Plate 148:  Building a locomotive service yard, Part 14: "Pug" leaves the service yard to pick up a train
(This plate added OCT 2003)

In Plate 127, we briefly discussed the method by which the cars of a train, after having uncoupled from a main-line locomotive, would be backed into a "car yard" by a switching locomotive (British usage: shunting locomotive or "shunter"). We are now testing the procedures that we anticipated in that discussion. In the following test, the yard points are thrown manually, because the point motors have not yet been installed. --more--

Shortly before this picture was taken, the entire three-car "Flying Scotsman" train had completed several runs around the upper-level main running loop. The train was then run in reverse down the upper-to-embankment gradient (see Plate 129 for discussions on the various levels and gradients). At the bottom of the gradient, the "Flying Scotsman" was backed up to the uncoupling ramp, where the locomotive dropped off the three cars. The "Flying Scotsman" locomotive and tender then ran forward a short distance until they cleared the access point to the service yard. The access point was then manually thrown to provide entry to the yard throat. Then the locomotive and tender were run in reverse onto a spur track of the service yard. After the "Flying Scotsman" locomotive and tender were parked on one of the two spur tracks, the spur point was manually thrown to the other spur, where "Pug" was parked. In the accompanying picture, "Pug" is moving forward from the spur track into the yard throat. The cars of the "Flying Scotsman" are waiting at the place where they were dropped by the main-line locomotive. You can see the uncoupling ramp beneath the coupler of the first car. Go to top of page