Operations started on February 20, 2004 and ran every third Friday up through April 2009, we have had many enjoyable evenings through the years. The PCR now runs a more relaxed schedule, actually currently it doesn't have a schedule. In between operating sessions, I run through all of the switching, so the layout is always up and running.

The layout and scheduling has changed over the years, the following is a summary of how it is today.

Staging is essential for operating a railroad this small, it is just a tiny portion of the world. Cars come and go from the West Coast, New England, Texas, and points between. Staging can be defined as any destination that is not modeled on the layout.

Export Yard is a distribution and collection point for the industries located along the mainline and along the branch line. Cars are delivered to and collected from the industries by local switchers and peddlers.

Export Yard gets cars to and from the staging yards by PCR and by PRR freight trains. A B&LE coal turn services the mine at Delmont. Passenger service is down to only an occasional scenic tourist train.

Waybills are flipped upon delivery and cars are delivered to the front of the siding and are picked up from the stub end of the siding. The staged trains have the engines, caboose, and waybills flipped to be ready for the next run, this allows for a continuous operating session.

Waybills have town codes, both a unique color for each town and a two letter abbreviation up in the top right corner.

Operation Essentials

• Car Cards for all the cars on the tracks
• Waybills, town and industry lists
• Track plan and capacities
• Train schedules
• Finish all track work and wiring
• Refreshments

Saltsburg to Plum Creek - east to west listing

E Saltsburg Yard

• PRR interchange: staging for 4 trains
• track 6: main line (9 - 50' cars)
• track 7: 10 - 50' cars
• track 8: 15 - 50' cars
• track 9: 15 - 50' cars
• track 10: 17 - 50' cars
• reverse loop: staging for 1 train
• track 5:

SL Slickville

• passing siding: 3 - 50' cars
• Mobilgas - Pittsburgh East Distribution Facility: 2 - 50' cars
• Slickville Lumber & Supply: 2 - 40' cars

DG Dunnington

• Die Craft Manufacturing: 3 - 50' cars

WH White Valley

• shared passing siding: 14 - 50' cars
• Bob Evans Cheese Factory: 3 - 50' cars
• Deiss Pickles: 2 - 40' cars
• Ivan A. Hump Industries: 4 - 50' cars
• Braun & Fulton Specialty Engineering: 3 - 40' cars

XP Export

• shared passing siding:
• PCR branchline connection
• pocket track: 2 - 50' cars

N Plum Creek Yard

• B&LE, URR & PRR interchange: staging for 3 trains
• track 1: main line (9 - 50' cars)
• track 2: 10 - 50' cars
• track 3: 11 - 50' cars
• track 4: 11 - 50' cars

Branchline - south to west listing

W Jeanette Yard

• PRR interchange: staging for 3 trains
• track 1: 8 - 50' cars
• track 2: 8 - 50' cars
• track 3: 8 - 50' cars
• engine tracks: 4 engines
• caboose track: 2 cars

JT Jeanette

• Dithrich & Company: 2 - 50' cars
• DeFoe Demolition: 2 - 50' cars
• Mayfield Express: 4 - 50' cars
• Kline Publishing: 4 - 50' cars

DL Delmont

• Jenny's Mine: 12 cars

XP Export

• PCR main line connection
• Export Yard: 16 - 50' cars
• Riesen Bread: 4 - 50' cars
• Export Import Warehouse: 3 - 50' cars
• Freight Distribution Corp.: 6 - 50' cars

MY Murrysville

• Fontana Dental Supply: 4 - 50' cars
• Candelore Meats: 3 - 50' cars

TC Trafford

• TCR interchange: 4 - 50' cars

PCR Trains

• SCE1 - PCR Scenic Excursion
• Plum Creek Yard
• to Saltsburg and back

• ES2 - PCR Saltsburg Freight
• Jeanette engine & caboose to
• Export get 10 eastbound cars
• East to Saltsburg drop 10 cars
• get 10 inbound cars
• West to Export drop 10 cars
• park engine & caboose

• EP3 - PCR Plum Creek Freight
• Jeanette engine & caboose to
• Export get 10 Plum Creek cars
• West to Plum Creek drop 10 cars
• get 10 inbound cars
• East to Export drop 10 cars
• park engine & caboose

• JE4 - PCR Jeanette Freight
• Jeanette engine, caboose and
• get 8 eastbound cars from yard
• North to Export drop 8 cars
• get 8 inbound cars
• South to Jeanette yard
• drop 8 cars
• park engine & caboose

• WV5 - PCR White Valley Peddler
• White Valley engine to Export
• get cars for White Valley
• set & collect cars in White Valley,
• Dunnington and Slickville
• to Export drop cars
• park engine

• JN6 - PCR Jeanette Peddler
• Jeanette engine
• collect 8 cars max. in Jeanette
• North to Export drop cars
• get 8 cars max. for Jeanette
• South to Jeanette set cars
• park engine

• EX7 - PCR Export Peddler
• Export engine
• set & collect cars in Export
• and Murrysville
• distribute cars between
• shared Export/White Valley siding
• and Export yard for
• peddlers and freights

B&LE Trains

• BD8 - B&LE Butler Coal Turn
• Plum Creek yard
• 10 empty coal cars East to Delmont
• Jenny's Mine drop off empty cars
• pick up loaded coal cars
• West to Plum Creek yard

PRR Trains

• EC9 - PRR Westbound Freight
• Saltsburg yard
• 10 freight cars West to Export
• drop off 10 cars
• pick up 8 westbound cars
• South to Jeanette yard

• CA10 - PRR Eastbound Freight
• Jeanette yard
• 8 freight cars North to Export
• drop off 8 cars
• pick up 10 westbound cars
• East to Saltsburg yard

• EC11 - PRR Westbound Freight
• same as EC9

• CA12 - PRR Eastbound Freight
• same as CA10

PCR crew members Paul, Bob, Tom & Andy

PCR crew members Bob and Greg take a well deserved break