Rocky Mountain & Santa Fe

Current and Future Operations

My emphasis has been on creating an operating railroad. This includes a train schedule based on prototype Time Tables. Current operation includes (6) trains staged through Raton, NM  with diesel helper service available. Future planning includes an expanded railroad with operation from the town of Raton, over Raton Pass, then to Jansen just west of Trinidad. There will be a 10 track staging yard with reverse loop operation at each end of the line.

This will provide for operating 18 trains each session. In 1958, this would include the 6 to 8 scheduled passenger trains depending on if the Super Chief and El Capitan are combined, the 2 Fast Mail trains on the timetable, 2 regional freights, and a variety of extra and work trains including coal and empties moving both east and west through Raton.

Current Operations:

I now have a 7 day operating schedule with daily trains, extras and switching. Each time I operate is a different day with different train movements. Waycars are switched out at Raton on the daily 'Red Ball' freights #31 & 46. Pickups and Setouts are made for local switching at Raton. Local switching at Raton includes locomotive fuel and sand, a track scale, freight depot and local warehouses. 

I have recently added 2 tracks to model coal empties and loads from Koehler and Jansen to Raton with switching of the Raton Public Service Power Plant. Empties run west from Raton to Koehler (staging track) and loads return to Raton. Switch job then takes the loads west to the Power Plant (staging track) and brings back the empties. Empties then go east to Jansen (staging track) and loads return to Raton. Switch job then takes the loads west to the Power Plant (staging track) and brings back the empties. This cycle results in 6 train movements which I have spaced out in my operating schedule.

I do not currently run the GC westbound or SC/EC eastbound. My original plan included a reverse loop at the staging yards. Options are to add additional staging tracks and model the two trains or to build a helix in addition to the ramps in my current layout. This would allow me to reverse my current trains. 

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Created by Jim Milliron - milliron@sprynet.com

Current Update May 12, 2009