Keystone Trackwork
The model railroad comprises seven bypass or alternate track sections. These track sections allow one or more trains to move off the mainline and wait until another train passes on the mainline. Space constrains us to limit each train to one or two locomotives and five or six cars on a few of these bypass tracks.
Four of these bypass track sections have room for one train. Two of the sections are long enough to hold two trains - one behind the other. One section has two bypass tracks. The seven mainline sections with bypasses and their typical train holding capacities are:
Titusville 2x1
Williamsport 2x2
Scranton 2x2
Girardville 2x1
Ashland 2xl
Philadelphia 3x2
Pottsville - Allentown 2x2
With this configuration we plan to support up to 12 trains concurrently.
There are currently 21 Sidings on the railroad serving industries where freight cars can be spotted or picked up.
There are several Mainline and Bypass tracks that also service industries. Trains may stop and service industries on these tracks. Keystone operating rules limit these stops to Less than Car Load (LCL) deliveries or pickups. Trains servicing these industries are allowed to hold the Main Line or Bypass track for at most 30 (fast) minutes per stop.
There are four yards on the railroad. Each yard services industries in its area of operation. Freight cars typically do not move directly from shipping industry to consignee industry but rather move through yards. When the shipper and consignee are not served by the same yard, these freight cars are moved from the Shipper's home yard to the Consignee's home yard (possibly stopping at other intermediate yards or interchanges).
Cars are weighed and approved before they are sent out on the railroad. After a Local train picks up a car at a Shipper, it is brought back to the home yard or nearest yard and weighed before it is released for delivery to the Consignee.
Each Yard's track holds a limited number of cars. We virtualize a larger Yard capacity using off track storage for cars using the Yard when necesary.
The Keystone Division has these yards:
Philadelphia Yard
Reading Yard
Erie Yard - West Staging
Pottsville Yard - East Staging
(combines St Clair yard and Pottsville yard Trackage)
Interchanges provide track sharing between two railroads. Cars moving from one railroad to another are temporarily spotted on interchange track by one railroad for pickup and delivery by another railroad. Each car set out and picked up is accompanied by a Bill of Lading (BOL) which contractually binds the two carriers in the car exchange.
Each Interchange track holds a limited number of cars. We virtualize a larger interchange capacity using off track storage for cars requiring the interchange.The Keystone Division has these interchanges:
Branch Lines are typically small railroads serving a limited group of users. There are four Branch Lines on our layout:
Yeagertown Switchback Railroad is a Branch
line dedicated to timber farming above Ashland. There is an interchange track to
transfer the timber to Williamsport mills for processing and distribution.
Philadelphia Loop serves passengers in the Philadelphia area. This Track is also used by local trains originating in the Philadelphia Yard that serve five industrial siding tracks off the Philadelphia Loop. The Keystone Division's Philadelphia Yard throat owns the track and switching that allows the Philadelphia Loop to complete its loop using a four turout and crossing Interlocking managed by the Keystone Division.
Philadelphia - Easton Reverse is a Branch line used
to turn locomotives serving the Philadelphia or Reading Yard.
Scranton-Philadelphia-Williamsport Wye is an
elevated Branch Line used to turn full trains near Scranton or Williamport. The
Wye
also serves Unit Trains carrying coal cars from Girardville or Sunbury to the Anthracite Exporters Company
at the Bulk Port loading
facilities for shipments to overseas customers.
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