way freights and general merchandise freights

[CAS]

I pulled my copy of: How to operate your model railroad By Bruce Chubbs. I want some kind of realism on my layout, not just my trains going in circles.
I was reading the chapter on The trains, it gives a breif description of each classification of each train.

Heres where i got a little confused. Way freights and a general merchandise freight.

To my understanding, the general merchandise freight runs on a schedule, and leaves the full loaded cars on the sidings by the industries. But only sometimes does the switching. Does it also do pick-up of empty cars?

The the way freight goes and sets cars to sidings, picks up empties, and does the switching on industies spur tracks. Does it run on a schedule?

Will the book of: Track plannning for Realistic Operations by John Armstrong, help me understand the meanings of the different train classifictions? I would really like to learn more about the different types of trains. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Thanks, Cliff

 

[CAS]

Okay, my fault. I just went back and reread the chapter of Trains.ops: :sleeping:

The general merchandise freight trains is also called a through freight, and should not be bogged down with unnecessary switching assignments. A through freight may set out a cut of cars on a siding, but the way freight is responsible for picking them up and spotting them at their assigned destinations. Likewise, the way freight can collect cars from throughout a community and leave them on a single siding for easy pickup by a through freight.

But many way freight do not run on a schedule, but you can have it run on one. And they can be run as extras. The way freight will preform all the switching at the local indusrties.

Cliff

 

[baldwinjl]

But....if you are planning a layout, you really want to get Track Planning for Realistic Operation. (Of course, I haven't finished planning, but the reading is great.) I also liked Creative Layout Design, also by John Armstrong, but long since out of print. My kids were reading it, and I haven't found it. Someday it will turn up!

 

[60103]

The way I see it, a through freight will generally move cars between two main yards.
A way freight, or a turn, will take cars from the main yard and deposit them at the industries as required and pick up cars from the industries and take them to the main yard. A turn is usually an out and back operation; a way freight could be that or a run between yards.
At any time, a through freight might be called on to pick up cars at an intermediate point. A major industry (car plant, coal mine) might generate a whole train by itself.

 

[MasonJar]

The way I see it, a through freight will generally move cars between two main yards.
A way freight, or a turn, will take cars from the main yard and deposit them at the industries as required and pick up cars from the industries and take them to the main yard. A turn is usually an out and back operation; a way freight could be that or a run between yards.
At any time, a through freight might be called on to pick up cars at an intermediate point. A major industry (car plant, coal mine) might generate a whole train by itself.

That is my general understanding....

A turn always returns to its point of origin. A way freight not necessarily...? At least not all in the same "move".

Andrew

 

[Tileguy]

A way freight, or a turn, will take cars from the main yard and deposit them at the industries as required and pick up cars from the industries and take them to the main yard. A turn is usually an out and back operation; a way freight could be that or a run between yards.

Way freight-Local, Peddler, tramp
Turn-any train which runs point A to B and back again is generally considered a Turn.
Example-Train leaves yard with string of empty ore cars for Mine A.it either drops empties and hooks up to a ready string of loaded cars(if the Mine has its own switcher) or,
It runs its empties through the loader and then heads back to its originating yard.( I am using the DM&IR as an example here but this is the same with any road which deals with any operation which can make up entire trains for such a trip and do so within 1 shift.
A logging operation with a large landing and slasher operation may be able to generate a Turn.
Some ore/coal operations.
Grain centers large enough to load enough cars to justify a single train and close enough to a division point may have the ability to do a turn,being seasonal they are generally called Extra's to my understanding.

John Armstrong published a book that is out of print now and can be difficult to find(when you do manage to find it, it will not be cheap either) but if you want to know about railroads and operations of railroads, its a must have book.
It is called
The Railroad-what it is and what it does.
No,my copy is not for sale