Chapter 164: Auto racks and placard spacing
Twenty yards of auto racks and placard spacing
An auto rack is two car lengths long and takes two slots on a track and two behind the engine, so every capacity becomes a length budget.
Placard spacing rules for outbounds: a placarded car may not stand at the head of the train or be coupled to another placarded car.
20 yards, pars from 4 to 15 moves. Beside its theme, chapter 164 draws on the helper, placard spacing and placards, with two breathers of plain sorting and extra cars. Difficulty runs as a sawtooth: runs of easy yards, a spike, a breather.
The yards
| # | Yard | Par | The job |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yard 164.1 | 5 | The outbound Albany, Concord, Concord, Concord on Track 1, Erie on 2, Boston on 3. |
| 2 | Yard 164.2 | 4 | Erie on 1, Boston on 2, Albany on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 3 | Yard 164.3 | 5 | The outbound Boston, Dover, Dover, Boston on Track 1, Erie on 2, Concord on 3, Albany on 4. |
| 4 | Yard 164.4 | 7 | The outbound Erie, Albany, Erie, Albany on Track 1, Boston on 2, Dover on 3, Concord on 4. |
| 5 | Yard 164.5 | 5 | The outbound Dover, Albany, Albany, Dover on Track 1, Boston on 2, Concord on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 6 | Yard 164.6 | 10 | The outbound Albany, Concord, Albany, Albany, Albany on Track 1, Erie on 2, Boston on 3, Dover on 4. |
| 7 | Yard 164.7 | 9 | The outbound Albany, Boston, Albany on Track 1, Dover on 2, Concord on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 8 | Yard 164.8 | 9 | Concord on 1, Erie on 2, Dover on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 9 | Yard 164.9 | 6 | The outbound Concord, Albany, Albany, Albany, Albany on Track 1, Dover on 2, Boston on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 10 | Yard 164.10 | 5 | Concord on 1, Erie on 2, Boston on 3, Albany on 4. |
| 11 | Yard 164.11 | 13* | The outbound Boston, Boston, Dover, Boston, Boston on Track 1, Albany on 2, Concord on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 12 | Yard 164.12 | 6 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Erie on 2, Albany on 3, Boston on 4. |
| 13 | Yard 164.13 | 15* | The outbound Erie, Erie, Albany on Track 1, Dover on 2, Concord on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 14 | Yard 164.14 | 8 | Concord on 1, Dover on 2, Boston on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 15 | Yard 164.15 | 7 | The outbound Albany, Albany, Concord, Albany on Track 1, Erie on 2, Dover on 3, Boston on 4. |
| 16 | Yard 164.16 | 4 | The outbound Concord, Erie, Erie, Concord, Erie on Track 1, Albany on 2, Dover on 3, Boston on 4. |
| 17 | Yard 164.17 | 9 | The outbound Boston, Albany, Albany, Boston, Boston on Track 1, Erie on 2, Dover on 3, Concord on 4. |
| 18 | Yard 164.18 | 9 | The outbound Dover, Erie, Dover, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Albany on 2, Concord on 3, Boston on 4. |
| 19 | Yard 164.19 | 9 | The outbound Dover, Dover, Albany, Albany on Track 1, Erie on 2, Boston on 3, Concord on 4. |
| 20 | Yard 164.20 | 13* | The outbound Concord, Concord, Erie, Erie, Erie on Track 1, Boston on 2, Dover on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
* A par marked with a star is the best known line for a yard too large to solve outright.
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