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HOGRAILS.COM |
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Pennsy & Reading Railroads |
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Overview Welcome to Pennsylvania’s Shamokin Valley featuring the Pennsy and the Reading Railroads +/- 1954, in the heart of Anthracite Coal Country in north central Pennsylvania in HO scale. The layout is based on the prototype. To a large degree local switching is heavily emphasized - more than the prototype to increase the “play” factor. Freight Operations Reading vs. Pennsy - you will be asked to select one of the railroads - Reading or PRR. The Pennsy has the larger presence, covering the entire layout and needs a crew of 5; the Reading has a smaller operation needing a crew of 4. Both railroads have the following operations - and lots of switching. 1) Through freights with drops & fills 2) Peddler Freights with extensive switching 3) Local Coal Trains with extensive switching 4) Coal Drag 5) Yardmaster Duties 6) Dairy Train (PRR) Each operator on both railroads will be running 2 trains, at least one of which will have extensive switching. The Pennsy has longer runs and, in general, more straightforward switching. Pennsy Branch is lower in height than the Reading Main Line. Average height of the PRR switching areas is 54”. The Reading has shorter runs and the Local Peddler Freights require planning and “space management” due to the length of available runarounds. 60” is the average height of the local towns. Step-ups are provided. Operating System for Freights - is based on car cards/waybills for the freight ops. Waybills are color coded by train assignment. Car card boxes are also color-coded. Each train/assignment has an instruction envelope. A crew assigned to a given train should receive both an instruction envelope from the Roadmaster and the packet of car card/waybills from the Yardmaster. The packet will include cars to be set out. Car card boxes should be checked for pick-ups.
Passenger Ops Operating System for Passenger - is based on 12 hour (AM/PM) shifts reflected in separate schedules. Operators will work off a combined instruction sheet/roster/switch list - no car cards. Reading Ops - will have the King Coal running east bound and west bound during the session - no additional crew. Pennsy Ops - include extensive switching at the Harrisburg Depot with 7 East/West Mainline trains (staging to staging) and 3 “Buffalo Line” trains that also run the layout. A local commuter rounds out the passenger train schedule. There will be a separate 4 men crew for PRR Passenger Ops. TT/TO - a schedule for the first and second class passenger trains will apply during the session for both railroads. Fast Clocks are currently set at 4 to 1. DCC Control System - is Digitrax with radio throttles. Roadmasters can provide a brief overview on how the UT-4 throttles operate. Locos should be dispatched after your assignment is completed. Turnout Controls - on the mains yards and hard to reach sidings are toggled - with bi-color LED’s. The “reachable” sidings are hand throws or Peco’s. Location Assistnce - switching areas/towns are identified with oversized signs on the fascia. Overview layout maps (12) are posted around the layout. Control panels include schematics with the location of individual industries. Look forward to seeing you. |
 PRR
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