Chapter 25: The hump and cabooses
Twenty yards of the hump and cabooses
From the crest of the hump a whole cut rolls off one car at a time, each routed to a track as it goes, and the lot counts as a single move.
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 10 moves. Beside its theme, chapter 25 draws on the shop, the helper and placard spacing, 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 25.1 | 8 | The outbound Concord, Dover, Dover, Concord on Track 1, Boston on 2, Albany on 3. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 2 | Yard 25.2 | 6 | Concord on 1, Albany on 2, Boston on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for cars that need the shop first. |
| 3 | Yard 25.3 | 4 | The outbound Albany, Erie, Albany, Erie on Track 1, Boston on 2, Concord on 3. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 4 | Yard 25.4 | 8 | Concord on 1, Dover on 2, Erie on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 5 | Yard 25.5 | 5 | The outbound Albany, Erie, Albany, Erie, Erie on Track 1, Boston on 2, Dover on 3. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 6 | Yard 25.6 | 7 | The outbound Dover, Concord, Concord on Track 1, Erie on 2, Albany on 3. |
| 7 | Yard 25.7 | 5 | The outbound Dover, Erie, Erie, Dover on Track 1, Boston on 2, Concord on 3. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 8 | Yard 25.8 | 7 | Albany on 1, Dover on 2, Concord on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for cars that need the shop first. |
| 9 | Yard 25.9 | 5 | The outbound Albany, Albany, Boston, Albany on Track 1, Dover on 2, Erie on 3. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 10 | Yard 25.10 | 4 | Erie on 1, Albany on 2, Concord on 3, Boston on 4. |
| 11 | Yard 25.11 | 5 | The outbound Albany, Albany, Boston, Boston, Albany, Boston on Track 1, Dover on 2. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 12 | Yard 25.12 | 4 | The outbound Dover, Boston, Dover, Boston, Boston on Track 1, Concord on 2, Erie on 3. |
| 13 | Yard 25.13 | 10 | The outbound Albany, Albany, Dover, Dover, Albany on Track 1, Concord on 2, Erie on 3. Watch for a hump yard, cars that need the shop first. |
| 14 | Yard 25.14 | 6 | Boston on 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Dover on 4. |
| 15 | Yard 25.15 | 4 | The outbound Dover, Albany, Dover, Albany on Track 1, Concord on 2, Boston on 3. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 16 | Yard 25.16 | 6 | The outbound Erie, Dover, Erie, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Albany on 2, Concord on 3. Watch for a helper on the far lead. |
| 17 | Yard 25.17 | 8 | The outbound Boston, Boston, Boston, Boston, Dover on Track 1, Erie on 2, Albany on 3. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 18 | Yard 25.18 | 5 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Boston on Track 1, Dover on 2, Albany on 3. |
| 19 | Yard 25.19 | 8 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Erie, Erie, Concord on Track 1, Dover on 2, Boston on 3. Watch for a hump yard. |
| 20 | Yard 25.20 | 8 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Concord, Concord, Dover, Dover on Track 1, Albany on 2, Erie on 3. Watch for a hump yard, cars that need the shop first. |
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