You are at your first operating session on the UPRR Rochelle Subdivision.  Being a beginner, you’re assigned to the easiest train of the day, the eastbound CWYCH carrying Wyoming coal to a Chicago power plant. 

 

The staging yardmaster pulls your train out of its staging tracks. Your train is headed up by UP8039, an SD90MAC teamed with a UP8105, also an SD90MAC.  Road number 8039 is dispatched by the staging yardmaster so that you can acquire it with your UT1 throttle.

 

Your train is now ready to enter the sub.  After getting clearance from the UP Dispatcher, you’re ready to depart.

 

You acquire the road number on your UT1 and crank the throttle slowly up to 50% power.  On the Rochelle Sub, throttles set at 50% will give you a speed of about 30-40 scale mph.  Setting the throttle at 100% will get you going at 65-75 scale mph.

 

You’re rolling now, heading east toward Chicago across Northern Illinois.

 

The first town is Freemont.  A manifest is in the siding waiting for you to pass.  For you, however, signals indicate that the tracks ahead are clear.

 

You’re cruising at 35 mph, the UP speed limit through most towns, as you head through Freemont.

 

The next signal on the east end of Freemont still shows clear tracks ahead.

 

 

Of course, once you pass the signal, it gets knocked down to red. 

 

The next town on the Rochelle Sub is Nelson which contains a small yard with intermodal facilities and locomotive fueling and servicing.

 

 

East of Nelson is the town of Mitford.  The yellow signal indicates that you’re clear to enter Mitford, but the following signal is red.

 

You’re coasting now as you cross a small creek just west of Mitford.

 

Now you’re braking pretty hard in anticipation of a stop at the next signal.

 

Sure enough, the signal east of Mitford is red and you bring your train to a complete stop.  Now it’s time to wait for whatever is blocking the main.

 

Finally, the cause of your delay, a westbound intermodal train comes into view.

 

With the intermodal past, you now get the green to proceed eastbound.

 

And you’re rolling once again.

 

Next is the small village of Buhl which the signals indicate is clear.

 

 

It doesn’t take long to get through Buhl as you head toward Rochelle.

 

 

Between Buhl and Rochelle you take your train across a high steel trestle bridge.

 

Looks like its clear sailing through Rochelle as well.

 

You’re now coming up on the four diamond BNSF crossing in Rochelle.

 

The railroad park. (as you can seeing Rochelle is still under construction)

 

 

The 7^th street overpass and water tower.

 

The last signal on the Rochelle Sub faces away from the operator.  So how do you know the signal indication?  Easy, the fascia has repeater LEDs.  It looks like we’re clear.

 

Once again the green is knocked down to red as we pass the signal.

 

Now we’re crossing the lift up bridge on our way back to the staging yard.  Looks like someone left their mug on the layout.  Demerits will be issued!!!!

 

Your train rumbles under the highway overpass on its way back to staging.  The staging yard master will take it from here.  Your first run as an operator on the Rochelle Sub is complete.

 

 

Now you head to the UP dispatcher to check out your next assignment over the Rochelle Subdivision.  Maybe a manifest with some switching this time.

 

UPRR Rochelle Subdivision

N Scale Union Pacific in Northern Illinois

Union Pacific Train CWYCE

(C)oal train from (WY) to (C)om (E)d.

To contact us:

E-mail: darylkruse@comcast.net