Here is the P&W Dispatcher at work in his office (in the workshop adjacent to the main
train room). He communicates with train crews using a 5-channel radio (on channel "D")
and also can talk to the Annville Yardmaster (on channel "C"). He has a list of trains
to be run during the session (we use a sequential schedule with no fast clock) and
controls the flow of traffic by acting as "crew caller" for the trains originating in the
staging yards. Train crews on the main line are required to call the Dispatcher and report
their positions ("OS") as they pass through each town on the system. The Dispatcher keeps track
of train positions by moving magnetic train markers along a magnetic board (a salvaged steel
shelf) with a detailed track schematic attached to it. Since the majority of the railroad is
single track with passing sidings, the Dispatcher's most critical function is to manage the
flow of opposing traffic from passing point to passing point. PRR in the 1950's did not use
CTC and neither do we. The Dispatcher controls one signal at Gap Junction for trains coming
off the Cumberland line and joining the main.
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Annville Yard has 3 fixed operating positions: the Yardmaster directs train flow into,
out of and through the yard, the Yard Switcher classifies freight cars and handles block
swaps for through trains and the Hostler/Second Switcher handles mail and express car
switching, engine movements for local trains and engine changes for through trains and also
runs 4 switching jobs within Yard Limits. The Yardmaster also directs the activities of the
Yard Switcher and Hostler.
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The Yardmaster has a radio set to channel "C" to communicate with train crews and
the Dispatcher. His control panel contains toggles to control turnout positions for all
turnouts on routes through the yard and also toggles to set East and West approach signals at
the Yard Limits. In the photo, the Yardmaster is preparing to throw the East end Approach Signal
on the Secondary Mainline from "Stop" to "Clear" so that a train on the Secondary can enter the
yard. The mainline is double track to the East and
single track to the West. He also has a lineup of trains that will pass through the yard and a
copy of the switchlist showing all cars that will be picked up and set out by all trains stopping
at the yard.
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Here is a closeup of the Yardmaster's lineup of trains sheet. As trains pass through the yard,
he crosses that train off the lineup. This is a busy and popular job with my operators, even
though the Yardmaster never handles a throttle during the session.
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The Annville Yard Switcher stands just to the left of the Yardmaster. In the photo, the
Yard Switcher operator is uncoupling the tank car from a cut of cars. There is a switch
control panel with toggles for all turnouts on the classification ladder and the Cabin Car
(caboose) Track and a white board with dry erase markers so that the location of various
cuts of cars can be recorded.
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Here is the Yard Switcher position showing the switchlist (see the section on switchlists
for more information) control panel, schematic of the railroad (helpful in assembling eastbound
or westbound local trains) and the whiteboard.
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The whiteboard is used to show what cuts of cars are where. Since there are only 5 class tracks,
the same track is used for multiple trains during the course of a session. Here Class Track 1 has
cars for train AC-25, and behind them are an unclassified cut placed there "for now." Class Track 3
has cars for train AF-44 and Class Track 5 has cars for IND-2. Class Track 4 is empty at this point.
Note that the diagram shows the capacity of each track in terms of the number of 40-foot cars (the
most common length in the early 1950's) that will fit on the track.
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Here is the Annville Hostler Station in the steam service area. A schematic of the railroad
(so that locomotives will face in the proper direction for their train's destination),
controls for the turntable and roundhouse tracks, a whiteboard with dry erase marker to record
which locomotive is on which track (ID numbers are the command control engine number) and a work
list. During the session, the Hostler gets to move a variety of locomotives as well as perform a
fair amount of switching work. To perform these functions, the Hostler roams the length of
Annville Yard and is not tied to this one location.
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Here is the Hostler's work list for this operating session. There are typically
20-25 tasks to be completed during the 3.5 to 4-hour session, so this is also a busy job.
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Finally, this candid photo shows the Hostler closest to the camera, then a 2-man passenger
train crew swapping some headend cars that had been pre-spotted by the Hostler, with the Yard
Switcher and Yardmaster behind the passenger train crew. Given that one or two freight train
crews could also be in the yard at the same time, I'm really glad that I designed a 5-foot wide
aisle for the yard area!
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