Comment: I have completed an operating session based on a set of Ship It! This was the beginning of Session 1 and involved Train 601 leaving Coaldale at 0:30 am, passing by Wild Rose at 1:00 am and arriving in Queenston at 2:00 am where 2 cars were picked up. The train then arrived in Prairie Dog at 3:00 am where it received some switching orders.

Note: sw3-1 refers to switch 3 in the closed (straight through) position, sw3-2 means switch 3 in the open (turn) position. Blue refers to a change in the position of the switch.

Session 1b:

4:00 PM

• Train 601, a local freight, was powered by CN 7985: an RS-3 diesel locomotive.
  
  
  • Train 601 left Coaldale on time, heading west.
  • (sw8-2, sw7-1, sw2-2, sw1-1) in the Coaldale Yard.
  • (sw4-1, sw5-1, sw6-1, sw8-2, sw9-1, sw14-1, sw15-1) on the outer mainline.
  • the following difficulties were noted on the first pass around the outer mainline:
    • some cars brushed against the Pool elevator at Wild Rose - easily fixed.
    • the load of logs on the flat bulkhead car shifted easily - they have been removed for the moment.
    • there was a door loose on CN 522360 - easily fixed.
  • Train 601 used a speed setting of 6 on the first pass, a setting of 8 on the second pass, and a setting of 10 for the remaining 4 passes before heading into Queenston.
    
    
  • (sw4-2) permitted the train to leave the outer mainline and enter Queenston. The train stopped in front of sw60 to change the setting (sw60-2) so the train could enter Track 2.
  • The entire Train entered Track 2. The locomotive then uncoupled from the train, leaving the entire consist on Track 2. Track 1 thus remained clear for any trains passing through the town.

  
  CN 7847 entering Track 2 in Queenston
  
  

  • CN 7847 moved forward through the following switches (sw39-1, sw21-2, sw22-1).
    
    
  • the locomotive then reversed through (sw21-1, sw20-1), pushing 4 boxcars (CN 1, CN 2, CN 3, CN 4) that were in front of Queenston Cartage down Track 5 and onto Track 4 (sw63-2, sw62-2). The boxcar CN 4 was setout at the end of Track 4.
    
    
  • CN 7847 moved forward with 3 boxcars (CN 1, CN 2, CN 3), clearing sw62 and sw63. sw63 was then reset.
    
    
  • CN 7847 reversed (sw63-1) pushing CN 3 onto the end of Track 5, where it was then setout.
    
    
  • CN 7847 moved forward (sw63-1) on Track 5, pulling CN 1, CN 2, and clearing sw63.
    
    
  • CN 7847 reversed (sw63-2, sw62-2) onto Track 4, setting out CN 2.
    
    
  • CN 7847 moved forward (sw62-2, sw63-2) onto Track 5, clearing sw63, which was reset.
    
    
  • CN 7847 reversed (sw63-1) and setout CN 1.
    
    
  • CN 7847 moved forward (sw63-1) and cleared sw63, which was then reset.

  
  CN 7847 switching the four boxcars
  
  

  • CN 7847 reversed (sw63-2, sw62-2) onto Track 4 and picked up CN 2 and CN 4.
    
    
  • CN 7847 moved forward (sw62-2, sw63-2) onto Track 5, clearing sw63 which was reset.
    
    
  • CN 7847 reversed (sw63-1) and picked up CN 1 and CN 3 on Track 5.
    
    
  • CN 7847 moved forward and set out CN 1 and CN 3 in front of Queenston Cartage (where they were originally). The locomotive continued forward (sw21-2) and then reversed (sw21-1) onto Track 2 where it joined CN 2 and CN 4 to the consist of Train 601.

  
  
  CN 7847 dropping off CN 1 & CN 3 in front of Queenston Cartage
  

  • Train 601 then proceeded around the inner mainline loop (sw23-1, sw24-2, sw25-1, sw27-1, sw28-1, sw29-1, sw30-1, sw22-2) for 3 circuits at a speed setting of 8 before entering Prairie Dog.

   

6:00 PM

Comment: I am really enjoying this. I have no difficulty placing my mind in a different location on the space-time continuum. The trains are running smoothly and I now have some experience with the track on the inner mainline. As a result of the switching at Queenston, I can see a real advantage in moving two of the switches about 2 feet which would give me that much extra length to hold cars while carrying out various maneuvers. I continue to learn.

The sequence of switching moves in front of Queenston Cartage where I picked up the 2nd and 4th cars while leaving the 1st and 3rd card in their original locations was a nice piece of logic.

I have had a look at the switchlist for Prairie Dog and noticed a unique item where a boxcar will be moved from one location in the town to another location in the same town. I have not seen this before.