Collection of Frances Angelov

ON THE ROAD TO THE FUTURE

New York Centrals New ALFRED E. PERLMAN FREIGHT YARD

Uhnn the yard is

The New York Central Railroad's new 70-track Alfred E. Perlman * freight car classification yard, now under construction at Selkirk, N.Y., near Albany, culminates the electronic yard building program initiated by Central's management in 1954. This $25 mill ion automatic facility represents the fifth electronically control led yard in the Cen­tral's system — and will be one of the most modern in the nation in terms of shipper service.

Alfred E. Perlman Yard will be the major classification and dis­tr ibution point for all Central traffic moving to and from the eastern seaboard. It wil l dramatically speed up operations over the entire New York Central System by reducing the amount of switching required to move traffic. In addit ion, the new yard will expedite the switching that still has to be done.

An advanced-design digital computer will be utilized to auto­matically log and route inbound cars into various classification tracks, where these cars will be assembled in proper order to ensure quickest delivery to Central's customers.

Eastbound traffic coming into Perlman Yard will be automatically classified for trains operating to New York, Weehawken, Boston, West Albany and to the Boston and Maine connection. This traffic will be grouped to permit direct delivery to all major interchange and indus­trial areas without further switching.

Westbound traffic will be sent to the new yard for classification and dispatchment to the major western gateways or to intermediate points served by the Central. Empty general service equipment will be inspected and graded for service, cleaned and applied to car orders or home-routed from the yard.

Major Facilities Besides an electronically-controlled hump classification yard,

Perlman Yard will have car and diesel repair and servicing facil i t ies. These support ing facilit ies will make up an integral part of the yard.

Approximately 700 diesel units — or nearly one-half of Central's entire freight fleet — will be maintained at the new $3 million diesel shop. This ultra-modern facility will be divided into two parts: a pro­gressive inspection line for monthly and quarterly inspections, with space for 10 units; and a repair section having five working tracks with space for 15 units each.

Main processing unit for Perlman Yard is GE/PAC 4020 high-speed digital computer.

A Design engineer works on scale map of new • yard. Perlman Yard wil l offer shippers u l t ra-* modern and efficient freight service.

A car repair system designed to handle freight cars on a pro­gressive basis will also be used at Perlman Yard. The working area will be covered by a single-span shed, 120 feet wide and 140 feet long, having a capacity of eight cars. Four repair tracks will be util ized.

In addition, a fueling station will be built for simultaneous fueling and sanding of five diesel units on each of two tracks from a cen­tral isle.

An important facility already in operation at Selkirk is a multi­level automobile unloading site. Eight unloading tracks are being

used with capacity for 80 rail cars. Total parking lot capacity is 2,500 assembled vehicles.

In 1966, this facility handled 150,323 new vehicles. Completion of Perlman Yard is expected to facilitate already fast-paced schedules for this traffic.

Included in the design of Alfred E. Perlman Yard is a Flexi-Van site for present and future growth in this traffic. Flexi-Van is Central's coordinated rail-highway-water container system, which grew in vol­ume by more than 20 per cent in 1966.

i Turnout carr ier sets down prefabr icated I swi tch panel t rack on new yard site.

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How tihe yard will work Geographically, Alfred E. Perlman Yard will be divided into three

areas:

1) receiving tracks for all inbound trains;

2) a classification area in line with the receiving tracks and including the hump and classification tracks, and

3) departure tracks parallel and adjacent to the classification tracks.

Inbound trains will arrive in the receiving yard, which will consist of 9 tracks with capacities ranging from 162 to 250 cars each. As the cars enter this yard, they will pass closed circuit TV cameras which will provide a double check on the actual train consist for the yard office. Here, also, air will be released from the cars in preparation for humping operations.

When the train is to be switched, a hump locomotive wil l go behind it and shove the train over the hump — a man-made hill 26 feet high. Cars will be uncoupled at the crest and routed automatically to their assigned tracks in the classification yard, which is of teardrop design with decelerating grades.

Each of the 70 tracks in this yard represents a particular destina­t ion, and will have capacities for 37 to 71 cars. The classification yard will be divided into seven groups of 10 tracks. An escape track will be located on the south side of the yard, providing a route between

the classification yard and the receiving yard — bypassing the hump. Cars from a number of classification tracks will be grouped to build an outbound train.

Cars will be removed from the classification tracks by pull-out engines and sent over to the departure yard, which will consist of 9 tracks with capacities ranging from 147 to 250 cars. A fully made-up outbound train will leave the departure yard after the air hoses have been coupled, the train and brakes inspected and an outbound con­sist prepared by the yard office.

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Cybernetic contirol systems The main control center for the entire yard operation will be the yardmaster and terminal trainmaster's tower, located at the east end. The display console located here will indicate the status of the receiving and departure yards, as well as anticipated train arrivals and de­partures. A facsimile transmission system will be provided between the tower and the hump yard office.

The control system for Perlman Yard wil l incorporate a stored program digital computer to provide automatic hump operation, to perform routine clerical functions and to provide vital management information. This high-speed computer will serve as the hub of Alfred E. Perlman Yard operations. It wil l also be l inked to Central's system-wide computers.

The computer wil l receive inputs — both digital and analog — and interrogations by a variety of means. These include punched cards, typewriters and special interrogation buttons. In addit ion, informa­tion from radar speed controls, car weight detectors, the car rolla-bility detection system, switch position detectors, etc., wil l f low into the computer from various car handling points.

Besides control l ing the routing and roll ing speeds of the cars, the computer will indicate proper humping speeds directly to the loco­motive cab. Speeds will be displayed digitally in miles per hour, and wil l be calculated to prevent "ca tchups" — or one car improperly combining with another while roll ing down the hump.

In other words, the computer will determine the proper track for the car to go on, recognize all variables and then automatically flash the proper humping speed to the engineman.

An important feature of the control system will be the keeping of

a car inventory for each classification track. The computer will t rack each car from the hump crest to the classification track. When the car enters the track, the initial and number of the car will be entered into that track's inventory. Any cars that have entered a track in error, or which must be switched due to route changes, will be flagged by this means.

Extensive use will be made of radio, television and telephone communications in Alfred E. Perlman Yard's control system. A total of 12 radio systems will be provided — including train radio and gen­eral yard frequencies, four pullback track frequencies, a maintenance of way, and diesel facil ity frequency, plus a cab signal system.

Six closed circuit television systems will also be provided. Three of these will be used to check car numbers on inbound trains and will be equipped with video recorders so that a clerk need not be present when a train is being received in the yard.

As the inbound train passes the TV camera station, a recording automatically will be made. The clerk can then play back the TV record — and stop motion to double check a car number.

Dial telephones will be provided at a number of key points in the yard, in addition to the normal office locations. Intercom facil it ies will be provided for all key supervisory and operating personnel for direct communicat ion.

Up-to-the-minute account ing is provided at new yard. Each symbol on board indicates specif ic funct ion and costs.

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Overall view of planned new yard

Alfred t. Perlman Yard

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How fine yard will benefit shippers

Alfred E. Perlman Yard, with its electronic auto­mation, extensive communication facilities, 70 classification tracks and well-planned receiving and departure yards, will benefit shippers in many ways. For example, it will eliminate t ime-consuming, sepa­rate handling of cars in two smaller yards at DeWitt, near Syracuse, and Selkirk. It will also streamline switching and handling of traffic at Weehawken and 72nd Street Yards in the New York City metro­politan complex.

Nothing has been overlooked that will speed freight movements. The design of each element of the yard is based on an exhaustive study of the traffic to be handled and is tailored to the rush hour requirements of that traffic. At Alfred E. Perlman Yard, the Central will classify, or sort out, the cars from all incoming trains to make up new trains of cars that now have a common routing for the next part of their tr ip. Thus freight trains will run at fast, regular schedules — and shipments will ar­rive sooner.

Alfred E. Perlman Yard is another investment in the Central's continuing programtoprov idesuper ior service to its shippers. This multi-million dollar faci l ­ity will give customers faster-moving freight, more dependable freight schedules and car handling that will protect even the most fragile lading.

Alfred E. Perlman Yard wil l be major swi tching point for all traffic moving to and from eastern seaboard via Central .

STATISTICS—ALFRED E. PERLMAN ELECTRONIC CLASSIFICATION YARD Project started August 8, 1966

Scheduled to be completed July 1,1968

TRACKAGE NO. OF TRACKS CAR CAPACITY

1. Classif icat ion Yard 70 3,680 2. Receiving Yard 9 1,650 3. Departure Yard 9 1,704 4. Car Repair 4 , 113 5. Car Cleaning 2 100 6. Auto Unloading Site 8 80 7. L ighterage Storage 2 190 8. Local Yard 10 395 9. Diesel Facil i ty 16 —

10. Caboose 2 30

Total car capaci ty 7,973 Total acreage 632 Total t rack mileage 133 Average number of cars swi tched per day 3,000

Length of Yard 7.5 miles Width of Yard 2,700 feet Height of Hump 26 feet

Turnouts 402 Track t ies 500,000 Earth moved 2,000,000 cubic yards Drainage pipe 26,000 l inear feet

Bui ld ings: Control Structures 4 Major Bui ldings 6 Minor Bui ldings 6

Gravel sub-bal last 300,000 cubic yards Stone ballast 500,000 cubic yards R o a d s — a s p h a l t and concrete -20 miles Total retarder feet 1,188

Communicat ions: 44 ta lk-back speakers 15 teletype machines 12 radio systems

6 te levision systems