Transfers; How should I structure this job?

 At both ends of AIR 2 are two yards and associated urban switching areas. On the East end of the layout it is decidedly less busy than on the west side. Also on the east end of the layout we connect end to end with our main interchange partner, the Western Maryland.

My plan for dealing with the differing skill levels of various operators is that each main switch job will have TWO (2) outlets to send its cars.

1) the Atlantic Inland, and

2) a foreign connecting road.

The switch jobs at both ends of the layout will first transfer cars between the AIR yard located at each end of the layout. The footboard yardmasters or these two main yards will (1) keep their yards organized, (2) switch some minor local industries, and (3) they will classify cars going to or coming from the switch jobs. 


Additionally the switch jobs at both ends of the layout will transfer cars to and from foreign connecting roads as needed.

On the east end of the layout we will connect first and foremost with the Western Maryland. We will also connect to the C&O and the B&O.

If a switch job holder cannot or can only just finish the cars he starts the session with, good.  If the job holder needs more work during the session he can choose to run a transfer from one of the three connecting foreign roads (I will rotate the transfers each session, so in January the transfer might be with the WM, February it could be the C&O, and March the B&O). He can continue to run transfers as long as he can handle the work. This way a crew member who can only switch five cars in a session is accommodated, while one that can switch fifty cars can be accommodated as well.

On the West end of the layout the three connecting foreign roads are the NYC, C&O, and B&O. In addition to freight transfers, on the west end I’m planning passenger transfers as well. 

The overall balance of traffic will be 85/15 (or 90/10), 85% of the cars will go back and forth between foreign roads via transfers and 15% will be routed to the AIR.

The idea I’ve been toying with is letting the person who chooses the WM job to also run all the transfers. The WM will have some switching to do on the layout. I’m thinking that when someone needs a transfer the WM drops what he’s doing and runs the transfer. When the transfer is done the WM guy goes back to what he was doing.

When the Freight House job, over on the west end of the layout, needs a transfer he would call the dispatcher. The dispatcher in turn can call the Western Maryland.

On the East end of the layout the Western Maryland “Wingedfoot Switcher” would be one of two jobs that might call for a transfer, so if the WM needs a transfer, he runs it to himself, no need to call the DS.

If the other switch job out Chatsworth Yard, “The Leesdale Local” needs a transfer he can verbally communicate with the WM guy, who would be a few feet away. Again, no need to go through the DS. 

I suppose all the switch jobs could walk over to the WM guy, but for some of the West end jobs it’s 60-70 feet away.

What about a phone line from the west end switch districts to the WM guys work area?

I’m not sure of the size of the work load on the transfer guy. At the start of each session he would have no work, but as the session progresses and depending on the abilities of each of the switch jobs this could change.

The jobs that will have a transfer requirement are:

Freight House (West End)

Passenger foreman (West End)

East Charleston Commercial (West End)

Leesdale local (East End)

WM Wingedfoot Switcher (East End)

Each one of these switch jobs will start their day with a train full of work (Or industries full of work). This list might grow. 

How should I structure the transfer jobs work?

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