During the 1960s and into the early 1980s, Southern's Appalachia Division was timetable/train order territory, and the few photos I've seen with signals from that era were ABS at best.
So the Slate Fork Branch also operates with a combination of modes: TT/TO and Yard Limits. Southern's Slate Fork Mine Run operates between Andover Yard and Koester VA as an extra; ditto for the L&N Switcher job between Loyall KY and Koester.
Once arriving at Koester, Yard Limits takes effect. That saves crews from the necessity of flagging to protect the rear and head end when their train has stopped. It also saves the dispatchers (me in both cases) from having to issue Form 19 orders for movement over the 4.3 miles or so of joint track.
TT/TO ops also presents a different challenge: It's the white flags denoting a train is an extra. Attaching teensy white flags to an N scale diesel just doesn't seem practical. But I'll figure out how to do it.
Slate Fork Branch Timetable:
So the Slate Fork Branch also operates with a combination of modes: TT/TO and Yard Limits. Southern's Slate Fork Mine Run operates between Andover Yard and Koester VA as an extra; ditto for the L&N Switcher job between Loyall KY and Koester.
Once arriving at Koester, Yard Limits takes effect. That saves crews from the necessity of flagging to protect the rear and head end when their train has stopped. It also saves the dispatchers (me in both cases) from having to issue Form 19 orders for movement over the 4.3 miles or so of joint track.
TT/TO ops also presents a different challenge: It's the white flags denoting a train is an extra. Attaching teensy white flags to an N scale diesel just doesn't seem practical. But I'll figure out how to do it.
Slate Fork Branch Timetable:
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