January 28th- Great session
Post date: Feb 01, 2016 3:8:49 PM
Thursday was another great session on the Sue Line. At the conclusion of the session a discussion was begun about changing how we operate the railroad. This will allow more FUN, greater versatility and requires NO new trackage. The basic plan is to have two separate and co-operative railroads- the Sue Line which will run from Kansas City or St. Louis via Ginnings and Riverfront Yard in the north to New Orleans or Houston via Alexandria Yard in the south, and NoLaCRA which will run from Dallas via Union Street Yard/Keithville (SPB) in the north to New Orleans via NoLaCRA Yard in the south. These proposed changes are being overseen by Sue Line Crew members Mose Crews David Colvin.
Map of original room (above, left) is by David Barrow
and new room (above, right) is by Charlie DeVillbiss
SUE LINE
Kansas City or St. Louis
Ginnings
Riverfront
Union Street
Brandon <>Jackson
Richardson
Alexandria
Houston or New Orleans
NoLaCRA
Dallas
Union Street <> Shreveport Public Belt
Robert’s Crossing <>Jackson
Maryville <> E-Branch
Richardson
NoLaCRA Yard
New Orleans
Basic Principles or "The Story"
NoLACRA and Sue Line have yards in Shreveport.
NoLACRA has Union Street Yard area and NoLACRA Yard as blended staging
Sue Line has Riverfront Yard and Ginnings yard.
Sue Line
1) Sue Line pool will take over from the "mainline" side
2) Ginnings tracks 3-8 will be all about building thru trains.
3) Sue Line thru trains will do just that...run thru, no switching
4) May also utilize a couple of Underworld tracks
5) Riverfront Yard will be new class tracks for the "locals"
6) Track 9 at Ginnings Yard will be the "launch track" for northbound Sue Line trains from the class yard at Riverfront.
7) Tracks 1 and 2 at Ginnings will receive inbound trains from "crew change"
8) Tracks 6,7,9, & 10 at Riverfront will be "open".
9) Riverfront NORTH 10, 9, 8, 5, 4, and 3 will be for classing cars into dedicated northbound local trains.
10) Riverfront SOUTH 10, 9, 8, 5, 4, and 3 will be used for classing cars into southbound local trains.
11) LOCAL arrivals NORTHBOUND into Shreveport will no longer use "arrival track", but will dump into the class tracks at Ginnings Yard for THRU trains.
12) THRU arrivals NORTHBOUND into Shreveport will not use arrival track and have assigned tracks on arrival, plus end in Ginnings Yard to help with overflow.
13) Southbound LOCAL trains will terminate in "Alexandria" arrival, then get classed into Ginnings Yard and Riverfront South for any "extras"/not enough space.
14) Southbound THRU trains will terminate in "Alexandria" and attempt to class into Riverfront South first via a class job, with overflow to a "stuff" track that can later be pulled as needed as an extra job for Riverfront Yard.
15) Riverfront Yard tracks 6 and 7 will be open to really help move inbounds/flow of arrivals. May be able to sacrifice one of the tracks as additional class track, and that would leave 1, 2, and 6 open.
16) Ring Ranch either left where it is OR moved to present ready tracks at Diesel Facility. IF moved to ready tracks, then those 2 tracks at end of Riverfront South, becomes new industry spot.
NoLACRA
1) Independent Yardmaster
2) Loco facility (probably reclaimed BUSY)
3) Sends and receives NoLACRA trains and does a transfer run to Sue Line
4) NoLACRA trains leave USY and head southbound (at Fern A) towards New Orleans via NoLACRA Yard) or towards Jackson at BRA Junction.
5) System will allow loading into one of 3 discreet NoLACRA tracks regardless of train type.
6) Northbound out of NoLACRA Yard, one train will be "advanced" at a time into Track 10 of "Alexandria", and that will be next northbound NoLACRA train.
7) Northbound, trains will either go to Elliott, Underworld, or arrive into Union Street Yard is Shreveport via Morgan
8) NoLACRA trains will either run thru, switch at Sue City or Maryville, or switch into/out of Underworld and Elliott
9) NoLACRA Pool will takeover from Extra Board
10) Foreign power will operate these trains on trackage rights over the Sue Line.
11) Old MET may be involved.
12) Elliott trains would leave southbound and head to NoLACRA yard. There, they get in the "pool" for NB based on card pull.
More to follow-