08-02-2010, 06:07 AM
Sorry guys, the "full yard" concept came to me after reading "Classic Trains" issue of "Railroads at War". Facinating magazine with great wartime railroad stories. There was a story in there about how busy it really was in 1 particular yard. It went something like this:
A crew was called to run a train out of the yard. They took their power and tied on to the train. After a reasonable delay, they got their orders and were underway. After spending almost 4 days on the road, tied up in siding after siding, allowing other trains to pass, they were given orders to runaround their train and return to the original yard. I think they only went a distance of 50 miles! Again, spending a few more days on the road, they finally arrived back at the initial yard with the SAME train they departed with. Confused, the conductor asked "what gives"?. He was told that "the yardmaster needed to clear a track for another train". "We needed a open track for another train to arrive".
They were so busy that they needed to move "non-revenue (empty)" cars to make room for the revenue (loaded) cars.
Of course, to model that type of activity would be, to say the least, unimaginable. But that story really put a good perspective on how busy the railroads really were during WWII. I suggested the "concept" of a "busy" railroad because I've never seen it nor heard of it ever being "modeled". Every picture of a yard showed that yard at "full capacity". Every siding was full and every available track had cars on them. I thought it would make a great modeling idea.
That issue had some great modeling ideas in it. If you can locate a copy, it makes for a great read.
A crew was called to run a train out of the yard. They took their power and tied on to the train. After a reasonable delay, they got their orders and were underway. After spending almost 4 days on the road, tied up in siding after siding, allowing other trains to pass, they were given orders to runaround their train and return to the original yard. I think they only went a distance of 50 miles! Again, spending a few more days on the road, they finally arrived back at the initial yard with the SAME train they departed with. Confused, the conductor asked "what gives"?. He was told that "the yardmaster needed to clear a track for another train". "We needed a open track for another train to arrive".
They were so busy that they needed to move "non-revenue (empty)" cars to make room for the revenue (loaded) cars.
Of course, to model that type of activity would be, to say the least, unimaginable. But that story really put a good perspective on how busy the railroads really were during WWII. I suggested the "concept" of a "busy" railroad because I've never seen it nor heard of it ever being "modeled". Every picture of a yard showed that yard at "full capacity". Every siding was full and every available track had cars on them. I thought it would make a great modeling idea.
That issue had some great modeling ideas in it. If you can locate a copy, it makes for a great read.
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!