Model Railroad Podcast

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Railway Post Office

Feedback for the show.

Roundhouse

We've spoken about car routing methods in the past, now we're going to touch on a train routing method. There are various methods:

• Timetable and Train Order - oldest method, timed trains meeting at scheduled points to pass each other. - phased out late 60's
  
• CTC (centralised traffic control - signals) Pennsy being an early advocate
  
• Track Warrants - came into play after timetables were phased out on routes which CTC control was not viable (for cost/benefit, remoteness, etc.) Nowadays  it's mainly Class 2 and 3 railroads that use Track Warrants instead of signals, although notably the BNSF has this on it's El Paso and Harbor subdivisions.

Track Warrants as a simple way to increase operational length and interest:

• Track Warrants are used in place of signals to organise trains on a railroad - which route to take, when to meet, when to stop, etc. 
• Track warrants are issued by a centralised dispatcher who keeps track of what trains are on which part of the railroad (he knows this because he needs to authorise any movements, and has a computer screen or board with magnets to shuffle around)
• Track Warrants are issued by a train calling the dispatcher and requesting. Then the dispatcher tells the conductor what the order is, and they both write it down on 'train order sheets', the conductor repeats back, they check it and are done.
• Example: three towns (Ryansville, Wilton and Vicksburg) on the MKT (aka Katy).Now, in our modelling terms you could just run trains and whoever came to the siding first could take it - but if it was a passenger train, how would your dear commuters like to wait in the siding against a stinking hog train while it rumbles past!?

                 Example: /PhotoGallery/PhotoSetView.asp?r=47

• another example of a train order For a train to arrive on your layout from west staging:
  • Track Warrant NO. 11, January 8th 1968 to Freight Hauler East at <West Staging>
  • Track Warrant NO. <previous> Is Void.
  • Proceed From <West Staging> to Wilton
  • Clear Main Track At Last Named Point.
• and an order for Freight Hauler West in the other direction:
  • Track Warrant NO. 12, January 8th 1968 to Freight Hauler West at Vicksburg
  • Track Warrant NO. 8 is Void.
  • Proceed from Vicksburg to Wilton
• in this, FHE might get into the hole before FHW arrives, either way a warrant would be issued:
  • to FHE to void the previous warrant, then tell it to proceed to Vicksburg after FHW arrives. This could be made part of the first train order, too.
    
  • to FHW to void the previous warrant and tell it to proceed past Wilton to Ryansville. This needs to be issued after it's confirmed that the FHE is in the hole
    
• Can be used in concert with CTC (i.e. ctc ends, twc starts)
  
• Most track warrants in the U.S. follow a standard form as suggested by the General Code of Operating Rules, consisting of several "X-boxes" to mark specific notes or conditions for a warrant. These vary from temporary speed restrictions to rules regarding meeting other trains. i.e. "To Katy 91 , Checkbox 1, Track warrant number 2 is void" rather than just blurting it out. Saves time copying all the same info down over and over again. Attaching example train order notes for the above run into the show notes.
  
• http://qstation.org/info/Track_Warrant.jpg - A Full ATSF track warrant
• Operationally, it's only a small leap from track warrants towards a full timetable/train order setting, which we'll try to cover soon
  
  
  

Coaling Tower

• Microsoft Train Simulator - Easy to run diesels, difficult to run steams, typical simulation game, 4 out 5.
• Joe Fugates' Siskiyou Line Ops Session Love, No.1 - July 12, 1987

Archives - ATSF diesel schemes

Branch Line - none this week.

Interchange

• http://www.lundsten.dk/us_signaling/twc/  -track warrant control info

• http://www.cti-electronics.com/ - signaling controls and more for Model Rail Roads

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