Chapter 170: Yard orders and the running track
Twenty yards of yard orders and the running track
Yard orders fire on the clock: a track closes and reopens, the yardmaster reassigns a track, the work train needs one clear, and the other crew moves cars on its own schedule.
A running track loops to a far lead and far ladder, so open tracks can be worked from either end. One move takes the engine and its cut round the loop.
20 yards, pars from 5 to 11 moves. Beside its theme, chapter 170 draws on timetables, hidden waybills and the hump, 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 170.1 | 6 | Boston on 1, Concord on 2, Dover on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 2 | Yard 170.2 | 7 | Dover on 1, Concord on 2, Erie on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a timetable. |
| 3 | Yard 170.3 | 10 | Concord on 1, Boston on 2, Albany on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 4 | Yard 170.4 | 8 | Concord on 1, Boston on 2, Albany on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for waybills unread until pulled. |
| 5 | Yard 170.5 | 8 | Concord on 1, Albany on 2, Boston on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 6 | Yard 170.6 | 5 | The outbound Erie, Erie, Albany on Track 1, Dover on 2, Boston on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 7 | Yard 170.7 | 5 | Boston on 1, Dover on 2, Erie on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 8 | Yard 170.8 | 10 | Albany on 1, Dover on 2, Erie on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a timetable. |
| 9 | Yard 170.9 | 9 | Erie on 1, Boston on 2, Concord on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 10 | Yard 170.10 | 5 | Erie on 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Dover on 4. |
| 11 | Yard 170.11 | 8 | The outbound Dover, Erie, Erie, Erie on Track 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 12 | Yard 170.12 | 6 | The outbound Albany, Albany, Erie, Albany on Track 1, Boston on 2, Dover on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 13 | Yard 170.13 | 9 | Dover on 1, Albany on 2, Boston on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, a timetable. |
| 14 | Yard 170.14 | 8 | Albany on 1, Erie on 2, Dover on 3, Concord on 4. |
| 15 | Yard 170.15 | 8 | The outbound Boston, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 16 | Yard 170.16 | 10 | The outbound Concord, Dover, Dover, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Boston on 2, Erie on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for waybills unread until pulled. |
| 17 | Yard 170.17 | 7 | Dover on 1, Albany on 2, Boston on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a hump yard, a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 18 | Yard 170.18 | 7 | The outbound Erie, Albany, Erie, Albany, Albany on Track 1, Boston on 2, Concord on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 19 | Yard 170.19 | 8 | The outbound Albany, Concord, Albany, Concord, Concord on Track 1, Erie on 2, Dover on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, yard orders on the clock. |
| 20 | Yard 170.20 | 11 | Concord on 1, Boston on 2, Dover on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, a timetable. |
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