Chapter 72: The running track and sealed blocks
Twenty yards of the running track and sealed blocks
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.
Sealed blocks are two or three cars coupled as a unit. A pull or shove that would cut between them is refused, and a block is never humped or kicked.
20 yards, pars from 5 to 14 moves. Beside its theme, chapter 72 draws on the wye, yard orders and no-engine tracks, 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 72.1 | 6 | Albany on 1, Boston on 2, Erie on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 2 | Yard 72.2 | 5 | Albany on 1, Dover on 2, Boston on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a wye off the lead. |
| 3 | Yard 72.3 | 9 | Concord on 1, Dover on 2, Boston on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 4 | Yard 72.4 | 10 | Dover on 1, Albany on 2, Boston on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for yard orders on the clock. |
| 5 | Yard 72.5 | 7 | Dover on 1, Boston on 2, Albany on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 6 | Yard 72.6 | 6 | The outbound Concord, Boston, Boston, Concord, Concord on Track 1, Albany on 2, Dover on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a hump yard, a track closed to the engine. |
| 7 | Yard 72.7 | 5 | Dover on 1, Erie on 2, Boston on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 8 | Yard 72.8 | 7 | Albany on 1, Dover on 2, Erie on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a wye off the lead. |
| 9 | Yard 72.9 | 8 | Dover on 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Boston on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 10 | Yard 72.10 | 6 | Erie on 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Dover on 4. |
| 11 | Yard 72.11 | 6 | The outbound Boston, Albany, Boston, Albany, Albany on Track 1, Erie on 2, Dover on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 12 | Yard 72.12 | 6 | The outbound Dover, Dover, Boston, Dover on Track 1, Albany on 2, Erie on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a hump yard, a track closed to the engine. |
| 13 | Yard 72.13 | 9 | Boston on 1, Concord on 2, Albany on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, a wye off the lead. |
| 14 | Yard 72.14 | 9 | Concord on 1, Boston on 2, Albany on 3, Erie on 4. |
| 15 | Yard 72.15 | 6 | The outbound Boston, Dover, Boston, Boston on Track 1, Concord on 2, Erie on 3, Albany on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 16 | Yard 72.16 | 6 | The outbound Boston, Boston, Boston, Boston, Erie on Track 1, Albany on 2, Concord on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for yard orders on the clock. |
| 17 | Yard 72.17 | 5 | Boston on 1, Concord on 2, Dover on 3, Erie on 4. Watch for a hump yard, a running track to the far lead, a track closed to the engine. |
| 18 | Yard 72.18 | 7 | The outbound Concord, Concord, Erie on Track 1, Boston on 2, Albany on 3, Dover on 4. Watch for a hump yard, a track closed to the engine. |
| 19 | Yard 72.19 | 5 | The outbound Boston, Boston, Erie, Erie, Boston on Track 1, Albany on 2, Dover on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead. |
| 20 | Yard 72.20 | 14 | Albany on 1, Boston on 2, Dover on 3, Concord on 4. Watch for a running track to the far lead, a wye off the lead. |
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