Recently I had Paul Dolkos and John King over for an operating session on the Downtown Spur. The session covered the typical car movements you'd see on the branch and ran about an hour and forty five minutes. Mechanically, everything ran fine given that the temporary Atlas flex track I have tacked down is pretty bullet proof. In the left photo the session is just starting as they cut the train and prepare to switch FP&T. In the right photo John checks the switch list while Paul splits the train in preparation for handling the moves at Trujillo and Sons.
The track arrangement on the Downtown Spur layout, and the industries in place, match the prototype fairly closely. That being the case, staging an operating session becomes a matter of researching what actually happens in the field and just copying it. With friend Tom Klimoski having his office fairly close to the spur, he's been able to observe operations first hand over the course of several years and relay that information on to me. I also have other friends that used to work for CSX in the area.
A session starts with local train Y120 leaving Hialeah Yard (staging) and heading south towards the spur. Typically a train will have between ten and fifteen cars. Most sessions would feature the two largest industries, FP&T and Trujillo and Sons, being switched. The next most frequently switched business are: Miami Iron and Metal, Family and Son, Sun Gas, and Florida Bottling. The rest of the online industries would be worked a few times a year. Operating sessions are simple and relaxing but last surprisingly longer than you'd expect. There are no switching puzzles and there is no fast clock. Perhaps the biggest challenge is dealing with the numerous grade crossings (keeping them clear, providing fusee protection, etc.).
Paperwork consists of a paper version of the CSX work order. This is essentially a switch list that shows which cars must be pulled and which cars are to be spotted.
Here's the work order form used during operating sessions. The format is very simple and follows fairly closely the electronic version CSX uses. The industries are listed in order west to east.
The 'WI' column is for work instructions. 'PU' means a car is to be picked up. A 'PL' work instruction means a car is to be placed at an industry.
Some industries such as Family and Son and Trujillo and Sons have multiple loading doors. In those situations the specific door that a car is to be placed in front of is marked in the 'spot' column. If the job is worked during business hours a representative from the industry usually meets the train and tells them where they want the car.