Chapter 44: Placard spacing and the running track
Twenty yards of placard spacing and the running track
Placard spacing rules for outbounds: a placarded car may not stand at the head of the train or be coupled to another placarded car.
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 6 to 14 moves. Beside its theme, chapter 44 draws on open slots, doubled outbounds and the running track, 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 44.1 | 7 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Concord, Concord, Dover on Track 1, Albany on 2, Erie on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 2 | Yard 44.2 | 6 | The outbound Erie, Concord or Dover, Erie on Track 1, Albany on 2, Dover on 3, Boston on 4. |
| 3 | Yard 44.3 | 12 | The outbound Boston, Dover, Boston, Boston, Dover on Track 1, Albany on 2, Erie on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 4 | Yard 44.4 | 10 | The outbound Dover, Concord, Dover in two sections from Tracks 1 and 2, Erie on 3, Boston on 4, Albany on 5. |
| 5 | Yard 44.5 | 11 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Erie on Track 1, Dover on 2, Boston on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 6 | Yard 44.6 | 9 | The outbound Dover, Erie, Dover, Erie on Track 1, Concord on 2, Boston on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 7 | Yard 44.7 | 10 | The outbound Erie, Erie, Albany, Erie on Track 1, Dover on 2, Concord on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 8 | Yard 44.8 | 9 | The outbound Dover, any car, Dover, Albany, Albany on Track 1, Boston on 2, Concord on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 9 | Yard 44.9 | 11 | The outbound Albany, Erie, Albany, Erie, Albany on Track 1, Dover on 2, Concord on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 10 | Yard 44.10 | 7 | Albany on 1, Concord on 2, Boston on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 11 | Yard 44.11 | 9 | The outbound Dover, Albany, Dover on Track 1, Concord on 2, Erie on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 12 | Yard 44.12 | 9 | The outbound Erie, Dover, Dover, Erie on Track 1, Concord on 2, Boston on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 13 | Yard 44.13 | 13* | The outbound Erie, Albany, any car on Track 1, Dover on 2, Concord on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 14 | Yard 44.14 | 11 | Concord on 1, Boston on 2, Erie on 3, Albany on 4. |
| 15 | Yard 44.15 | 11 | The outbound Albany, Dover, Dover, Albany on Track 1, Erie on 2, Concord on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 16 | Yard 44.16 | 10 | The outbound Dover, Erie, Erie, Erie in two sections from Tracks 1 and 2, Albany on 3, Concord on 4, Boston on 5. |
| 17 | Yard 44.17 | 13* | The outbound Dover, Albany, Albany, Albany on Track 1, Concord on 2, Erie on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 18 | Yard 44.18 | 11 | The outbound Boston, Concord, Concord, Concord, Boston on Track 1, Dover on 2, Albany on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 19 | Yard 44.19 | 12 | The outbound Erie, Erie, Concord, Concord, Erie on Track 1, Albany on 2, Boston on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 20 | Yard 44.20 | 14* | The outbound Concord, Albany or Erie, Concord on Track 1, Albany on 2, Dover on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to 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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