CN Regina Terminal Car Control Manual

This is the CN Regina Terminal car control manual dated June 15, 1981. These manuals were issued to employees, and depict the CN track in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan. They include details on what customers were served by which pieces of track, and all tracks had a designation to allow CN to track rail car movements using their internal computer system.

This manual is presented for historical reference. Much of this track no longer exists or has changed significantly. The remainder of this post has text and images from the manual. Obvious spelling mistakes have been corrected but the original grammar remains. View more car control manuals

INTRODUCTION

CAR CONTROL MANUAL

The instructions contained herein are for the government of employees in any service connected with the movement of cars on the trackage covered in this manual. Such employees are required to have a copy available while on duty and be familiar with its contents.

Special instructions may be issued by proper authority as and when required.

This book is the property of the C.N. Railway and is loaned to: _____________________

who agrees to return it to the proper officer upon request or upon leaving the service.

General Superintendent Transportation, Prairie Region, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 15 June 1981

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ZONE MAPS AND CUSTOMER LISTINGS

YARD FOREMAN INSTRUCTIONS

A. GENERAL

1. The Yard Foreman will receive two copies of each switch list.

(a) A hardback copy which must be completed and returned to the Car Control section.

(b) A paper copy which can be discarded after the switching has been performed.

2. Switch Lists will contain cars which must be handled. The lists will show where the cars are to be taken from and where they are to be placed at.

3. Each customer or yard track is assigned a ZONE, TRACK and SPOT number which is defined by the acronym “SPINS”.

(a) The ZONE is made up of two alphabetic characters.

(b) The TRACK number is always two positions numeric.

(c) The SPOT or spot range can be either numeric or alphabetic and may identify certain special switching instructions.

(i) Double alphabetic spot characters will identify Team Track Customers with the exception of any spot starting with character “X” which is used for special computer processing.

4. To assist in train makeup of outbound or through traffic, a three digit number is used to identify such traffic and is identified by the acronym “tag” number.

B. MARKING OF SWITCH LISTS BY THE FOREMAN

1. General

a. Cars not in the track

If a car appears on the switch list, but is not in the track indicated and cannot be found elsewhere, stroke that car off the list by putting a line through it.

b. Cars not moved as instructed

If a car is moved to a track other than the one shown on the switch list, or for some reason it is a “throw back” to the track it came out of:

(i) Cross out the track number where the car should have gone.

(ii) Write in the track number where the car was left, and the reason.

c. Repetitive Information

Where the same track number or the same place or pull times can be used against a list of cars:

(i) Check marks may be used for repetitive information, but should be distinct.

(ii) A vertical line may be used for repetitive information, but should be distinct.

(iii) DO NOT USE ditto marks (“).

d. Returning Switch Lists to Car Control System

(i) The marked hardback copy of switch lists must be returned to the Yardmaster.

(ii) Any switch lists prepared manually by the Yard Foreman and those supplied by Industries must also be forwarded to the Yardmaster or Car Control.

e. Identification on Switch Lists

The Yard Foreman must sign each switch list prior to returning it to the Yardmaster or Car Control Clerk.

B. MARKING OF SWITCH LISTS BY THE FOREMAN Con’t.

1. General – Con’t.

f. Maintaining Sequence of Yard Tracks

In order to provide switch lists of yard tracks in sequence listing, it will be necessary for the Foreman to advise the Car Control section of the order in which cars were handled.

(i) If the cars are switched from the opposite direction to that shown on the switch list, this should be noted on the lists.

(ii) If the track is switched in more than one cut, the cuts should be identified by drawing a line across the page and shown as “Cut 1”, “Cut 2”, etc.

(iii) If cars are thrown back on the original track or temporarily held out to facilitate the switching and it disrupts the sequence, the Car Control section must be notified of what happened.

g. Reporting Work Completed

In order for Car Control to keep up to date and be prepared to provide switch lists for other crews as soon as required, it will be necessary to report some moves upon their completion even though the Foreman records the track number on his switch list.

(i) The Foreman working within train yards will inform the Car Control section of what he has done, on completion of each list.

(ii) The Foreman bringing cars in from Industrial Zones to train yards will inform the Car Control section as to where the cars were left or what switching was performed with these cars.

(iii) The Foreman will indicate the reasons for not performing assigned switching on the appropriate car line of the switch list. i.e. Gates locked, Truck blocking track, Dirty car, etc.

(iv) The Foreman will record all exceptional switching performed in the Industrial Zones and will explain the moves to the Car Control Section when returning the switch lists.

B. MARKING OF SWITCH LISTS BY THE FOREMAN Con’t.

2. Train Yard Procedures

a. Switching Not Completed

If for any reason work assigned on the switch list cannot be completed:

(i) Draw a horizontal line after the last car handled.

(ii) Draw a bracket to cover the list of cars not handled and write “NOT HANDLED”.

(iii) If the cars not handled are left in a track other than the one shown on the switch list, show the new track number where cars were left.

b. Pattern Switching – Train Yard

(i) If the switching has been done according to the pattern of the specifically assigned tracks, just write the word “DONE”.

(ii) If the switching has not been done according to the regular Track pattern, show the track number where the cars were left.

3. Industrial Zone Procedures

a. Cars spotted for loading/unloading

(i) Show the time car was placed.

(ii) If the car was placed at a location other than that shown in the “Place At” field of the switch list:

(a) Draw a line through the SPINS where the car should have gone.

(b) Write in the new Track where the car was spotted.

b. Loads and Empties Pulled from Siding

(i) Show the time was pulled.

(ii) If the car was not brought to the train yard, show the SPINS where car was left.

B. MARKING OF SWITCH LISTS BY THE FOREMAN (Cont’d)

3. Industrial ZOne Procedures– cont’d

c. Cars Constructively Placed or Placed Off Spot

When a car is placed at a location other than that shown in the ‘Place at’ field on the switch list and the car can’t be loaded or unloaded at that location:

(i) Draw a line through the SPINS where the car should have gone.

(ii) Write in the new track (SPINS) where the car left.

(iii) Show the time placement attempt was made.

(iv) Give a short explanation of why the car could not be spotted, e.g. Gates locked, frozen switch, etc.

NOTE:

If the car was left ‘off spot’ on the track where it should have been left, disregard (i) and (ii) above; write the words ‘off spot’ and the reason.

d. Cars and Request Moves not Shown on Switch Lists

If a car is moved and it does not appear on the switch list, record the car moved either on the switch list supplied, or on a separate Form showing:

(i) Car Initials and Numbers.

(ii) Load/Empty status.

(iii) Track (SPINS) taken from.

(iv) Time Pulled/Placed.

(v) Track (SPINS) where placed.

This also applies to customer requests to move a car, which was placed for loading or unloading, to another ‘spot’ on the same track or to another ‘track’ within his plant.

E. SPECIAL HANDLING DESCRIPTION

YARDMASTER’S INSTRUCTIONS

Switch List Requirements

A. DUTIES – YARD SWITCHING

1. The Yardmaster is responsible for ensuring lists are marked, identifying cuts and for the flow of information between the Yard Foreman and the Car Control clerk. All moves must be supported by a Yard switch list and any exceptions verbally reported to the Car Control clerk must be followed up by returning the marked lists.

2. The Yardmaster must keep the Car Control clerk informed at all times of all train and cut movements into and out of the yard area, using proper identities and track numbers.

3. The Yardmaster, after receiving the switch list, will mark each car with the appropriate classification track number, if required, and indicate where cuts, if any, are to be made. (If the Yard Foreman determines the cuts, such information must be relayed to the Yardmaster). The Yardmaster sends the first copy of the marked list back to the Car Control clerk.

4. The Yardmaster will furnish the Yard Foreman with two (2) copies of the marked switch list. Yard Foreman will respond or will be responsible for letting the Yardmaster know when he has completed each cut, informing the Yardmaster of any changes or corrections to the list.

5. The fourth copy, which is retained by the Yardmaster, will reflect in red pencil any changes. The Yardmaster, after marking the changes in pencil, will indicate on this list time switching was completed, sending list to the Car Control clerk, who will make necessary changes. When there are no exceptions, the Yardmaster will indicate on list “OK”, completed and time, sending list to the Car Control clerk.

6. At location where no Yardmaster is employed, the supervisor in charge of the Terminal is responsible for the proper operation of the Car Control System.

B. DUTIES – INDUSTRIAL SWITCHING

1. The industrial Yardmasters duties are very similar to those described for Yard Operation. Differences are as follows:

a. SPINS or TAG numbers are present, hence indication tracks where cars are to go is not necessary.

b. Because the engine assignment is usually known the Yardmaster only requires three copies, one for himself and two for the crew. A copy would have been retained by the Car Control clerk.

2. Review the completed switch lists with the Yard Foreman upon their return to ensure a complete understanding of work completed or left undone.

3. Return the completed original lists to the Car Control Clerk and review and explain work done etc.

C. YARD HANDLING CODE DESCRIPTION

*NOTE: Not Shown in Y.I.S.

*NOTE: Not Shown In Y.I.S.

NOTE: RF01 is split into RF01 (W. End) and RF02 (E. End) for Y.I.S. Purposes

*NOTE: Not Shown in Y.I.S.

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