Introduction to Operations on the C.L. & W.
Introduction to Operations on the C.L. & W.
LAYOUT CONCEPT AND DESCRIPTION
In a layout room of 26 by 60 feet, I have tried to capture, in both operations and scenic texture, the interrelated nature of several northern New Jersey railroads in the 1950's. I was influenced by living along the Rahway Valley Railroad in Springfield, New Jersey, which was still running ancient steam as I grew up, and by observing the Camelbacks on the Jersey Central Railroad at my dad's shop in Newark. In addition, over time as a land planner, I have had commissions in several railroad-dominated areas and have come to respect and understand the unique, interdependent network of these railroads.
The two principal lines represented are the Clairmont, Lewiston and Western (CL&W), patterned freely after the Susquehanna, although with a Camelback flavor as opposed to Erie, and the Jersey Central. The CL&W runs point to point generally single track from the Bayview Yards in Newark Bay to Clairmont, located in northwestern New Jersey against the New York-Pennsylvania border. The CL&W interchanges with the Rahway Valley in Springfield, feeding to the DL&W in Summit. In addition, at Clairmont there are interchanges with the Susquehanna (Erie) and the Medford and Pine Creek, and for sentimental reasons, the Troll & Elfin. The interchanges are located in my workroom as one of three layers of fiddle yards. The Lehigh and New England interchanges with the CNJ at Easton from hidden trackage.
The Jersey Central runs as a double track main line from Jersey City to Somerville Junction, and then into Pennsylvania. After crossing the Delaware River, the Jersey Central proceeds through Easton and onto Lehighton on the center section of the layout. At Somerville a Lehigh Valley branch (the Lehigh Valley Connecting Track) departs from the Jersey Central to Karlsbad and then to Allentown, Pennsylvania (in the workroom). The Lehigh Valley then continues on to Sayre Yard on a recent extension of the layout.
Representing the intensity of traffic in the North Jersey corridor, the Jersey Central is focused on the Croxton Yard. The yard is over 20 feet long, allowing switching of appropriately long trains. Croxton is, in fact, composed of 2 distinct yards; the main yard of 10 tracks, including a run track, an arrival track and 8 departure tracks, and the three track Little Ferry Yard, which is a CL&W yard serving as a transfer yard to and from Bayview.
OPERATIONS
The railroad system has been built to operate. We use the car card method and sequential movement. There are about 40 line-side industries to be switched by local way freights on the system. Among them are several dominant generators, including at Bayview Cassese Foods, receiving and sending produce, Farmers Co-op receiving grain, and Lehigh Valley Coal, receiving coal from Pennsylvania.
On the Jersey Central, Nabisco at Elizabethport and the Freight House at Elizabeth dominate while on the CL&W, Western Electric at Iron Bound and Carpenter Steel in Union, Karlsbad Paper at Karlsbad and Sunshine Bakery at Clairmont generate significant traffic. On the Medford and Pine Creek, New Jersey Zinc at Franklin generates heavy loads for the refractory at Palmerton and then subsequently to Bethlehem Steel in Allentown.
Substancial coal traffic is also represented on the railroad. The mines in Pennsylvania supply coal traffic east to Bayview and west to Allentown and beyond. Another mine complex on the CL&W in the town of Bernice also complements this traffic.
The car cards reflect the logical sequence of movements. For instance, grain predominantly comes from the mid-West, routed either through the Lehigh or DL&W through Buffalo. Produce which services Sunshine as well as Cassese Foods on the docks in Bayview is predominantly coming from southern states and is, therefore, routed to southern interchanges by way of the Delaware Valley Railroad to Philadelphia. It is not unusual for cars coming from interchange through trains to be routed on another through carrier. For example, loads coming from the south (DVRR-Philadelphia) might be routed to Allentown by way of the Lehigh or to the Susquehanna interchange on to the Erie main line.
To facilitate operations, each yardmaster has a master list in sequential order of arrivals and departures to anticipate and time their operations. As a result of the randomness of the car cards, the loading for any particular train will vary considerably during any operation session, adding interesting variety.
The operations of the Railroad are guided by an Operating Rules, Procedures and Special Instructions Manual, or Rule Book, that establishes train priority and rules of the road. Train classifications are ruled by number; first class, second class, third class, etc. Freight train nomenclature is related to sending and receiving yards.
THE CONTROL SYSTEM
The railroad utilizes the Digitrax Digital Command Control Chief system. The railroad is divided up into four unique blocks, each having it's own booster. Each of these 'blocks' has been sub-divided into smaller electrical blocks protected by circuit breakers to minimize shut downs in the event of a short. We utilize radio control throttles for all road crews, while local operators utilize the tethered throttles. While the CL&W has a supply of throttles available, most operators bring their own.
COMMUNICATIONS
To facilite communications, road crews are required to have radios. We use the FRS (Family Radio Service) radios for communication between road crews and the dispatcher, as well as between the road crews and the various tower positions. There is also a telephone system in place that is used for communication between the tower positions and the dispatcher.
MANUAL BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM
The CL&W uses the Manual Block Signal System throughout its operations. Prior to leaving any Block Limit Station, train crews are to check in with the Dispatcher who shall issue instructions to that crew. Those instructions shall include clearance to a specified Block Limit Station. Train crews shall follow the prescribed instructions, and again check in with the Dispatcher upon arrival at the next Block Limit Station.
A Manual Block Signal system, the earliest form of block signaling, is nothing more than a series of consecutive blocks (sections of track, typically between stations) governed by block signals (fixed signals located at the entrance to the block), operated manually by the block operator, upon information received from the dispatcher by telegraph, telephone or radio.
We currently do not have working signals on the railroad. Rather, signal locations are temporarily represented by painted sign boards which have green, yellow and red stripes on them. These represent the block limit signals. When crews are 'cleared' to an area, it is these signals they should look for and stop at.
When you first arrive at the layout, you should check in with the dispatcher and 'sign in' for the night. The dispatcher will record your name on the Dispatcher's Record in the appropriate operating area you are working in or as a road crew.
Road Crews available for an assignment should proceed to the 'Call Board'. At this location, there will be a form listing all trains operated on the railroad by road crews, as pictured to the right. These trains are arranged in sequential order, each line containing the sequence number for that train, the train symbol, the point of origin of that train and the location where the crew will report to their train. In addition, there are three additional columns; 'Engineer', 'Time On' and 'Time Complete'. Below the Call Board are two boxes labeled 'Run' and 'Dun' (no, 'Dun' is NOT mispelled, that is John's humor) which contain train header cards, described below.
The crew shall sign up for the next available train, or simply, the next train in sequence. The crew shall call the Dispatcher on the radio requesting a 'time on' by stating "Dispatch, time on for CLBV-530, AB" where 'AB' is the initials of the crew member calling. The Dispatcher will respond with the crews time on, at which time the crew will write that time in the 'Time On' column. The crew should then remove the associated Train Procedure Card from the 'Run' box below the Call Board and report to the designated point of origin to begin their assignment.
Depending on the train, the crew will either be reporting to one of the yards or an off line staging yard. In some cases, the engine assignment for that train will be notated right on the Train Header Card. If this is not notated on the card, then the locomotive information will be found on a 'Engine/Consist Header Card', which will be kept with the train's car cards in the box for that train.
Once you have signed up for a train, remove the Train Header Card for that train from the 'Run' box located below the Call Board. Double check to make sure you have the correct card by comparing the train number to that number on the line you just signed up for.
You will notice that each Train Header card has either a green, yellow or red color. This represents the level of difficulty for that train; green being the easiest (no switching), yellow being moderate (some switching involved) and red being difficult, usually a wayfrieght move that involves a lot of switching. If this is your first time on the railroad and you are not totally comfortable with the railroad or it's operations, I strongly recommend you start off with green cards. These trains are generally run through trains and will orient you to the layout. When your comfort level grows, move up to a yellow card, and then eventually a red card.
The Train Procedure Card contains all necessary information pertaining to that train, including origin, destination, routing and all associated stops and duties that train is to perform. These cards are double sided and contain virtually everything you need to know to operate that particular train. Please make sure you read the card and follow the instructions carefully.
While operating your train, you will receive instructions from the Dispatcher. Typically, he will clear you to a special location (a block limit station) by stating something like "Ok train 101, you are cleared to Elizabeth". You should respond with "Clear to Elizabeth, roger" to acknowledge receipt of the instructions. Verbal orders given by the dispatcher may differ from your instructions on the train header card. In many cases, you will be cleared to a point further than is indicated on the header card. The Dispatcher's orders always take priority over the written orders on the card.
Once you arrive at your desitination and complete your assignment, return to the Call Board and call the Dispatcher stating "Time off for train (train number?" The Dispatcher will respond with the time which should be entered in the "Time Complete" box. You should then place the Train Procedure Card in the 'Dun' box.
TRAIN CARDS AND THE CAR CARD SYSTEM
SIGNING UP FOR TRAINS 
TRAIN HEADER CARDS
The car card system in use on the CL&W is a variation of the popular car card system discussed many times in the magazines. It is simple to use, requires no set-up time before a session, and best of all is very forgiving if mistakes are made during a session.
On the CL&W, car cards are colored to represent the various car types. For example, a pick car card represents a boxcar. A red car card represents a tank car. This aids the crew members in identifying cars. The first card to the left in the picture above holds a waybill in the pocket, which contains the movement information for that car.
The process starts when a crew picks-up a train at its point of origin, at which time they shall be handed a set of cards, each of which should contain a waybill. The car card contains information about the car it represents, and the waybill contains information about where the car is headed, its contents, the name of the receiver and the name of the shipper. Before departure, the crew should ensure that all cars in the train are accounted for with a car card.
Once the crew arrives at a point where switching is required, they should review the cards in the train to determine what cars are to be switched at that location. The train should be properly blocked so that all cars for a particular town should be grouped together.
Once they have determined what cars are to be switched, the crew needs to determine which cars are to be picked up at the town. At each town around the layout, there is a card box with three boxes to hold car cards. The boxes are labeled "Set-Out", "Hold" and "Pick-Up". A crewmember should remove the cards located in the "Pick-Up" box. These are the cars that are to be picked up.
The crew should then proceed to switch the industries. Each situation is different and there is no rule on what is the best way to perform the switching. This all depends on the amount of switching there is to be done, the track layout of the area, etc. It is generally easier to do all the pick-ups first and then setout the arriving cars, but again this all depends on the area and the amount of switching.
As each car is setout into the appropriate industry, the crewmember should place the cooresponding car card into the "Set-Out" box. Once all of the switching is complete, all of the car cards for the cars setout should be in the "Set-Out" box and all car cards for cars picked up should be with the other cards in the train. Before departing the town, the crew should ensure that all cars in the train are accounted for with a car card.
This procedure should be repeated for each town served by that train. If a crew arrives at a town and has no setouts at that town, the crew should still make any pick-ups that may be indicated by car cards located in the "Pick-Up" box.
Once the crew has completed all scheduled stops for their train, but prior to entering the yard limits of the destination yard, the Conductor shall contact the Yard Operator and obtain clearance to enter the yard. Upon arrival in the yard, the crew shall check in with the Yard Operator and turn over all car cards. The crew should then report to the Call Board to 'complete' their train.
THE GOLDEN RULE
While we realize there is a lot of information here, we all live by the 'Golden Rule', and that is to have fun! The C.L.& W. is large for a home layout, and there is a lot going on. Everyone makes mistakes, and that is all part of the fun! Remember, this is a hobby!