Helpers: Part Five

 What I’ve settled on is an engine change at Little Rock Yard. Eastbound trains out of lower (West) staging will arrive at Little Rock with one (or two) powered units. These weaker power sets will be exchanged for three powered locomotives which should be enough power to move my trains over the layout, surmounting both helix’s.

My Helix’s are coming in at four turn 1.37% grades. Not terrible.

Coal trains out of Pettigrew will be steam powered. Eastward coal trains will have two 2-8-8-2’s and westward one 2-8-8-2. Westward trains, Passenger, Freight, and Coal will all get weaker power since they are downgrade over their entire length. Westward MTY coal trains will only need one engine, while eastward MTY’s will need two 2-8-8-2’s.

I doubt I will balance power during session, instead I’ll re-stage it between sessions.

Now, if the process of assigning a third power unit to the consist out of staging is workable I might do this. 

We’ll have to see how the new Command Control System functions.


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