Chapter 215: The helper and cabooses
Twenty yards of the helper and cabooses
A second switcher works the far lead with its own cut. Either engine can move, changing engines is free, and the two have to hand cars to each other through the tracks.
A caboose rides at the rear of its train, which is the ladder end, so it must be the last car coupled on. It travels with the engine and never goes over the hump.
20 yards, pars from 4 to 19 moves. Beside its theme, chapter 215 draws on placard spacing, placards and auto racks, 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 215.1 | 8 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Concord, Albany, Concord, Albany on Track 1, Dover on 2, Boston on 3. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 2 | Yard 215.2 | 4 | The outbound Albany, Albany, Erie on Track 1, Boston on 2, Concord on 3, Dover on 4. |
| 3 | Yard 215.3 | 7 | The outbound Albany, Erie, Albany, Erie on Track 1, Concord on 2, Dover on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 4 | Yard 215.4 | 7 | Dover on 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 5 | Yard 215.5 | 8 | The outbound Boston, Boston, Boston, Dover on Track 1, Albany on 2, Erie on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 6 | Yard 215.6 | 7 | The outbound Albany, Albany, Boston, Albany, Boston on Track 1, Erie on 2, Dover on 3, Concord on 4. |
| 7 | Yard 215.7 | 10* | The outbound Dover, Dover, Dover, Dover, Dover, Boston on Track 1, Erie on 2, Albany on 3. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 8 | Yard 215.8 | 6 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Albany on Track 1, Erie on 2, Boston on 3, Dover on 4. |
| 9 | Yard 215.9 | 12* | The outbound Boston, Dover, Boston, Boston on Track 1, Albany on 2, Concord on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 10 | Yard 215.10 | 6 | Boston on 1, Erie on 2, Albany on 3, Dover on 4. |
| 11 | Yard 215.11 | 7 | The outbound Boston, Concord, Boston, Boston on Track 1, Dover on 2, Erie on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 12 | Yard 215.12 | 9 | The outbound Concord, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Boston on 2, Albany on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 13 | Yard 215.13 | 11 | The outbound Dover, Dover, Boston, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 14 | Yard 215.14 | 7 | Boston on 1, Albany on 2, Dover on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 15 | Yard 215.15 | 9 | The outbound Dover, Boston, Dover, Dover, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Erie on 2, Concord on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 16 | Yard 215.16 | 6 | The outbound Erie, Erie, Dover, Erie on Track 1, Boston on 2, Concord on 3, Albany on 4. |
| 17 | Yard 215.17 | 19* | The outbound Boston, Erie, Boston, Erie, Boston on Track 1, Dover on 2, Concord on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 18 | Yard 215.18 | 4 | The outbound Dover, Dover, Boston, Dover, Boston on Track 1, Erie on 2, Albany on 3, Concord on 4. |
| 19 | Yard 215.19 | 7 | The outbound Erie, Erie, Concord, Erie, Concord, Concord on Track 1, Boston on 2, Dover on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 20 | Yard 215.20 | 15* | The outbound Erie, Erie, Erie, Boston on Track 1, Albany on 2, Dover on 3, Concord 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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