I've been enjoying operating this layout and plan to make more operations posts like this on in the future. Would also like to get some videos going too. The layout is currently set for the 1983 - 1988 time period.
An eastbound Roseville to Odgen manifest (RVOGM) is due in and the Carlin yard switcher is standing by to make some transfers to and from this train. Here the eastbound freight is taking the crossover from the eastbound UP track into Carlin yard.
There will be 4 empty covered hoppers that need to be set out from the eastbound train while it's being refueled and the crew is being changed. 2 of these are bound for the Halliburton facility in Battle Mountain and 2 are going to the EP Minerals plant in Lovelock.
Once the eastbound has entered the yard and come to a stop, the yard switcher moves in and pulls the 4 cars to be set out from the rear of the train. The rear end crew has already exited the caboose and the off going and on coming conductors are exchanging notes in the operations office.
The 4 empty covered hoppers along with the caboose are pulled back far enough to clear the turnouts then pushed into the siding for now. They will be moved again later.
Today there are 4 loads and 1 empty to be picked up by the eastbound train, all covered hoppers. These have been sitting on the storage track. Again, these are all covered hoppers this time.
With the caboose from the eastbound still with the yard switcher, these 5 cars are now pulled out of the storage track. With some of these longer cuts of cars, the switcher ends up being on the bridge when pulling the cut clear of the turnout.
These five cars are coupled to the end of the train. By now the re-fueling is done and once the train is coupled and the new crew is aboard, and the air brake pressure is built up they will be ready to leave.
The eastbound has now left and the yard switcher has gone back over to the siding and pull the 4 empty covered hoppers out and then pushed them onto the storage track. Here they are coupled to 2 other cars that were already there. These 6 cars will make up tomorrows Lovelock local.
With their work done for now, the yard crew ties up the switcher and calls it a day.
