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| ATSF China Basin Yard Layout |
This layout is a "yard-centric" design, as there isn't really a traditional "road job" to be had. One operating crew will handle loading and unloading any car ferry, whereas the second crew will handle switching the local industry and interchange with the Southern Pacific Railroad.
I expect the car ferry crew will be kept busy sorting cars on and off the car ferry, following the various loading and unloading rules.
The other crew will shuffle in and out of the interchange or industrial staging, and then work the on-layout spots: Tidewater Oil, Western Car Loading, and Pier 50. Western Car Loading and Pier 50 have specific positions, including cars which must NOT be moved within the session. There is also a RIP track for ATSF cars needing repair. When the switch crew is done with their pick-ups, rail cars will either depart the yard via the car ferry, or will be set out as a single block on the SP interchange track. To vary the session, the crews could switch roles at the halfway point of the session.
Like the prototype, the entire San Francisco Terminal Division is dark territory. The yardmaster is in charge of controlling the flow in the session. The yardmaster is also float dispatcher. The intensity of the session can be varied be controlling the number of car floats which are involved.
There are four "spots" for staged trains, two representing the SP interchange, and two for SF industries such as American Can Co., or even the 25th street Western Pacific yard.
Remaining open design issues include dealing with any derailments while switching Pier 50. The Pier 52 ferry slip is a separate "module" from the rest of the otherwise permanent layout, and may be mounted in such a way as to swing out to allow access.
