Here are my blocking codes

Here are my blocking codes as of now.

The lines from southbound to northbound are all on layout, the rest indicates staging.

Here is the trackplan with the blocking codes indicated on it. (Click for a larger view.)

Track Plan added

Track Plan added to first comment.

Fun

Very interesting Bill.  Operational "detailing" like this is one of my favorite parts of the hobby, and it's always fun to see how it's implemented by other prototype modelers.

I understand that the darker green blocks are southbound spots and the lighter green are northbounds.  I'm not sure I understand the pink block for Viterra (L71) though.  I didn't see it on the layout plan.  What am I missing?

L71

L71 is the second leg of the of the Y at L12. It's not on the layout, but for blocking purposes this is where it falls in the list since it is the first northbound spot after Morris.

Since it is a Pickup location it should never see use on the layout, but it needed to be in the list since the list covers the entire route of the Emerson Turn.

Nice job, very cool

I like it. When did railroads begin using this type of system?  In the 80s? 

Randy

When did railroads begin using this type of system?

I'm not sure that these codes mimic the prototype but the result is the same: Blocking trains in the most efficient sequence to get the job done.

Joe's computerized system is more "accurate" but to answer your specific question, I have no idea but I'm sure this type of sequencing has been around far longer than computers have been used.

Blocking

Oh, this is you're own system. I thought you were borrowing from the prototype and that it used the same codes. Your blocking codes remind me of the car spotting systems used by some prototype roads. I've seen some car card and waybill systems that used color-coding to make blocking easier, just a colored mark on the top of the card generally.  

Do you plan to label your industries on the fascia with these same blocking codes?  

Randy

fascia

Only the industry names will be on the fascia or card boxes. The codes are only intended to get the trains in order. The full industry names will be on the waybills cards.

This way I can change the system or codes if I ever want to without re-labeling.

Codes

If you're using this system to block the trains in staging, do you need as much specificity as you've built in? You have it down to the specific track for each car, which I think is cool, but for blocking it would seem that you would only need the town. Do you plan to have the individual cars in the correct order for each town as they leave staging? That almost seems like being too nice to the crews!  

You could always send the crews out with completely random trains and let them do their own blocking at their first stop. From some things I've read, that was fairly prototypical, although seemingly very inefficient. Maybe it could depend on which day of the week the op session is held, on the days that the "good" yardmaster is working, the trains are all blocked completely in order, on days that the "bad" yardmaster is working you get the random trains.  How's that for operating interest?  

Randy

Blocking

Basically the train content will be loosely blocked by CN and CP before it is transferred to the BNML Taylor Yard. At Taylor Yard, the crew will cut the train down to Winnipeg local traffic and block the Emerson Turn for switching between Winnipeg and Morris. then it's "get out'a dodge".

At Morris, the train will be sorted if needed for further drops heading south and can again be resorted at Emerson when it is merged with the incoming interchange traffic there to head back north.

Basically this list is to help the train crew get things in order. It will certainly not come out of staging this way.

Not all the tracks

Not all the tracks are included. All the "destinations" are.

For example, L92 is quite complex...

L92 is an ADM Food Grade Oils transfer terminal.

Blocking

Bill, for what it's worth, I thought I'd seen a similar system in use on a prototype class 1.  I was thinking it was actually on BNSF, but whatever the case, I think what you're doing seems completely plausible.  You probably saw the BNSF crew job aids posted to the Proto-Layouts list a few weeks ago.  I thought what you've done here seems like a good fit with those.

On the IAIS, road trains making set-outs wouldn't make any attempt to sort the set-out according to how the local industries would be switched.  They'd just drop all Des Moines cars at Des Moines, all Atlantic-area cars at Atlantic, etc.  However, locals that'd subsequently be distributing those set-outs to the various local industries along their route might take the time to block those cars with more granularity.

On the IAIS, trains entering and leaving Chicago have specific windows available to them between Metra rush hours, so if terminal issues result in significant delays, trains will sometimes leave town as what I've heard called "a shotgunned mess", AKA a "dog's breakfast", with no blocking whatsoever, leaving them to be sorted by the next major yard down the line (Silvis/Rock Island, in the case of the IAIS).  Even if your prototype doesn't have to deal with Metra windows, I would think that the occasional unblocked train showing up in order to make a particular connection would be prototypical, offering unique challenges to your crews.

BNSF

Well, those are cool.

I think the original TIBS concept is based on the BNSF practice, so I'm not surprised.

I haven't been following the proto-layouts list for a while because I just don't have enough time. But I am still a member.

Next Steps...

More about my paperwork:

• Paperwork on the BNML
• A place to DO paperwork on the BNML