Trona Branch - No Dispatcher Board?

[seagoon]

UPDATE

It's 40mph, Brad.
About a mile or so out from the main at Mojave, the HUD changes from 15 to 40 mph. There is no line-side speed board, however.

I'll see what happens when I approach Searles - whether the HUD just changes or if there is also line-side indication.

[NorthernWarrior]

I must admit to playing a bit fast and loose with the speed limits, especially in the yard areas (fortunately R8 doesn't simulate derailments). On the downhill from Searles to Trona I was running at closer to 30 MPH than 25 MPH.

Oh if you do any shunting at Mojave, watch your handbrakes. After berthing some wagons up at Trona, I morphed back there to sort out the third branch train, noticed the track circuit on the Palmdale line showing occupied. Turns out I'd had a runaway, rake of wagons halfway to Ansel. Fired up my SD70's stabled on the spur and gone to retrieve them. Let's hope no one in charge noticed...

[seagoon]

.....Turns out I'd had a runaway, rake of wagons halfway to Ansel. Fired up my SD70's stabled on the spur and gone to retrieve them. Let's hope no one in charge noticed...

Just like real life, Vern.

[WesternDivision]

Haven't installed Lone Pine yet so hopefully some operation information I have collected and studied over the years and posted below is not a repeat of the pdf included with route guys.

UP LOP82 - Lone Pine Local (Mon - Wed – Fri)
On duty at Mojave 5:00 pm, runs to Searles Yard for interchange and returns to Mojave about midnight. Can run in the morning on Saturday and Sunday if needed.

UP Coal Trains

CTRSV Trona, CA - Savage, UT (Empty)
CSVTR Savage, UT - Trona, CA (Loaded)
CTRSK Trona, CA - Skyline Mine, UT (Empty)
CSKTR Skyline Mine, UT - Trona, CA (Loaded)
CTRWE Trona, CA - West Elk Mine - Arco, CO (Empty)
CWETR West Elk Mine - Arco, CO - Trona, CA (Loaded)

Trona Railroad

Yard work - Mornings - Mon-Fri

Road Job - On duty 2:30 - 5:30 pm - Mon-Fri - will only run when required. (Rare Saturdays and no Sundays)
Finishes day activitys usually between 7:30 - 10:30 pm

The Run8 websites states that Setouts shall not block the mainline thru the yard - setouts may be made on any of the following tracks, listed in order of preference - yard-tracks 601, 602, and 603 - on the remaining portion of the Lone Pine Branch east of Searles Yard - on the east leg of the Wye and the Wye tail (aka Track 150) (Note: Setouts must not block the mainline).

I'm not a 100% convinced that this "not block the mainline thru the yard" rule is enforced by either Union Pacific or Trona Railways and the only rule regarding setout and storage of railcars is stated by Union Pacific in the 2013 LA timetable that states " Do not store cars between MP 428.6 (Searls Road),and the bridge at MP 429.6 due to insufficient walkway on high fill ".

In the video link below we have a rare morning move as Trona Railways approaches Searles Yard with empty coal wagons, you can see Oxy Yard is full. After it drops off the coal wagons before Searles Yard the locomotives reverse up the main line past MP 429.6 to retrive stored covered hopper cars and brings them down to Searles Yard. After dropping off the covered hoppers on the mainline at the yard the locomotives collect the coal hoppers and then reverse the coal hoppers up the mainline past MP 429.6 for Union pacific to collect later.

Trona and Needles Subdivision Railfanning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Znk3P2pCYPQ

In this next video the Mainline, and Yard 601,602 with the wye leg are blocked.

Aerial - Searles Train/Tunnel 29 and Shoo-Fly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3RZq0H_9EY

Giving its location and remotness its a interesting yard that might offer an occasional shunting puzzle for the crews and some days it's looks like it's a case of just shove those wagons any where they will fit.

While the majority of Searles Valley Minerals rail operations for moving it products are focused on Union Pacific, the company also uses BNSF to carry it's Soda Ash, etc. Trucks with Dry Bulk Pneumatic trailers haul the Soda Ash from the plant to the railcar loader on BNSF Rich Spur located at Boron. The railcar loader is sometimes refered to as the North American Chemical (NAM) loader (1990 -1998), although depending on your industry file and era it can be renamed to IMC Chemicals (1998) or Searles Valley Minerals (2004 - Present). BNSF (Boron Local L-CAL0611) handles this operation.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/500164/

Trona Railways 1967 Timetable (Some of these rules might still apply today?)

https://wx4.org/to/foam/sp/maps/perr...eldonPerry.pdf

Cheers

James

[NorthernWarrior]

Great information James, thanks.

As regards Trona itself, yes I think you could quickly tie yourself in knots as although there looks to be a lot of space, many of the spurs are quite short. If you follow the industry files from The Depot "SVMB" aka the Boron loader is two relatively short sidings, about 10 or 12 cars each. I had to split my train up then find somewhere else to berth the rest of the wagons. You have the balloon loops but they are also approached through two loaders so you could easily block that.

I was about to send another rake of local traffic into Mojave for the branch but think I will wait to see how the first lot pans out!

[Brad3816]

Thanks muchly, Brad.
(It's Bruce, actually.....Vern is the Pommy, I'm the Aussie )

I git' y'all confused sincin' ya' tak' so funni'

[seagoon]

I git' y'all confused sincin' ya' tak' so funni'

Then consider yourself lucky that we don't also have a Kiwi and a Springbok in this group!

[seagoon]

Haven't installed Lone Pine yet so hopefully some operation information I have collected and studied over the years and posted below is not a repeat of the pdf included with route guys....

Brilliant, James!
Jeez.....essential info for operating this route prototypically.

[seagoon]

What is the coal shipped to Trona for? Is there a power station there that requires power for the potash mining/processing/whatever?
And why carloads of acid.....is that used for the potash plant?

[westerngy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgdxQ83HhSA

Your gonna get seasick as he didn't use a tripod

Also check out Marks video's as he is ex UP Signals ( retired )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPy1kFg0mwA