Class-1 Roads Feeding Class-2 Shortlines?

boleyd

Well-known member
I have a nice short-line modeled but needed some info on the inter-change with class-1 railroads.

Is it normal for a class-1 to drop part of its consist at a class-2 and then continue to the next class-2?

Or, is it more likely that the entire consist is destined only for one class-2?

Are the arriving cars/wagons pre-sorted by the class-1 according the class-2 final destinations?

Or does the class-2 now need to sort the arriving consist into one or two local trains delivering to local customers.

The class-2 needs to retrieve empties , or local product, and create a consist for the class-1 to pickup. Is this "pickup-consist" for the the class-1 sorted?

There may be a consist with local product that goes to the class-1. Is it ok to assume that any empties can be included in this "returning consist" ?

I wonder how many cars are "lost" with multiple companies handling transportation. That car that was setting for a few years on a siding never made it to a manifest.
 
I think in today's modern and computerized world with barcodes and gps trackers that losing freight cars probably doesnt happen as much as it might when it was all paperwork.
 
From what I've seen in real life, the connecting Class I will pre-block the cars/wagons for themselves to deliver to the connecting short line, but that's about it. There's usually a small interchange yard, perhaps only a siding or two, to exchange cars. The Class III is responsible for its own sorting for its industries and for setting out empties for sending off on the Class I.

Back in 1984, I was able to see this first hand between Conrail and Fore River RR down in Braintree. The other issue is unions versus non-union rules as well as company rule differences between the companies. In the case with the Fore River, that company wasn't unionized, therefore, Conrail wouldn't allow that company to go anywhere near their tracks. Fore River was allowed only into the interchange yard and nowhere else, and Conrail wasn't allowed on Fore River's tracks even.
 
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That video, and others who are similar, will keep me busy for a long time. I sort of thought there had to be more to railroading that I was missing and really give a Thank You for listing this video. It will obviously lead to the others that detail more aspects of SWITCHING!!
WOW:D
 
That was indeed an interesting video! If given to me as a switching puzzle, I don't know that I would have quite figured out all the steps. Thanks for posting the video William!
 
Everyone is welcome. I found the video very interesting and yes there are other videos on railroad operation on YouTube.

William
 
I've learned that Model Railroad magazines can be good for learning this type of thing. You will find articles on freight movements, etc etc. Additionally, great pics to assist you with your routes, buildings, etc, and also some prototypical information. Some, when you subscribe or join, now offer years and years of archived material that you can search. You can find some amazing things and learn all about railroad operation from Class I's to locals.
 
I agree that model railroad info sources do provide the operational detail we need for our electronic model railroads.
 
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