Upcoming Operating Session Part 2

Greetings Blog Followers,

The big event, the first operating session on the New York Central Train Layout, is one week away. A busy work week has kept me out of the train room but will correct that this weekend. I've been going over in my head a list of trains and the sequence that they will run in order to have a good amount of railroading without fouling up the mainlines or the yards. A few other ideas have also cropped up some which may or may not be implemented. Here is a short list of trains I hope to be able to run for the operating session and some ideas that I may incorporate as well.

Keep it Simple!!! Plan is to use diesels with four wheel trucks only. More nimble and less likely to derail.

Prototype will be Penn Central. If / when derail occurs it will be prototypical. Will put Work Train with crane on siding that will no be used for this session.

Freight Trains:

CG-1   9 covered hoppers (empties) from Staging Yard to North Side behind 2 diesels and with a caboose.
            Engines will run around train and put caboose on front to "protect the shove from" the yard to  
            Cargill.

TY-21   Loaded Hoppers from Cargill back to staging also known as Terminal Yard which will be our                       connection to the rest of the world.

Lackawanna Transfer: 6 to 8 car freight train from Staging to North Side Yard. Engines return to staging                                         caboose light per union agreements.

 HC-3            Hudson Coal train, 12 empties from staging to Hudson Coal. 12 loaded  hoppers from                                 Hudson Coal to North Side Yard for scaling. Train will depart for Terminal Yard as an                                 "Extra" when time permits.  

GF-5             General Freight. Staging to North Side Yard with cars for West Side Industries.

TY-52           North Side Yard to Terminal Yard. Outbound cars going to Terminal Yard using GF-5,s                              engines and caboose.

North Side Local:      Switches North Side Yard and local industries.

Shelf City Turn:         Staging Yard / Terminal Yard to industrial area on shelf portion of layout. Switches out                                 Cars as needed. Returns to Terminal Yard.

ME 10            Mail and Express Train from Staging Yard to Empire City Station on lower level. Pick up and                       drop cars at Railway Express Agency and Post Office. Returns to Staging / Terminal Yard

NY 4              Meat Products Train. A string of 40' Reefers. From Staging to North Side Yard.

That's it for now. I'll update as the week progresses.