Comment: This was a continuation of Session 1. I ran 2 trains earlier today. The first was Train 200, the Black Zephyr. This is a unit coal train that leaves Black Diamond and travels east to Coaldale. This worked well, which was not surprising as it is a straight forward run along the outer mainline with no switching.

The second was Train 100, the Super Continental passenger train. Once again there is no switching but I spend some time working out an overall route that would include stops at all the imtermediate towns.

Session 1b:

Steam locomotive CN 8414 picked up the consist in the Black Diamond Yard and headed east on the outer mainline. The trip consisted of 6 loops around the outer mainline and the train then headed into the Coaldale Yard, stopping on Track #9.

CN 7985, a SW-4 diesel switcher, pulled the caboose (CN 78213) from the rear of the train and set it out on Track #2. The switcher then returned to Track #9 and pulled all 6 hopper cars out and pushed them onto Track #8 where they will remain until Train 201 is formed.

The next step was to run Train 100, the Super Continental passenger train, from Jasper to Coaldale. As soon as I looked at the Jasper Yard I realized that this would be impossible as the yard was already full of freight cars and there was no room for the switching that would be needed to form the consist.

Clearly the cars would have to originate from Coaldale, where there is room to store them on Track #7. Then the train will need to complete its run to Jasper and then immediately return to Coaldale. I then wanted to make the trip more realistic by having the train make brief stops at each town on the route for passengers to disbark and embark.

Train 101, headed by CN 6700 and CN 6708, pulled out of Coaldale heading west. The first stage was to continue on the outer mainline for 3 loops. Then switch 4 was thrown and the train headed into Queenston where it stopped to exchange a few passengers. The train then pulled out and quickly entered the inner mainline at switch 22 where it completed 2 loops and then entered Prairie Dog at switch 30. After a quick stop for passengers the train re-entered the inner mainline and proceeded a short distance to Pine Ridge where it made another quick stop. The train left the inner mainline loop at switch 29 and entered the outer mainline at switch 5. The train then took switch 6 onto the reversing loop and pulled into Jasper.

The train changed crews and the return trip was begun as Train 100 headed east from Jasper. It entered the outer mainline at switch 13 and completed 4 loops on the outer mainline before leaving it at switch 5 to enter the inner mainline where it completed 3 loops before stopping at Pine Ridge. Then on the next loop it left the inner mainline at switch 23 and pulled into Prairie Dog for another short stop. Leaving Prairie Dog the train entered the inner mainline and completed about 3/4 of the loop when it entered the reversing loop at switch 23 and switch 35, and back on the inner mainline at switch 29 and then off the inner mainline at switch 29 and onto the outer mainline at switch 5, now heading toward Coaldale where it could reverse direction and back into Track #7 where it will be ready to depart as Train 101 the next day.

Comment: This turned out to be more interesting that I expected.

The running of Train 200 went according to plan until I began reassembling the cars for the return trip. I began by moving the caboose to a small section of Track #2 but I now realize that it would have been better to push it onto Track #8 immediately. Then when the hopper cars were added, the train consist would have been complete.

The attempt to run Train 100 turned out to be an eye-opener. I soon realized how to resolve the problem but the train is now independent of the Ship It! schedule. In fact, there is no need to include either unit train in the Ship It! system since there is no switching involved with either train. This may be a wise pragmatic solution.

The critical idea was to use the reversing loop in the inner mainline to turn the train around so it could back into the siding in the Coaldale Yard with the locomotive facing west for the departure the next day.

At the moment the steam locomotive is sitting on Track #9. If I can now use the switcher to form a consist and push it onto the back end of the steam locomotive and then use the reversing loop to get the train turned around, I will have an operational sequence that does not involve having to lift any locomotives up and turn them around. This is only a potential problem for the 4 unit trains as their motive power is uni-directional. The other 6 trains use diesels that can move in either direction. I continue to learn.

Session 1c:

Diesel locomotive CN 1706, a GP-7, began switching in the Jasper Yard to form a consist of 3 boxcars (CN 242705, GTW 516134 & CN 44531) plus a caboose (GTW 77942). This involved some movement of cars among the different sidings but was not too difficult and Train 700 was soon ready to leave Jasper heading east.

Train 700 completed 3 loops counterclockwise around the outer mainline before heading into the inner mainline and around the reversing loop and back onto the outer mainline going clockwise. Train 700 then left the outer mainline at switch 6 and stopped in front of switch 50. CN 1706 then uncoupled the consist and backed into the sidings at Distillery Row to pick up 4 tank cars, all loaded (UTLX 48238 - propane, CN 99009 - gasoline, AT&SF 100801 - fuel oil, and UTLX 48693 - gasoline). The train then continued on the Jasper reversing loop re-entering the outer mainline going counterclockwise (i.e. east) for 2 more loops around the outer mainline. Train 700 then re-entered the inner mainline and immediately took the inner reversing loop so the train was now going clockwise on the inner loop so it could perform switching moves at Prairie Dog.

The train stopped before switch 30 and CN 1706 uncoupled from the consist. It then picked up a boxcar loaded with grain from the Alberta Wheat Pool elevator (CN 520502) and an empty stockcar from the Angus Stockyard. The next step was to setout 2 cars from the consist: an empty boxcar in front of the Alberta Wheat Pool elevator (CN 44531) and a loaded tank car (propane) that was picked up from Distillery Row (UTLX 48238) which was set out at Coop Propane.

As a final move before shutting down for the day, the train moved to the Pine Ridge siding where it will carry out some switching moves.