3. This is a prototype YVRR switch list from August 13,
1945. This switch list was written up for a Merced yard
crew, since all of the cars on it are to be taken to the
SP and AT&SF interchange tracks. Note that this form
shows the name of the railroad as the Yosemite Valley
Railway. That change was part of a bond refinancing
plan which took place in 1934. I chose to retain the
original name since that was the name most commonly
associated with the railroad.
pull four or five cars from the yard tracks to build their train.
Some of these cars might be “buried” behind other cars which
need to be put back where they started. But the operator of
this local will typically “go to
work” at 5:30 a.m. for a 9:55
a.m. departure.
The fast clock is set to 5:30
a.m. when this operator has
looked over the switch list, fig-
ured out an efficient approach
for the work, and is ready to
“go to work.” That gives this
person over 30 actual min-
utes to complete this switch-
ing. If I feel the operator might
need more time, I just have
him or her go to work earlier.
Likewise, time basically stops
for the operators of the locals
when they reach their final
arrival yard. They still have
work to do to switch out the
cars in their train, but this
work is not governed by the
timetable.
3
Getting Real column - 7
MRH-Nov 2014
