Dispatching

The train dispatcher uses a train sheet as a work sheet to keep track of trains and engines that operate on his/her territory.  Since I model a portion of the Clearwater Sub, I have made up a train sheet that is very similar to those used by CN.  The prototype train sheets were printed on a card stock to make them more durable and a new one was used every day.  Each dispatcher would sign the train sheet in the space provided at the top right hand portion.  Other information was also included, such as the current Time Table in effect, the day of the week and date, and any abnormalities that occurred, like broken rails, derailments, crossing accidents, etc.

The center of the sheet was taken from the current Time Table and included station names, mileages, yard limits, if any, train order office signals and siding capacities.

Each column on either side of the station information was for a train that operated on the  subdivision.  The dispatcher would enter the first class trains closest to the center as they would be found in the Time Table.  On my example, No 1 and No 163 would be found just to the left of the station column and No 164 and No 2 to the right of the station column.  Then extra trains would be added in chronological order from the center to the outside.  Work trains and local trains operating as turns would be placed to the very outside.  

The top row (diagonal lines) was the place where the conductor and engineers names would be recorded.  The next row was for the train designation such as 1, 2, EXTRA or WORK.  We had a rubber stamp with the word EXTRA and a red stamp pad.  When the train was cleared, the extra stamp would be used in that location.  The next three rows were used for unit numbers (except for a work train.  The first unit row was used for the EXTRA stamp).  If there were too many unit numbers to fit in theses spaces, the balance of the units could be found at the bottom of the sheet below that column.  

After the motive power rows, there was a row for loads and empties, arriving or departing, depending upon the direction.  The next row was for the tonnage associated with those loads and empties.  The next row was for the ordered time, then the next row was for the off duty time.

After the station names, at the bottom of the sheet, was another row for the loads and empties, arriving or departing, and the tonnage.  The final row was for the train length (usually the departing length).