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LAKE FOREST LIVE STEAMERS Deerfield and Roundabout Railway |
The essence of railroading, making meets on single track.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF SINGLE TRACK
TIMETABLE AND TRAIN ORDER
TRAIN OPERATIONS
By Jeffrey G. Hook, Chief Train Dispatcher
August 5, 2007
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ACTUAL TRACK LAYOUT DRAWING
PDF File of Actual Track Layout Drawing
BASIC TRAIN OPERATIONS
A review of the actual track layout drawing will reveal that the D&R is in fact a continuous circular single track railway. For operational proposes it is thought of in model railroad terms as a point to point railway. Model railroaders artistic license is invoked, and the main yard serves simultaneously as both Deerfield station and Critchley station. Timetable direction is based on the direction of trains at this main yard. Trains leaving Deerfield compass direction west are timetable direction westward. Trains leaving Critchley compass direction east are timetable direction eastward. After a train leaves either Deerfield or Critchley its compass direction is of no consequence.
Deerfield and Critchley are considered to be terminal stations, therefore trains can only leave Deerfield westward and trains can only leave Critchley eastward. The circumstances of trains arriving at either Deerfield or Critchley is a different matter. In the case of an eastward train arriving at Deerfield, after being recorded on the Deerfield train register and markers removed, the train no longer exists and is now an engine and consist of cars. One option is for the engine to turn on the turntable and couple up to the other end of the consist of cars, first reversing the position of any rear end cars such as a caboose or observation car. Markers are then displayed on the last car and the train assumes the identity of a westward train, either regular or extra, ready to leave Deerfield. A second option, again invoking model railroaders artistic license, is for the engine and consist of cars to remain intact as it arrived, display markers on the last car, and again assume the identity of an eastward train, either regular or extra, ready to leave Critchley. These two options apply similarly to a westward train arriving at Critchley in which the train either changes direction and leaves Critchley eastward or remains headed in the same direction and leaves Deerfield westward.
A wye track located at Roundabout allows for a true point to point operation in that a westward train leaving Deerfield may terminate its westward trip at Roundabout. The direction of the engine will be reversed on the wye, the markers and the position of any rear end cars will be rearranged, and the train then operates eastward originating at Roundabout and terminating back at Deerfield. A typical round trip from Deerfield to Roundabout and back to Deerfield will cover 19.3 scale miles and take approximately 37 real time minutes to complete. The schedules of Timetable No. 34 are an example of this scheme.
There are three locations on the D&R where railway crossings at grade occur. These locations are named Old Crossing, New Crossing and Grand Crossing, but they are not listed as a stations in the timetable. When a train approaches either of these crossings, again invoking model railroaders artistic license, it regards the crossing track as if it was the track of a foreign railway of another company. There is no relationship of superiority between trains approaching on any of the conflicting routes. The trains are governed instead by interlocking signals, if installed, and rules and special instructions that apply to these crossings.
Railway Standard Time is real time. One scale mile (S.M.) = 660 actual feet. Speed is in scale miles per hour (S.M.P.H.). 660 actual feet traveled in 60 real time seconds = 60 S.M.P.H.
TIMETABLE AND TRAIN ORDER OPERATION
TRANSPORTATION RULES AND SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
The D&R Transportation Rules and Special Instructions were written based on the Standard Code of Operating Rules of the Association of American Railroads, originally known in 1889 as Uniform Train Rules and Rules for the Movement of Trains by Telegraphic Orders, and timetable special instructions as published in various railroad rule books and employee timetables in the author's collection. The rule books and employee timetables referenced span the period from 1853 to 1999. Some of the Standard Code rules have been modified, typical in full size practice, in order to make them applicable to operating circumstances that are specific to the D&R. Text books such as Rights of Trains by Harry W. Forman and latter by Peter Josserand, and Train Operation by William Nichols, and the practical experience obtained working with the D&R operating personnel, have proved invaluable in refining the D&R Transportation Rules and Special Instructions.
D&R Special Instructions are published as part of the Transportation Rules instead of the usual practice of publishing special instructions as part of the timetable. This is done in order to reduce the size of the timetable that must be carried by D&R operating personnel.
There is presently no double track installed on the D&R, nor are there plans to install any, therefore Standard Code rules pertaining strictly to double track have not been included in the D&R Transportation Rules. The D&R Transportation Rules are similar in this respect to early editions of the Standard Code in which Rules for Single Track and Rules for Double Track were published in separate sections.
The following are D&R definitions excerpted from various railroad rule books:
SINGLE TRACK- A main track upon which trains are operated in both directions.
DOUBLE TRACK - Two main tracks, upon one of which the current of traffic is in a specified direction, and upon the other in the opposite direction.
MAIN TRACK - A track, other than an auxiliary track, extending through yards and between stations which must not be occupied without authority or protection.
SIDING - A track auxiliary to the main track for meeting or passing trains.
The use of the phrase bi-directional operation is discouraged at the D&R and the use of the term Single Track is encouraged instead.
The current and complete D&R Transportation Rules and Special Instructions may be viewed at the following:
First page of Transportation Rules and Special Instructions
TRAIN CREW BULLETIN BOARD
Image of Train Crew Bulletin Board
Corporation or Transportation rules require personnel, that are authorized to participate in the operation and movement of rolling equipment, to sign in on the Train Crew Register and inspect the Train Crew Bulletin Board in order to ascertain the current operating scheme in effect, the contents of any bulletins or special instructions posted and the correct Railway Standard Time.
Note: The Train Crew Register should not be confused with a Train Register.
The following D&R rules and special instructions relate to the Train Crew Bulletin Board:
Rule 2. All Members and Visitors of the LFLSRM authorized to participate in the operation and movement of rolling equipment, all personnel in train, engine and yard service, and such other personnel as may be designated, must have and use, while on duty, a reliable watch that simultaneously displays hours, minutes and seconds. When such watches are found to vary more than 20 seconds from Railway Standard Time they must be set to correct Railway Standard Time.
Rule 4. The number of the current timetable in effect shall be posted on bulletin boards by the train dispatcher.
Rule 4(A). Personnel whose duties are in any way affected by the timetable must, while on duty, have a copy of the current timetable in effect in their possession, unless the current timetable in effect has no schedules for regular trains.
Rule 83(D). Authority for regular trains to assume their schedule will be by Clearance Card Form A, Engine Assignment posted on bulletin boards or verbal authority from the train dispatcher.
Special Instruction X51. Conductors, engineers, trainmen, signalmen and other personnel concerned must examine and familiarize themselves with all bulletins and special instructions that are posted on the Train Crew Bulletin Boards at the Deerfield or Critchley engine houses before leaving on their first trip or before commencing work, failure to do so will not be excepted as excuse for neglect or violation of bulletins or special instructions.
TIMETABLE NO. 34
Timetable No. 34 lists eight first class schedules. Generally at the beginning of the day one engine, car consist and crew is authorized by the train dispatcher to assume, in sequence, each of the eight schedules. Starting as No. 113 (westward), then as No. 124 (eastward), then as No. 135 (westward), and so on. Completing the days operation as No. 180 (eastward). A timetable special instruction at the bottom of the timetable states "LOWER NUMBER TRAINS ARE SUPERIOR TO HIGHER NUMBER TRAINS OF THE SAME CLASS." The D&R Rules refer to this as superiority by timetable special instruction. Therefore No. 113 is superior to No. 124; No. 124 is superior to No. 135; No. 135 is superior to No. 146; and so on. The purpose of using this unusual means of designating superiority between trains of the same class, instead of the more common superiority by direction, is to eliminate the possibility of a late running first class train from having to clear an opposing first class schedule in which its engine, car consist and crew have been previously authorized to assume.
TYPICAL BULLETIN SPECIAL INSTRUCTION
PDF file of Bulletin Special Instruction 07-22B-2007
Bulletin special instruction 07-22B-2007 is generally issued each day Timetable No. 34 is in effect. The use of this bulletin special instruction is made possible by the circular nature of the D&R actual track layout. Generally four engines with either passenger, freight or mixed consists of cars may operate as extra trains. During the course of the day the extras move in relation to one another as directed by the bulletin special instruction and must keep clear of regular trains authorized by the timetable, either opposing or in the same direction, as provided by Rules 73, 86 and 87.
Rule 73. Extra trains are inferior to regular trains.
Rule 86. Unless otherwise provided, an inferior train must be clear at the time a superior train in the same direction is due to leave the next station in the rear where time is shown.
Rule 87. An inferior train must keep out of the way of opposing superior trains and must clear the time of opposing superior trains not less than one minute. An inferior train failing to clear by the time required must be protected at that time as prescribed by Rule 99.
TRAIN ORDERS
Although extensive rules pertaining to the movement of trains by train orders are in effect on the D&R, there use is diminished due to the impracticality of using train order operators to deliver written train orders at stations due to the short running time intervals between stations. Use of cellular telephones or other two way radio equipment is used to a limited extent to permit the train dispatcher to issue train orders directly to train crews. This is resorted to when necessary in order to advance an inferior train against a late running superior train.
Once a train crew leaves either Deerfield or Critchley there is generally no communication with the train dispatcher. Operations under these circumstances might best be described as being between points of communication. If a train becomes disabled or delayed, D&R train crews must be fully familiar with the rules and principles for movement under flag protection and the exchange of train identities in an effort to keep trains moving.
TRAIN ORDER NO. 8
GIF file of Train Order No. 8 for delivery at Roundabout
If a sufficient number of engines and crews are available, several of the first class schedules of Timetable No. 34 may be run in sections. Train Order No. 8 is a Form F train order that the train dispatcher may issue directly to a train crew at Roundabout either in writing or by radio.
TRAIN ORDER NO. 9
GIF file of Train Order No. 9 for delivery at Roundabout
To add more interest to the operation, Train Order No. 9 may be issued in addition to Train Order No. 8. If First 146 is running on time, a quick thinking train crew of an inferior train that meets First 146 and receives this order will generally have sufficient running time to clear Second 146 at the next station in advance of the inferior train. The conductor of First 146 is supplied with a sufficient number of copies of this train order for delivery to the C&E of trains met or passed.
TYPICAL TRAIN REGISTER
GIF file of typical filled out Roundabout westward arriving train register
Train registers are located at Deerfield, Roundabout and Critchley. The train registers are used by train crews in order to comply with Rule 83. Standard code timetable and train order rules require both arriving and departing trains to register. In order to reduce the amount of paper work that train crews must fill out, D&R special instructions require only arriving trains to register at designated register stations. Although there are reasons for departing trains to register, an explanation of which is beyond the scope of this article, of utmost importance is a means for ascertaining if an opposing superior train has arrived, and this is satisfied by having only arriving trains register.
Rule 83. A train must not leave its initial station, or an intermediate station where schedules originate or terminate, or a junction, or pass from double or three or more tracks to single track, until it has been ascertained whether all trains due, which are superior, have arrived or left.
Special Instruction X5. Deerfield is a register station and only eastward trains arriving shall register.
Special Instruction X6. Critchley is a register station and only westward trains arriving shall register.
Special Instruction X7. Roundabout is a register station and only westward trains arriving and terminating at Roundabout shall register.
Special Instruction X11. At a register station at which only arriving trains are required to register, provisions of Rule 83 that require ascertaining whether superior trains leaving that are due have left shall not apply.
Special Instruction X12. At a register station at which only arriving trains are required to register, extra precautions must be taken to prevent a following section from leaving before a leading section.
TIMETABLE NO. 30
An alternative to operating regular (scheduled) trains is to operate only extra trains. Timetable No. 30 lists no schedules for regular trains, therefore when it is posted as being in effect all trains must operate as extras as provided by the following:
Definition: EXTRA TRAIN - A train authorized by train order without a timetable schedule. It may be designated as:
EXTRA - For any extra train, except a work extra;
WORK EXTRA - For an extra train authorized by Form H train order.
Rule 87(A). Extra trains will be governed by train orders with respect to opposing extra trains.
Rule 97. Unless otherwise provided, extra trains must be authorized by train orders.
Train operation under Timetable No. 30 requires the train dispatcher to issue train orders that provide for opposing extra trains to meet or keep clear of one another, and train orders that authorize engines to run extra between designated points. Use of cellular telephones or other two way radio equipment is used to permit the train dispatcher to issue train orders directly to train crews.
REFERENCES
Railroad Operation and Railway Signaling, 1953 edition by E. J. Phillips Jr.;
Rights of Trains, 1925 edition by H. W. Forman;
Rights of Trains, 1945 and 1957 editions by P. Josserand;
Train Operation, 1920 edition by W. Nichols;
Train Rules and Train Dispatching, 1904 by H. A. Dalby;
Numerous railroad company rule books and timetables, and other text books, from the collection of the author dating from 1853 to the present.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to thank all current and former Deerfield and Roundabout Railway operating personnel, and especially Edward "Bud" Buker the original owner and builder of the Deerfield and Roundabout Railway, for their contributions, participation and cooperation that has made it possible to successfully put into practice the principles of single track timetable and train order operation.