What do the letters, RA, TPR, UH, VA, YK, XL, & Cap. mean? What do the numbers under Cap. mean? What does North, South, and Both under connection mean? What does the Y with a circle around it mean?
RA is the letter prefix for station numbers on that subdivision. Each subdivision has its own letter code. The numbers correspond (approximately) to the milepost where the station is located. TPR = cannot tell you the exact words for this acronym, but UH, VA, YK, XL are the telegraph call signs for those stations. Cap. is "capacity", as in the car capacity for the industry track. Depending upon era, either 40ft or 50ft cars, but nothing here tells you which. North, South, Both refers to how the industry track connects to the main track.....north means it is accessed northbound, both means it connects on both ends. Y with the circle is the symbol for Yard Limits.
So does "Both" mean there was a wye in place, a round around? I would still like to know exactly what types of industries were serviced & what products was shipped in & out?
"Both" usually means a double-ended siding, or connections to the industry both northbound and southbound. Not necessarily a wye, but you cannot tell from this timetable excerpt. Remember, the locations listed are station locations, and may or may not have an industry located there. "Station" is a named railroad location, and has no connection to if there was a "depot" building there.....this is often confused in the railfan community. To understand the track arrangement and what industries were served, you need to find a Frisco Industry Schematic for the Mobile Sub. I have not seen one posted to the group.
TPR stands for Train Performance Reporting, and the Station TPR is the code used in the computer tracking system. It may or may not be the same as the station's telegraphic "call sign". I have more about TPR at home and will post more later.
Please see: TPR http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/form-710-tpr-train-performance-reporting.8326/ (1972) See also: MICS http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index....ormation-control-system-misc.5560/#post-42344 (1979)
Brandon, a wye will usually be indicated in the employee timetables by a simple letter "Y," such as what's listed for Amory and Birmingham in the following item that Mike L. shared some time ago: Stations and Mile Poles In what may be a poor attempt at a diagram, a siding with connections on "both" might look like this: North _________________________________________ South \_____________________________/ Whereas a "North" connection might look thus: North _________________________________________ South \_____________________________ Or a "South" connection: North _________________________________________ South _____________________________/ Ted, I think I'm explaining this correctly based on your explanation. I always get directionally challenged with the N/E/S/W connections. Best Regards,
Chris - reverse the 2nd and 3rd diagrams. "South" means the track is accessed from the south. (diagram #3) "North" means the track is accessed from the north. (diagram #2) Another way to think of it......"north" means easy access if running northbound...think trailing point switch.
That's precisely what I feared I'd mangled! Thanks very much, Ted - I'll edit it shortly... Best Regards,