Outstanding

This is a outstanding teaching vid.  When are you going to provide the 20 rules in use on the Canadian Northern to the rest of us?  Thanks for all the effort in making this.

Rules: Thought you would never ask

Simplified Rulebook

(covering operations on the Rideau, Algonquin and Kawartha Subdivisions)

Effective January 1, 1948

By authority of  Thomas Hood, President and Chief Executive Officer

Canadian Northern Simplified TT&TO Rulebook

Prototype railroad's rule books for TT&TO, known as the Unified Code, are big and complicated. The complications are necessary to cover every possible circumstance over all permutations of signalled and dark territory, single and multiple tracks, and a wide variety of operating conditions.  The Canadian Northern Railroad has a simplified rulebook far easier to learn containing the following rules.

Rule 5.

The time shown in the timetable for a train at a station is its departure time.  No train shall depart a station in advance of its scheduled time.

Rule 71.
A train is superior to another train by right, class, or direction.
Right is conferred by train order, class and direction by timetable.
Right by train order is superior to class or direction. 
Direction is superior only between trains of the same class

Rule 72.
Trains of the first class are superior to those of the second, trains of the second class are superior to those of the third; and so on. Trains travelling eastbound as specified by the timetable are superior to trains of the same class in the opposite directions.

Rule 73.
Extra trains are inferior to regular trains.

Rule 81.
A main track must not be occupied without authority AND it must not be fouled until, by observation or protection by flagmen, the engineer or the conductor is assured it is safe to do so.

Rule 82A.
Regular trains, unless otherwise provided, will be authorized at their initial stations by clearance.

Rule 83.
A train must not leave its initial station, or a junction, or an intermediate station where schedules originate or terminate, until it has been ascertained whether all superior trains due have arrived or left.

Rule 83A.
The information called for by a train register must be entered and the register checked by the conductor of any scheduled train at all locations where a register is maintained. An extra train will register only at a register station where it originates or terminates, unless otherwise directed.

Rule 85.
Trains of one schedule may pass trains of another schedule of the same class. Second and inferior class and extra trains may pass and run ahead of second and inferior class and extra trains. A section may not pass and run ahead of another section of the same schedule.

Rule 86.

Unless otherwise provided, an inferior train must be in the clear at the time a superior train in the same direction is due to leave the next station in the rear.

Rule 87.
At a meeting point between trains, the inferior train must clear the main track with turnouts lined behind 5 minutes before a scheduled superior train.  Where the Timetable does not show a time for the superior train at the meeting point, the inferior train must clear the main no later than the scheduled departure time at the next station of a superior opposing train.

Rule 88.
Extra trains will be created by a train order and governed by train orders with respect to opposing extra trains. At a meeting point between extras, the train in the inferior timetable direction must take the siding, unless otherwise provided by train order.

Rule 89.
When an inferior train fails to clear a superior train by the time required by rule, it must be protected at that time as prescribed by rule 99.

Rule 93.
Within yard limits, engines may use the main track without train order authority, clearing or protecting against first-class trains and without flag protection against second and inferior class trains, extra trains and engines.

Rule 95.
Two or more sections may be run on the same schedule. Each section has equal timetable authority.

Rule 99
A train occupying a main track without authority must send out flag men in both directions to protect against overtaking and opposing trains.

Rule 200.

Train orders properly issued by the dispatcher and delivered to train crews take precedence over the timetable

Rule 220.
Train orders once in effect continue so until fulfilled, superseded, or annulled.

Other Rules

Rule A.
Train crews shall have a current copy of the Employee Timetable in their possession.

Rule B.

The clock on the Dispatcher’s desk shall be taken as the authoritative time

Rule C.
No train may leave its originating station without registering the train with the Dispatcher and obtaining a valid clearance.  This clearance, provided verbally by the Dispatcher, will also provide a check on the overdue arrival or departure of superior trains.

Rule D.
The conductors of all scheduled trains passing through Bytown Junction shall sign the register maintained on that site.  In accordance with Rule 83A, the crew of all trains will check the register at Bytown Junction to determine if all superior trains have arrived and departed.

Rule E.
Train crews shall register their train with the Dispatcher at the termination point of the train.

Rule F.
Train crews shall leave 2 minutes space when following another train.                                                       

Thanks

Those are beautifully simple.  I notice that because of the Canadian Water Towers, Rule G is not in effect.  Thanks for the rules and especially the videos.

Great info

I have been looking for information of this type for some time. I understand there are some more books on the way from the usual sources as well. Time to look up the opsig book as it may be a better book than what is on the way from the other guys.

Thanks for posting

Rob

Great info reply

Glad you got some good info from the videos Rob.  The OPSIG guys are definitely something to consider and you can also join their forum and ask questions and discuss applications.

Not For Everyone

I have done this once not for me. Slows done what most operators want to do, switch cars and run  trains. To much paper work. Love the random generated car movement manifest created by JMRI ops program. Push a button and print train manifest and off you go. 

Well done description

Well done, guys.

These videos are just the ticket for getting a basic understanding about TT & TO.  It gives us another alternative for having fun with trains.

Thanks much.

Yes on TT&TO

I was recently able to operate TT&TO for the first time and liked it better than warrants.  I'm looking forward to the next time.

Paul

The layout I am planing

My layout is right now in the future. When looking at the paper work it seems a lot of it can be condensed to minimums for a given layout. The alternative is ctc systems that have lots of wire, circuits, and if the system is documented more paper work than is likely to be generated from ten years of operation. Our club layout has a detection system, dispatchers panel, and signal system allowing complete control over the layout by the dispatcher. One of our members designed all the circuits, for detection, and control of the whole layout himself, (he is an electrical engineer by trade). I have been helping him to document the wiring and circuits used through out the layout with photos of various items so that we can begin to trouble shoot something if we have a failure. This book is filling a 3 or 4 inch binder and is still growing. It is essentially a shop manual like one would purchase for a specific automobile or piece of heavy equipment. We still have to do the trouble shooting section.

The idea of having less than 50 sheets of paper that would cover train orders, timetables, registers, and switch lists is very appealing. I might just be able to operate with someone acting as the two tower men and 4 to 8 signals to control the entire railroad. No detection circuits, logic systems for detection etc. just communication with the tower, a train sheet, and lots of fun. Some folks like to be governed by traffic lights and often that fits the era they model but it sure is lots of wire and cost to make those things work.

It looks like once the timetable is set up the only thing needing paper work will be 1 or 2 orders per train and the switch lists, some trains will be traveling through with no switching on the layout and will go from staging to staging and will need very little in the way of paper.

It also has the added bonus of requiring little to no maintenance and being very low cost to design and implement, cheap, reliable, easy to use, nearly maintenance free what a deal.

I like it.

Thanks again for posting

Rob

web site

Art,

I just wanted to mention that I have enjoyed your videos of various layouts and thought I saw one that was your layout, do you have a website that has your videos and your layout on it? and if so could you post your link.

Thanks

Rob

TT&TO Paperwork

Rob,

Depending upon the size of your club and the skill of the dispatcher, you seriously underestimated the number of TO's per dispatched train.  Especially the extras (for freight trains) and specials (for passenger trains) since your dispatcher has to set meets with the extras and specials for every scheduled train on the road.  I have just one interface needing TO's for my layout and the number of TO's would be enormous for that interface, which is between two railroads, but since it is within Yard limits the rule books of the two lines is such that the switch loco must clear the main line five minutes prior to the scheduled arrival.  The net result is no TO's within yard limits.

Not For Everyone

Hi Art.  We find that for most trains that are run over the line in a 2.5 hour period they get to do 30 moves that involve switching.  For most of us that is very reasonable when dealing with the mainline traffic as well.  The video makes it seem like a lot of waiting.  But at the most in real time we are talking about 5-10  minutes in a worse case scenario. I guess it would depend on the number of trains. But doing the dance is a hoot and we do still get to lots of train stuff.  Sometimes modellers try to do to much with TT&TOs.  We keep the scheduled trains to the minimum and work lots of extras.  Then the timetable and orders are less trouble.   I believe it works better on larger layouts as well.  The JMRI ops programme is great but if I remember it is more of a car forwarding system than an operating system.  I maybe wrong.   Anyway all systems are great to make the hobby more fun.

TT&TO Paperwork

Sound like a wise decision.  And yes we have a dedicated dispatch that keeps the train orders coming.  Many are planned before the session and for the most part we have kept the old ones for future scenarios so they are reusable. As far as meets go there is no need for special train orders for extras meeting scheduled trains.  Just use the schedule and the extra has to keep out of the way of scheduled trains.  However, if it involves something that is not on the schedule.  Annulments,  meets between extras or revisions to the schedule based on extras added or unusual traffic problems such as track maintenance.    Where the labor comes in say for an annulment of a scheduled train.  Every train on the line needs that order if they would have been involved with that train on the schedule..  So a number of copies would be required.

Well done description

Thanks Don.  Glad it was useful

The layout I am planing

Thanks for your thoughts on this topic Rob.  I guess the larger the layout and the more operators the more organization is needed to keep it fun.   I agree it is best to keep the paper to a minimum.  When I operate at Tom's.  I have my time table, train orders and train instructions using Rail Op and that is quite enough.  It is on a clipboard so it is not too bad.  When working with two folks it is easier as the conductor can take care of the paperwork and just tell the engineer where to go.  However I believe it all is necessary to ensure everything is delivered to the right place.  And within the timeframe allocated. 

Different type of opps

The scenario I am planning at this time will have 0 passenger traffic. For all practical purposes will be a one town railroad, two towns actually that abut one an other. Meets will be scheduled trains and local switch jobs that will need to clear the main for the road freight. Mainline meets will occur off layout so no orders will be needed except in rare occasions. Most road freights will go through and may drop and pick up cars at the yard or change crews. If I were to run 24 trains in a day that would only be one an hour. Plus the 3 or 4 switch jobs. In looking at the actual real world I do not ever remember seeing more than one "train" plus a switcher in town at a time. I may be able to get a 6 person crew max to operate. One towerman / dispatcher, the yard operator, the mill switcher, one or two wheeling switchers and someone to run the through trains.

The difference in operation between what I saw and what I am planning is fewer but longer trains and the one town concept discussed by Jim Six else where on this site. With modeling a very short section of mainline 6 to 10 actual miles main line trains will parade on by while switchers work around their schedule. Train length will be between 30 to 50 cars. Since the town will be a rather congested area slow speed 25 mph will be the norm and on rare occasions there might be two road trains in town at the same time.

The things I saw in the videos were the guys running a lot of short 8 to 20 car trains and having the railroad represent much greater distances than I will be looking to portray on my railroad. Not saying that is a bad thing just a different thing. When one is trying to represent a much bigger chunk of the high iron than I want to one would naturally expect to juggle more trains through the area than I plan on.

The big attraction for me will be seeing cars picked up and delivered to the industries in the area. The cars that are picked up classified in the yard and readied so they may be tacked onto through freights. And the shorts from the through freights cut off and readied for delivery.

The main and staging will feed the mill and other industries and carry away the finished products. Many trains will represent products just passing through on the way to somewhere else so will not really need much other than authorization to go from staging to staging. I hope I get to build this layout as I have been acquiring models and equipment for some time, I just need the space now and a structure to put it in.

Think I'll Use These

I have some visiting operators coming in a few weeks who will need some basic TT&TO info beforehand, and these videos should help.

A few other thoughts before watching the videos in full...

Car forwarding systems like car cards or JMRI have nothing to do with authority to use the main track, nor do train procedures like instructions about which train switches where and how it's to do its work.  Regardless of how you're telling crews to move cars around, authority for a train to occupy the main is a wholly separate concept.  The distinction always seems to confuse a few people here and there.

Use of TT&TO shouldn't interfere with your train being able to switch or otherwise do its work.  Compared to CTC, running a local under TT&TO typically requires little dispatcher involvement.  Avoid stepping on the authority of superior trains and otherwise just do your thing. Instead of a hindrance, TT&TO provides an extra layer of crew interest and involvement.  It provides more freedom to the crews, but with that comes responsibility, so there is a greater obligation to consider the consequences of what you're doing for other trains.

Tom, maybe your prototype did this.  Unless the dispatcher wants the meet to occur at a specific place, an order normally wouldn't be required for an extra to meet a scheduled train.  The extra is obliged to avoid being where scheduled trains are to be, and figures its own meeting locations accordingly.  The scheduled trains wouldn't even have to be informed the extra exists.  Meeting locations would be specified for opposing extras.

meets

Exactly. and applies to meets between scheduled trains as well.  A meet order is a restriction on the superior train and generally is not required unless the superior train is to take siding or the net movement of trains is made more efficient (and that can cover a lot of cases).

Incidentally, I believe it is the UniFORM Code of Operating Rules; at least that was the one I carried back in the day.

David

Great Discussion

Hope a lot of people read all of this, will help them understand its more that a car forwarding system, which everyone you pick. Need instructions and schedules, plus a traffic cop. Good Luck to all.

Not everyone can run on the Branch Line in Dark Territory with no opposing traffic.

David Right you are

We were having a great laugh the other day about his term unified instead of uniform.  The fun of spontaneity in this style of video.  I am doing one specifically on building timetables this week.