May be too easy
• Can’t be used for other purposes (such as holding a train for a meet) without moving spotted cars
• Takes twice as many turnouts, more length, siding must roughly parallel main
Adding a runaround
• The runaround can serve multiple sidings
• The runaround may also be used as a passing siding if there are no industries on it
• If the main must be used as part of the runaround, switching time may be impacted due to need to get clearance from dispatcher.
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
The yellow boxcar is to be delivered to the siding for unloading
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Pull train into runaround
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Uncouple from train, move engine forward onto main
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Back engine around train on main
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Back engine around train on main
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Move forward and couple onto back of train
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Pull train with car to be delivered back onto the main
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Push train towards siding
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Push cars onto siding, and uncouple car to be delivered
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Pull train with car to be delivered back onto the main
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Push remainder of train back onto runaround and uncouple
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Engine runs around remainder of train
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Engine runs around remainder of train
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Engine runs around remainder of train
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Engine couples to remainder of train, and departs
Runaround
With a runaround
Mainline
Siding
Engine couples to remainder of train, and departs
Runaround
More than one car per siding
• Multiple industries per siding?– May make the industry to small (the building is
smaller than the boxcar it is loading)– Does add challenge for switching
• One big industry per siding?– May look more realistic, especially if against a
backdrop– May have multiple “spots”
More than one car per siding
Multiple spots for loading cars
Operations Thoughts
• Through trains are the money makers for the railroad and have priority (I’ve seen that backwards on some op sessions)
• The local can get stuck for a long time as a parade of mainline trains go through town
• It is no fun for the local crew to sit around endlessly waiting for a switching opportunity, only to clear up again five minutes later
Helping out the Local Crew
• Add a separate runaround from the passing siding
• Add a “lap siding”
• Have one or both “tails” of the runaround off of the main
Runaround separate
from Passing Siding
Passing Siding
Main
Run around
Lap Siding
Mainline
A short runaround within a long passing siding shortens switching times and adds flexibility
Runaround
Lap Siding
Mainline
Two long trains may also meet
Runaround
Lap Siding
Mainline
Note – a long passing siding with a crossover is also a lap siding
Runaround
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding
Siding
The length of this tail must be at least one engine plus one car long clear from the turnout
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
The Yellow Car is to be delivered to Siding #2
These cars are to remain here when done
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
First, these cars must be moved out of the way
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Shove the two gray cars forward and leave on mainline
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Shove the two gray cars forward and leave on mainline
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Backup, uncouple rest of train
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Pull car to be delivered into tail track
Tail Track
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Tight Fit!
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Push car into siding
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2Uncouple, return to tail
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2Return to Main
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Now to return the gray cars
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Now to return the gray cars
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Pull back the gray cars
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Now to return the gray cars
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Almost Done!
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Go back, get rest of train
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Go back, get rest of train
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Done, and ready to leave town
The Switchback
Mainline
Siding #2
Problem!
Mainline
Siding #2
The Yellow Car is to be delivered to Siding #2
If we had to pick up the blue car, we’d be in trouble
Solution 1
Mainline
Siding #2
We’d either need a longer tail track
Solution 1
Mainline
Siding #2
Longer tail track
Solution 2
Mainline
Siding #2
Or another siding to remove the blue car to before setting out the yellow car
Switchback Advantages
• A switchback can work well for a set of industry flats on the backdrop
Sidney Switchback
Siding
Main
Lead
Sidney Yard
Amphenol
AUna-Lam UMead M
Team T
North to Norwich, Oswego, Utica and Syracuse NY
YELLOW
South toBurnt Hillsand Delhi
Eagle
Shipping E
D
SIDNEYOSWEGO124.72
SCRANTON94.66
S4: D&H SetoutS3
S2S1
Other Tacks
GX
N
Sidney Switchback
Room for engine and two 40 foot carsTwo D&H
Staging Tracks under buildings
Caution
• A switchback or two can be fun – but a little bit goes a long ways
• If every town is a switching puzzle, it can get tedious
• Switching a large number of cars to a simple track layout can still be fun!
The Timesaver
• Was timed rather than counting moves
• Five cars and one switch engine
• Engine moved at fixed speed, controlled with a center off toggle
• Two cars were started connected to the switcher which needed to be delivered, and two cars were designated as pick ups
Comments on the Timesaver
• It makes for a nice, small layout if you only have a desktop worth of space
• Some folks build them into larger layouts, but you’d really never see the prototype do something like that
• The track pattern could be used as a reasonable town on a layout if the runaround is extended to a train length
Switching Puzzle Thoughts
• If you are going to have a “puzzle” town, do give the local room to work, completely off the mainline
• Consider the lap siding, or a separate runaround for busy towns
• Consider putting “puzzle” town at the end of a branch
Sibley Main Big FlatsBH & BF Capouse Branch
Sibley Siding Cayuga Jct.E-L Interchange
Southto Lehigh Valley Hampden YdCoxton Yard North
to Mayfield
McCormick's CoalErie Lackawannato Taylor Yard
WHITE
H1
Del
awar
e B
reak
er
D1
D2
GE
C
General Electric lead
BIG FLATS OSWEGO219.26
COXTON11.28
H2
Big Flats – only six spots,but keeps crews busy
General Electric
E-L Interchange
Delaware Breaker
McCormick’s Coal Lead
Runaround
Mainline
Switching on both Main and Passing Siding
• This town will be tough to switch, especially if lots of through traffic to clear up for.
An Easier Alternative
• Sidings on mainline side near one end of town and are in the same direction. Can do some switching completely from the passing siding
Burnt Hills
Team
Strategies for the Operator
• Upon arrival in town, segregate setouts into trailing and facing point setouts
• Try to minimize the number of runarounds performed – setout and pickup the trailing points first.
• Run around the facing point setouts• Finish setouts and pickups• Run around pickups and organize train to leave
town
Op Session Considerations – Large Layout
• Limit number of cars for industrial switching to ½ the capacity of the sidings
• Schedule open time for locals to do switching.
• At busy towns add additional capacity for car sorting, runarounds and leads separate from the main
Op Session Considerations – Small Layout
• With smaller crew sizes and less main line, you may want some difficult switching in order to prolong the time a train runs
• The Timesaver is a traditional puzzle, but is geared towards short tracks and small industries
• A single large industry may be more realistic and offer more switching opportunities.
Op Session Considerations – Chokepoint Towns
• Have a train in each direction service the town, only doing trailing point setouts
• Station a switching crew and have through trains setout and pickup cuts of cars
• Minimize interference from other trains
• Only have a minimum number of cars designated for pickup
Conclusion
• Operations can be fun!
• Some forethought in track planning can keep it fun.
• Sometimes simpler is better, not every town has to be a switching puzzle
• Visit operating sessions to get ideas
• Keep practicing
