Traffic Generation and Car Selection

[railohio]

For those serious operator types out there, do you give any consideration to the origin/destination of your interchange traffic or the selection of cars for a specific load? Do you assign a specific destination to all loads leaving your railroad via interchange such as "Yakima, WA via BNSF" or "Akron, Ohio via B&O"? What about traffic coming to your railroad through interchange? Did that load of oranges just come from "somewhere else" or did it originate on the Southern Pacific in Merced, California?

Along those lines, do you give any thought to car selection on your road? Will you ship a load of canned goods in any old boxcar, or do you pick an RBL that's been designated for food service? If the load is bound for Yakima, as mentioned above, will you do your best to find a BNSF car (Or the eqivalent for your era.) to ship it in?

Any thoughts on this? I know it's been covered in Model Railroader in the past decade a few times, but not much recently. I'm just curious as to what everyone thinks about all this.

 

[rockislandmike]

Yes, yes, and yes.

All inbound, outbound, and bridge traffic on my railroad has an origin and destination (as well as the railroads pertaining to those origins and destinations). I then figure out rolling stock requirements based on said information, both in terms of roadnames and AAR types.

I'm not overly fussy about reefers, but tank cars are/will be restricted to carry only one cargo. I also have boxcars in special service on such things as the "Ford Fast" autoparts train.

If a specific roadname is not available for a cargo, then I have a process on what roadname would be applicable instead, or if the waybill is simply cast aside for later.

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Yes on about everything, (don't have any food going in or out), do have certain cars in slave duty (Go from pulpwood yard to paper mill and back and no where else for example). When a load of furniture leaves, the waybill will tell you it goes from the Nantahala Midland to the Southern to the Florida East Coast where it will be delivered to a Sears distribution warehouse in Orlando for another example. And I will try to send that load in a Southern or FEC boxcar. I guess this is what you are talking about????

 

[brakie]

Brian,Yes,I use waybills and routing..Look at a load of Steel pipe bound for Tacoma Wash.

The waybill looks like this.

From: Hardymons Steel Corp.
Parkersburgh WVa.

To: American Pipe Corp
Tacoma Wash.

Load: Steel Pipe.


Via: CHV CS (B&O pb) BN.

This tells us that this car will interchanged with the Chessie(B&O) at Parkersburgh,then to Chicago then interchanged with the BN at Chicago.

I have boxcars assigned to Paper Servive,Food Service and General Service.

As far as choosing the types of cars I buy I try-note try,to stay with the type of cars needed for my industries.However if their is a car I must have,then there is always the team tracks that I can send this car to as the C&HV has no bridge traffic..In other words all cars terminates or originates on line.

 

[60103]

I don't run anything on my layout, but I operate with a friend who does.
On his computerized system (I think it's ShipIt), he has set up waybills for various source/destination combinations. There are off layout destinations, but so far they are only cross-border towns.
There is no attempt, in fact I don't know if the program allows, to match road names with destinations. We have small variations in car types, but again, few specific cargo assignments.
We get the occasional laugh when we run a load of Carnation Milk or Old Dutch Cleanser to the Brewery.

 

[MCL_RDG]

Yes.

I am planning the second build of the MCL. The track route is the same but is expanding to allow for some staging. The plan is a folded dogbone with several "routes". I'll be posting it in the Track Planning Forum soon.

Even while conceptualizing industries I plan traffic and have been targeting my purchases.

Even "unmodeled" (suggested) industries will support, well- like the coal drag that rumbles thru, etc. The modeled industry will be shipping to and receiving from connecting RRs.

I don't know how far I'll go as far as using way bills and the like- but I'm sure I'll design and print some for stage props. I operate on whim and so "scheduled" ops don't fit my fancy. I do pick uP where I left off so I guess my fast time clock session sometimes spreads over several days. Perhaps the next thread- How often do you operate? (Subtitle: Of Cobwebs, Rust and Weeds).

Anyway, Yes.

Mark

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Brakie how big is your layout???????? If all your traffic starts and ends on it, "no bridge traffic", and you model from W.Va. to the state of Washington it has to be huge even if it's in Z-Scale! Could you post some pics or a track plan? Thanks!

 

[brakie]

Tyson, The C&HV runs from Columbus Ohio to Parkersburg WVa with a branch to Jackson(Oh)..There is some coal mine branches as well..

If you will note the VIA(routing) on the waybill you will see the load of pipe will be interchanged with the Chessie(B&O) at Parkersburg.Chessie will line haul this car to Chicago,then transfer the car to the Burlington Northern(BN) the BN will line haul and deliver this car to American Pipe Corp. in Tacoma...

I am working on a map for NARA..I will be willing to send you a copy if you like to see it...


The C&HV is a short line and has no bridge traffic...We do however interchange cars with the following roads..

Columbus: Chessie(C&O),N&W and Conrail

Lancaster: Scioto Valley Lines.

Athens:Ironton Northern.

Parkersburg: Chessie (B&O).

Jackson: DT&I

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Well Brakie, I guess you and I have a different definition of bridge route . Yes I would like a NARA map when you have them ready, if you need info on my route and connections please let me know.

 

[brakie]

Tyson,Perhaps overhead traffic would be a better term? The C&HV does not carry any overhead traffic from say,the SVL to the IN..

I would love to route some freight your way..TheC&HV is one of 7 short lines operated by CDB Industries.This is a holding company for both rail and non rail interest.

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Brakie if you can connect with the L&N, Southern, Charlie's K&I or Rory's Copper Ridge then you can connect with me. Hope to have more connections with other NARA members in time.