trains; those to the right, the eastward. The "OS" time of the westbound
trains as they pass each station reads from the top to the bottom, while the
eastbound side reads from bottom to top. This method of recording the time
in opposite order makes it easier for the dispatcher to make plans for
changing meeting points. The three extra trains shown in columns 1, 2, and
8 have completed their runs, while Extra 194 West (col 4) and Extra 210 East
(col 3) are approximately halfway over the division. The figures
beside Extra 205's time out of Maxey yard show that it had 125 loaded cars,
no empties, and a gross tonnage of 11, 500 tons. The figures are reduced at
BO tower because the train made a setoff of cars and tonnage amounting to
the difference between the two sets of figures. Where two time figures are
shown at a station, the earlier time is the arriving time and the later one
is the departing time.
Passing time is written diagonally across both
blocks
.
When a train terminates its run, a diagonal line is
drawn through the next block
.
Officially, the stops are considered delays and they must be explained
on the train sheet, usually on the reverse side.
For quick reference,
delays are shown on the face of the sample train sheets.
Freight trains
generally have 30 minutes preparatory time, and the delays shown for making
an air test do not start until 30 minutes after the time shown in the "Time
Reporting" column.
b. Meets. An examination of columns 3 and 4 of the train sheet shows
that either Extra 210 East or Extra 194 West will have to take siding to
clear the other.
This has already been arranged by the dispatcher before
Extra 194 West left the yard. It is explained in paragraph 1.7b, and the
reasons are stressed in later chapters. Assume, then, that the dispatcher
has set up a meet at WD by instructing the crew of Extra 210 East to meet
Extra 194 West there.
Because eastward direction is superior on this
railroad, Extra 210 East will hold main track, and Extra 194 West will take
siding. Suppose, however, that Extra 210 East had 70 cars instead of 90,
and that Extra 194 West had 90 cars instead of 70. Because the capacity of
WD cutoff is only 85 cars, the dispatcher would be forced to permit the
train moving in the inferior westward direction to hold main track, and make
the train in the superior eastward direction take siding. This would have
to be specified in the meet order.
This example illustrates how the
dispatcher may supersede the superiority of direction; later chapters show
how he may supersede any normal procedure to regulate superiority.
27
Previous Page
