Planning A Shortline Part.4 Operation

[Brakie]

IF the industry needed several switch moves a day we would offer our plant switching services.You see it would be impractical most days for the local crew to switch any plant more then once especially on those heavy 12 hour work days.Even on light work days the crew may not have time.

But that woould make the operating session more challenging and exciting. Having to get from one end of the railroad, to the industry in time to switch out the cars. Even if the factory had twelve hour shifts, one in the mroning, and one in the afternoon is practical. And they could drop the empties off at the interchange to keep them off the main. The dispatcher could schedual it so the crew, on the inbound could drop off a load. On the way back to the interchange with the days work the crew could make the shift change. Of course this also depends where on the line the factory is also. But that could be the challenge, and would keep the crew busy on even light days.

Or...Am I reading to much into this?

Ed,What you say has lots of merit but,CDBI would rather push their switching service so the regular crew can be free to do there daily work.

There is no dispatcher..The CB&T crew signs in on the track usage log.If there is railroad contractor scheduled for working on the track the local won't be "called" till the contractor finishes their work and signs "off" on the track usage log..This saves CDBI from having to add CB&T operations under C&HV central dispatching office and the assorted Union work rules and agreements that may bring and seeing CB&T is a nonunion operation CBDI wants to keep it that way just like their Artimus Jellico RR..
:o