Yardmaster

The Yardmaster plays a central role in keeping traffic moving on the Ste. Genevieve sub.  Middle Yard  literally sits in the middle of the action receiving a steady flow of inbound cars from the ferry boat as well as the trains originating in Derby Jct.  The yard is small and work is planned accordingly.

The Yardmaster is assisted by an engineer operating the first diesel engine procured by the M-I in 1949, a phase V EMD NW2.

The first 45-60 minutes of the session are relatively slow at Middle Yard, so it’s a good time to sort Waybills for destinations, as well as identifying those cars which need to be weighed.  Lime and scrap loads originating on the sub are to be weighed. As long as they are within safe limits, the car can be moved along its way.  However, overloaded cars should be shoved to the end of track 3 to be held until tomorrow for adjustment.

As to sorting cars, they’re destined northward to Illinois via the Boat, to local Ste. Genevieve industries, the Peerless plant at Mosher, the Frisco interchange or southward to line locations or the MoPac or Bonne Terre interchanges at Derby Jct.

This early period also presents an opportunity to run your Yard Job to the Frisco interchange or the local Ste Gen industries, including the house track.

Expect the road crew to arrive with the northbound № 92 at the end of the hour.  This crew will need to pick up a train – either the Mosher Switcher which works the Peerless lime plant or run № 93 southward to Derby Jct.

Depending upon how busy the boat is, you may also get the first boatload of cars to process – and of course, they will need a cut of cars to send northward to Illinois.

In general , the yard is always processing cars sorting them into the next train.  The goal is to keep all of the crews moving and it’s OK if some trains run twice.

Clipboards are present along the fascia trim with train orders and switchlists completed for pulls.  If a Clerk is available, they can complete the Set Outs; if not, you or the crew will complete them.  I’ve also included labels above each clipboard which denotes the locations served by each train.  The destinations are exclusive for trains – if a car is bound for Ste. Genevieve, it will run on the Yard Job as that is the only train servicing Ste. Gen; ditto for the Frisco interchange.  Cars for Peerless at Mosher route via the Mosher Switcher.  Everything else goes to the boat or southward on the № 93.

To recap, here are the trains with destinations

  • № 92 is an inbound train from Derby Jct, mostly carrying traffic moving across the river.
  • № 93 is the southward counterpart and switches Weingarten and the MoPac and Bonne Terre sub interchanges at Derby Jct.  You may send cars south to Millers for Shapiros despite it being a facing point spur. In those instances, the crew will off-spot it on the Derby Jct siding for № 92 to re-spot it tomorrow.
  • Yard Job (YJ) The local industry switching job run by the yard crew to Ste Gen & the Frisco
  • Boat The boat delivers and takes away a great quantity of cars.  Max loading is 12 cars; you may not have a full load when the Incline crew delivers their car cut.  That’s fine – send what you have.  The boat does not need to be full each trip.
  • Mosher Switcher (MS) Call the road crew to run this train to the Peerless plant at Mosher.  It may run once or twice per session depending upon the needs of the plant.  Expect the train to bring you back 8-10 lime loads for sorting.  Most are destined for Illinois via the boat.

Northbound trains hold at the Yard Limits just south of Mosher and will request clearance into Middle Yard.

 The Clerk prepares a Middle Yard Log Report at the beginning of the trick showing expected arrival times of trains, departure times and the condition of the yard tracks.  Some Yardmasters can do all of their work from this single report.  You may also use Waybills to sort cars.  Your choice.

The Log report is prepared by the Clerk and provides details as to arriving/departing trains, track conditions and the details of yard contents at the time It was prepared.
Orders for the Yard Job (YJ) provide information on tonnage allowed and areas to be worked.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • Can I sort and store cars on the tan ballasted A/D tracks?
    • These are A/D tracks and should not be used for routine car sorting.  The Incline crew may use them for run-around moves when cleared by the Yardmaster.  The incline crew will also deliver the boat cuts to Middle Yard via the A/D tracks.  Middle Yard controls these and the tracks are best reserved for arriving trains and for building the Mosher Switcher and/or № 93.
  • The northward № 93 brought a car for Weingarten to Middle Yard.  Why didn’t they work that station when they passed it?
    • Facing point switches will require re-directing of cars after arrival at Middle Yard.  In this case, Weingarten is a facing point switch for No. 93.  Send it southward on No. 92.
A brief summary of the Yardmaster’s duties and responsibilities.