06-06-2011, 04:58 PM
You've pretty much got it Andrew. The RPO would have a crew on-board (Post Office employees) and a baggage car (BEM - baggage/express/messenger) could have a number of railway employees on-board if parcels, etc. were to be taken on or dropped off. The rider coach at the end of the train is for the tail end crew - conductor and rear brakeman - and is the equivalent of a caboose. I think that passengers could buy a ticket to ride if space were available - this may (or may not) have something to do with the laws concerning common carriers and their obligations to the public.
In the scenario shown, the express is a scheduled EG&E train, but not on its home rails due to a wreck. Since the EG&E is the parent road of both the Grand Valley and the Erie Northshore (the latter whose tracks are shown), they're exercising running rights on this route, which is roughly parallel to their own.
On these lines, the only regularly-scheduled trains are passenger trains, with all others run as Extras. Scheduled trains normally have rights over Extras, but the dispatcher can override those rights when necessary. In this case, the waiting train, a regular freight and running, as usual, as an Extra has been held due to the approach of the re-routed Express. The Express, because it's a train not usually on this line, is also carded as an Extra. The dispatcher has give it rights over the waiting train (which would have normally been the next to go) because it's considered to be "Superior" (a faster train and one of higher priority). He's also given it trackage rights all the way to South Cayuga, as the train will be turned there in order to continue its trip north. Normally, all trains stop at Efrida for Form 31s - orders which have to be signed and countersigned, allowing them the use of the track to South Cayuga. (Most locos also needed to stop in Elfrida for water, but obviously not the ones on this hotshot.)
On this line, Eastbounds are normally superior to Westbounds of the same class, so a scheduled (passenger) train heading east would be superior (by direction) to all westbounds, while an eastbound freight would be superior to a westbound freight, but inferior to a westbound (scheduled) passenger. This railroad is "dark" (unsignalled), so trains, both scheduled and Extras, are assigned rights to a section of the line (usually from one station to the next) (known, I think, as a track warrant). This is issued based on what's happening at other points along the line and the information is relayed via telegraph.
I hope to eventually install train order semaphores at Elfrida, Cayuga Junction, and Park Head (the first town on the as-yet-unbuilt second level). Cayuga Junction is the point where the east/west Erie Northshore meets the north/south Grand Valley, and can be a busy spot even with only one train at a time in motion.
I hope that my rambling reply hasn't made you sorry to have asked.
Wayne
In the scenario shown, the express is a scheduled EG&E train, but not on its home rails due to a wreck. Since the EG&E is the parent road of both the Grand Valley and the Erie Northshore (the latter whose tracks are shown), they're exercising running rights on this route, which is roughly parallel to their own.
On these lines, the only regularly-scheduled trains are passenger trains, with all others run as Extras. Scheduled trains normally have rights over Extras, but the dispatcher can override those rights when necessary. In this case, the waiting train, a regular freight and running, as usual, as an Extra has been held due to the approach of the re-routed Express. The Express, because it's a train not usually on this line, is also carded as an Extra. The dispatcher has give it rights over the waiting train (which would have normally been the next to go) because it's considered to be "Superior" (a faster train and one of higher priority). He's also given it trackage rights all the way to South Cayuga, as the train will be turned there in order to continue its trip north. Normally, all trains stop at Efrida for Form 31s - orders which have to be signed and countersigned, allowing them the use of the track to South Cayuga. (Most locos also needed to stop in Elfrida for water, but obviously not the ones on this hotshot.)
On this line, Eastbounds are normally superior to Westbounds of the same class, so a scheduled (passenger) train heading east would be superior (by direction) to all westbounds, while an eastbound freight would be superior to a westbound freight, but inferior to a westbound (scheduled) passenger. This railroad is "dark" (unsignalled), so trains, both scheduled and Extras, are assigned rights to a section of the line (usually from one station to the next) (known, I think, as a track warrant). This is issued based on what's happening at other points along the line and the information is relayed via telegraph.
I hope to eventually install train order semaphores at Elfrida, Cayuga Junction, and Park Head (the first town on the as-yet-unbuilt second level). Cayuga Junction is the point where the east/west Erie Northshore meets the north/south Grand Valley, and can be a busy spot even with only one train at a time in motion.
I hope that my rambling reply hasn't made you sorry to have asked.
Wayne