Schematic

Crappy schematic of my layout

Staging Yard

In 2006 I added a 4 track staging yard to represent Phillipsburg and Binghampton and add to operating possibilities. I am currently adding 2 more tracks to increase capacity (I keep buying freight cars).

Conrail Shared Assets Operations

The Hartford & Union Mill Railroad is a shortline operating in southern New Jersey between Hartford and Union Mill. It is patterned after the Conrail Shared Assets Operations in southern New Jersey. The H&UM owns no rolling stock. Locomotives are leased from connecting railroads.

This layout models the current era. All rolling stock is at least lightly weathered with some pieces of equipment more heavily weathered. Locomotives currently in use include Conrail GP-40-2 3400 and C30-7 6602, Canadian Pacific GP-38-2 3085, Norfolk Southern SD-60M 6765, SD-9M 52, GP-40-2 3021, 8-40B 4805, CSX MP-15DC 1141 and HCLX SD-60 5998.

Hartford and Union Mill are represented on the layout with Philadelphia and Morrisville staging located at Hartford. Centerton is located between Hartford and Union Mill. Phillipsburg and Binghampton are represented beyond Union Mill with an off-site staging yard.

Operations begin in the yard at Hartford (Pavonia Yard). Trains are made up from cars brought from off-site connections by NS (Philadelphia) and CSX (Morrisville). Two trains a day are dispatched from Hartford on out and back trips to Union Mill. Quaker City Chemical Company in Centerton is the first industry reached. Once in Union Mill, the following industries are switched as necessary: Federal Cold Storage, Delco Electronics, Federal Mogul, Jersey Grain, Camden Iron & Scrap, Inland Cement Company and an interchange with CP Rail to Phillipsburg, N.J. On the return trip to Hartford, switching takes place at Cozzi Metal & Iron in Centerton.

A train with Canadian Pacific power arrives from Phillipsburg (off-site) then enters Union Mill to switch the CP Rail interchange track.

Through traffic (intermodal, auto parts) runs between the interchanges at Morrisville (CSX) and Binghampton (NYS&W).

Industries at Hartford include an intermodal facility and off-site connections with Norfolk Southern to Philadelphia and an interchange with CSX to Morrisville. An expansion of the intermodal facility was completed in July 2001. Capacity of the yard was increased by 18 cars. This will allow staging of intermodal trains in Hartford and start-up of unit train coal service between Hartford and Phillipsburg.

There are a large number of off-site industries to give operating sessions a bigger feel. Off-site industries in Phillipsburg include a Susquehanna Power Plant, a Delphi Automotive facility, and a Sussex Steel service center. Off-site industries in Hartford include a truck storage area, an automotive parts manufacturer, and a metals manufacturer.