DIRECTION OF TRAVEL

West Bound	Train travels around layout in a counter-clockwise manner. Leaving the NWX yard the train leaves on the high track of the wye or to the right. Trains traveling eastbound end with an odd number
East Bound	Train travels around layout in a clockwise manner. Leaving the NWX yard, train leaves on the low track of the wye or to the left. Trains traveling westbound end with an even number.

OPERATION:

The work day on the M&SL begins with train TPE102 the Morning Transfer Run from Peoria bringing cars destined for the industries in the M&SL service area into the NWX yard for classification. Meanwhile the PMP1 Morning Commuter train leaves Minneapolis and stops at the stations on the M&SL picking up the morning commuters traveling to Minneapolis.

After TPE102 arrives in the NWX yard, trains LNW201, the Morning Westbound Way-Freight, and LNW22, the Morning Eastbound Way-Freight, leave NWX yard for their morning work. The NWX Yardmaster builds these trains at the end of the previous day.

At the end of a work day, the NWX Yardmaster builds Trains LNW201, Morning Westbound Way-Freight, and LNW202, Morning Eastbound Way-Freight. The next day, in the morning and after TPE102 arrives in the NWX yard both LNW201 and LNW202 leave for their morning work.

LNW201 leaves NWX yard heading west to Midnight on the high track of the Hillside Wye. Arriving in Midnight it performs any necessary work. At the completion of its work in Midnight it continues on westward working the towns of Ledgeville and Sometimes Later. When the crew completes their work in Sometimes Later they return to the NWX yard on the low track of the Hillside Wye.

While LNW201 is working toward the west, Train LNW202 works eastward. It leaves the NWX yard on the low track at the Hillside Wye going east to Sometimes Later where it performs any necessary work. When work is completed in Sometimes the train continues eastward working the towns of Ledgeville and Midnight. When the crew completes working in Midnight it returns to the NWX yard on the high tack of the Hillside Wye.

While both LNW201 and LNW202 are out on the road working, the NWX Yardmaster is building the two afternoon trains with cars delivered by TPE102 and JOB30.

The afternoon train LNW301 leaves NWX yard westbound to Midnight working the towns of Midnight, Ledgeville and Sometimes Later. At Sometimes the train turns and becomes LSL312 and travels east working Ledgeville and Midnight before going to the NWX yard where it terminates. The afternoon train, LNW302, travels east from the NWX yard working the towns of Sometimes Later, Ledgeville, and Midnight. At the completion of its work in Midnight it turns and becomes LSL313. It then works west to the towns of Ledgeville and Sometimes Later before terminating at the NWX yard.

While the local way freights are out on the road working, the NWX yard master builds train TPW103, the transfer train to Peoria. This train contains cars picked up by the local way freight that are destined for Peoria. Once build by the yardmaster TPW103 is a through train traveling west with no stops between the NWX yard and Peoria.

If the NWX yard becomes too congested with cars, the yardmaster can schedule JOB30 to take the excess captaincy to the NWX storage tracks located in Hanley Falls. Once the cars are delivered to the NWX storage tracks, the engine returns light to the NWX yard. If the yardmaster has sent cars to the NWX storage tracks, then JOB31 is scheduled to run light to the storage tracks and return the cars stored there to the NWX yard.

Occasionally train XPE1 the MSL excursion and/or MSL business train travels the railroad. XPE1 leaves Peoria and travels west to either the NWX yard or Peoria. This train has priority over all other trains on the railroad.

TRAINS ON THE M&SL

TPE101 Morning inbound Transfer from Peoria

PMP1 Morning Minneapolis commuter train

LNW201 Morning Eastbound Way-Freight

LNW202 Morning Westbound Way-Freight

LNW301 Afternoon Eastbound Way-Freight

LNW302 Afternoon Westbound Way-Freight

LSL312 Afternoon Eastbound Turn

LMN313 Afternoon Westbound Turn

PMP2 Evening Minneapolis commuter train

TNW103 Afternoon Transfer Run

XPE1 Excursion and/or MSL Business Train (Optional)

JOB30 Great Northern Interchange

JOB31 Storage