Clearance Cards are required before any train can leave yard limits. The one I am using is a copy of a Southern Railway Clearance Card from the 1950's. It tells you what time it is issued (this is not the time your train starts it's run), the date, what train it is authorizing, and where that train is. On the VBR&S these locations will be Rio (on the North end for Southbound trains) and Montview (on the South end for Northbound trains). Next it will tell you how many Train Orders you have. For scheduled trains this is usually none. Block, as the notation on the bottom of the CC indicates has a real railroad purpose that does not apply to the model layout, so I use it to tell you what track you will find your train on in hidden holding. Looking into that tracks slot on the Hidden Holding door is where you will find your Locomotive Card (see Loco Card section below).
Timetable
This train is the Northbound Pelican, Train #42 (even numbered trains are Northbound) It therefore originates in Montview at 2:15am. Note that even though you are reading up, arrival times at stations appear above departure times. To the right of the scheduled times are notes explaining what you do at each stop. This train is off the N&W, and will have a J or K2 as power, therefore at Monroe is will have to do an engine swap receiving Southern diesels. The Yard crew at Monroe will be ready to do this when you arrive.
This one is a Southbound 2nd Class Freight #51(odd numbered trains are Southbound). It originates at Rio and you read down the timetable. Note that this train will stop to drop and pick up cars at both Charlottesville and Monroe. The time listed for Rockfish on all time tables is approximate. Rockfish is about midway between Charlottesville and Monroe, and the time is a good indication of whether you need to slow down or speed up.
Loco Card
The Loco Card can be found in the slot corresponding to the track your train is on. These are on the inside of the doors housing the controls for Hidden Holding at Rio and Montview. This is a photo of the one at Rio which has 7 tracks. The Montview Hidden Holding area has 6 tracks.
The first line is the Railroad The second line the type of the locos in the consist if more than one. The third line their numbers. The forth line features a large number which is the DCC address...on this one address 69 is MUed to the main address 20. On most only one number will appear as all units will have the same address. Finally if sound equipped, the card will so indicate, and the Functions available will be listed.
Note, on the next Loco Card there is just one address. Also note that B units are not numbered. In reality they do have numbers but they are small and hard to see, so are not used.
Loco Cards are found inside the door to the Hidden Yard your train is in. It should be in the slot numbered for the track your train is on. The card should be taken with you on your trip, and left in the appropriate slot on the Hidden Yard door at the end of your trip.
Waybill/Carcard
Finally, if your train is a freight, you will pick up Waybill/Carcards. These are to be found on the board next to the Rio Hidden Holding Door. Take Only the cards for your train. If yours is a First Class Train, you will have cards only for Monroe. When you arrive there you will drop those Monroe cars, leaving the Waybill/Carcards with them. You will pick up a similar number of cars and Waybill/Carcards at Monroe that are billed to a Yard beyond the layout. Spencer Yard if you are going south, and Pot Yard if you are heading north. When you reach the end of your run put the new Waybill/CarCards, for the cars that are now in the consist of your train, at the rear of the pack of cars on the far left of the slot you originally picked up your cards from. This is where all the cards for your train's consist are. Remember, each freight appears as two different trains in an operating session, and only the Waybill/Carcards that are to be worked by a particular train are carried by it's crew.
The Car Car is the Yellow part, and it has the car's railroad, number and type. The white part is the waybill and it has the cars next destination, and where it came from, plus other information. Normally waybills are flipped only between sessions. There are four different destinations on each, but you will only be concerned with the one showing now.
Getting out of Hidden Holding
This is the control panel at Rio located inside the door where you found your Loco Card. On this panel (the North end) the inbound track is the lower one, and the outbound is the upper. I use the pointer to the screwhead method to complete the circuit to throw the turnouts. Simply trace your route with the pointer touching each screwhead. For inbound you start at IN and go to the track number you are parking on. Remember the rule that this must be done before you cross the C&O diamond in Charlottesville. For outbound, you start at the track number you are on and go to OUT.
This is the control panel at Montview. On this one the inbound track is the upper one, and the outbound is the lower. The same procedure is used here as on the other panel. This should be done on inbound trains before passing or departing Kemper Street Station.
Above both panels you can see your train entering the holding area, and it's stopping point in the mirror above. When departing you can see your train in the mirror.
Train Register
Here is a copy of a used Train Register. These are located on the outside of the Hidden Holding Doors at Montview and Rio, and in Charlottesville. They should be signed when departing and arriving at all of these locations. They are fairly self explanatory, but I'll make a few comments. Normally the Date would always be the same, but this one was used on two different op sessions completeing one railroad day. Train sould have your train number. Engine should be your lead engine number (not the DCC address). Signals would be used if we had second sections (Green), and should be used if you are running an extra (White). Arrive and Depart times should have AM and PM included. Conductor should have your first two initials and your last name.
