....Z-NYCLAC9-19......No. 53.....HOCXT-03.....I-DAAT-30.....G-SJOELP9-12.....9-ATCIZ-14.....1-991-30.....Q-606-14.....I-04......22G.....
Train Symbol Methodology
Train symbols are important in creating a realistic feel to an operating model railroad. For the strict prototype modeler the issue requires little thought as the train symbols used by the modeler would be the same as the symbols employed on the real railroad. For the Proto-Freelance or Freelance modeler the topic bears some consideration.
The purpose of a train symbol is simply to identify what each train is. In one way or another most train symbols will denote priority, commodity, origin location, destination location, and often date of origin. The size and complexity of the railroad and type of terminal work events modeled may necessitate specific features in your train symbol system.
One key thing to keep in mind when developing your train symbol methodology is how difficult will it be for the guest operator to catch-on. If you have a mainline with just a couple of through trains, it probably does not matter. If you have a busy terminal where a number of trains originate, terminate, or are through with pick-up or set-out work events, then the operators will need to be able to quickly understand your train symbols.
Lets take a look at some of the symbol systems used in the real world....
Before computers entered the railroad world most railroads just assigned numbers to their trains with an industry standard being "East is Even". This application meant that eastbound and northbound trains had even numbers and westbound and southbound trains had odd numbers. Today Amtrak still uses this system. For example train No. 19 is the Southbound Crescent and train No. 20 is the Northbound Crescent. Passenger trains may also be named.
The early Norfolk Southern used a simple number system as well. At that time, 2-digit numbers were assigned to locals, 100-series number to manifest trains, 200-series numbers to intermodal trains, 300-series numbers to run-through manifest trains, etc. For example the southbound intermodal train into New Orleans was NS train No. 219 and the Northbound intermodal train out of New Orleans was No. 222. As the system grew in volume the simple number system proved inadequate. NS introduced letters into their nomenclature like 17R and 37Q.
KCS as well had a simple number system with trains No. 10, 54, and 56 being the northbound trains out of New Orleans and trains No. 9, 53, and 55 being the southbound trains into New Orleans. KCS has since switched to an Alpha-Numeric system with a one-Letter class code followed by four-letter origin-destination code. For example the intermodal trains operating between Dallas, TX and Atlanta, GA (via NS) would be I-DAAT for the eastbound train and I-ATDA for the westbound train. This system is similar to the last system used by the Santa Fe and Conrail.
CSX had a version of the number system with a letter prefix with the letter denoting a type of service. For example Q-605 was a Southbound/Westbound train from Waycross, GA to New Orleans, LA and Q-606 was a Northbound/Eastbound train from New Orleans, LA to Waycross, GA.
Before switching to the Alpha-Numeric system mentioned above, the Santa Fe had a very unique 3-digit number system whereby each region served by the railroad was assigned a number 1 through 9. In addition priority was assigned a number 1 through 9 with 1 being a train with the lowest priority and 9 being a train with the highest priority. I this system Illinois was Region 1 and Northern California was Region 9. The numbers were then combined in the order Origin-Priority-Destination to for the three-digit train symbol. Perhaps the best known Santa Fe symbols were the 199 and the 991 being the hot-shot intermodal trains running between Richmond, CA and Chicago, IL. In this system a symbol being either odd or even had no meaning. 199 and 991 for example are both odd numbers but the 199 operated westbound and the 991 operated eastbound.
Union Pacific's Alpha-Numeric symbol follows the same basic logic as the KCS one mentioned above except that an extra symbol may be added, for example an "S" before the origin location two-letter code to indicate that the train is in "shuttle" service. Because the Union Pacific is so large, having two letter codes for each place does not provide enough variables so numbers have been added in combination with letters to denote additional locations, making the nomenclature a little more difficult to decipher.
Southern Pacific's variation of the Alpha-Numeric system had an interesting twist. The Origin/Destination pair was placed ahead of the letter denoting the type of train. If the hazmat cars on the train met the criteria that made the train a "key train" requiring special handling, the EsPee would add the letter "K" to the end of the symbol. So SP train BCNOT would be a train originating in Barbour's Cut, TX and terminating in New Orleans, LA. The "T" at the end indicated it was a train of "trailers" or an intermodal train. SP train AVSRQK would be a train originating at Avondale, LA, terminating at Strang, TX, it was a "Q" train or priority manifest, and this would be a key train.
The last railroad we will look at is today's BNSF. When formed in 1996, BNSF leadership recognized that two-letter codes for location identification would be inadequate for the size of the railroad. Thus three-letter codes were developed for the locations on the BNSF for symbol usage. BNSF symbols are rather long but the methodology is not really new. So train Z-LACALT9 would be a "Z" or high priority intermodal train originating in Los Angeles, CA and terminating at Alliance, TX. The "9" at the end, like the middle number in the early Santa Fe nomenclature, indicates this train has the highest priority.
All of the above individual railroad train symbol logic discussion is not all-inclusive. One can drill down into each railroad and find exceptions or other subtle details not mentioned here. The point of this material is to give one enough history to begin thinking about creating a suitable train symbol methodology for a Freelanced or Proto-Freelanced model railroad. One thing nearly all of the above railroads did in common and not included in the above discussion is to end each train symbol with a two-digit number indicating the scheduled date of the train's scheduled departure from origin. So for example the KCS I-DAAT that departed on the 9th of the month would be the I-DAAT-09.
For discussion of the train symbol methodology that I have developed, please visit the appropriate page:
The purpose of a train symbol is simply to identify what each train is. In one way or another most train symbols will denote priority, commodity, origin location, destination location, and often date of origin. The size and complexity of the railroad and type of terminal work events modeled may necessitate specific features in your train symbol system.
One key thing to keep in mind when developing your train symbol methodology is how difficult will it be for the guest operator to catch-on. If you have a mainline with just a couple of through trains, it probably does not matter. If you have a busy terminal where a number of trains originate, terminate, or are through with pick-up or set-out work events, then the operators will need to be able to quickly understand your train symbols.
Lets take a look at some of the symbol systems used in the real world....
Before computers entered the railroad world most railroads just assigned numbers to their trains with an industry standard being "East is Even". This application meant that eastbound and northbound trains had even numbers and westbound and southbound trains had odd numbers. Today Amtrak still uses this system. For example train No. 19 is the Southbound Crescent and train No. 20 is the Northbound Crescent. Passenger trains may also be named.
The early Norfolk Southern used a simple number system as well. At that time, 2-digit numbers were assigned to locals, 100-series number to manifest trains, 200-series numbers to intermodal trains, 300-series numbers to run-through manifest trains, etc. For example the southbound intermodal train into New Orleans was NS train No. 219 and the Northbound intermodal train out of New Orleans was No. 222. As the system grew in volume the simple number system proved inadequate. NS introduced letters into their nomenclature like 17R and 37Q.
KCS as well had a simple number system with trains No. 10, 54, and 56 being the northbound trains out of New Orleans and trains No. 9, 53, and 55 being the southbound trains into New Orleans. KCS has since switched to an Alpha-Numeric system with a one-Letter class code followed by four-letter origin-destination code. For example the intermodal trains operating between Dallas, TX and Atlanta, GA (via NS) would be I-DAAT for the eastbound train and I-ATDA for the westbound train. This system is similar to the last system used by the Santa Fe and Conrail.
CSX had a version of the number system with a letter prefix with the letter denoting a type of service. For example Q-605 was a Southbound/Westbound train from Waycross, GA to New Orleans, LA and Q-606 was a Northbound/Eastbound train from New Orleans, LA to Waycross, GA.
Before switching to the Alpha-Numeric system mentioned above, the Santa Fe had a very unique 3-digit number system whereby each region served by the railroad was assigned a number 1 through 9. In addition priority was assigned a number 1 through 9 with 1 being a train with the lowest priority and 9 being a train with the highest priority. I this system Illinois was Region 1 and Northern California was Region 9. The numbers were then combined in the order Origin-Priority-Destination to for the three-digit train symbol. Perhaps the best known Santa Fe symbols were the 199 and the 991 being the hot-shot intermodal trains running between Richmond, CA and Chicago, IL. In this system a symbol being either odd or even had no meaning. 199 and 991 for example are both odd numbers but the 199 operated westbound and the 991 operated eastbound.
Union Pacific's Alpha-Numeric symbol follows the same basic logic as the KCS one mentioned above except that an extra symbol may be added, for example an "S" before the origin location two-letter code to indicate that the train is in "shuttle" service. Because the Union Pacific is so large, having two letter codes for each place does not provide enough variables so numbers have been added in combination with letters to denote additional locations, making the nomenclature a little more difficult to decipher.
Southern Pacific's variation of the Alpha-Numeric system had an interesting twist. The Origin/Destination pair was placed ahead of the letter denoting the type of train. If the hazmat cars on the train met the criteria that made the train a "key train" requiring special handling, the EsPee would add the letter "K" to the end of the symbol. So SP train BCNOT would be a train originating in Barbour's Cut, TX and terminating in New Orleans, LA. The "T" at the end indicated it was a train of "trailers" or an intermodal train. SP train AVSRQK would be a train originating at Avondale, LA, terminating at Strang, TX, it was a "Q" train or priority manifest, and this would be a key train.
The last railroad we will look at is today's BNSF. When formed in 1996, BNSF leadership recognized that two-letter codes for location identification would be inadequate for the size of the railroad. Thus three-letter codes were developed for the locations on the BNSF for symbol usage. BNSF symbols are rather long but the methodology is not really new. So train Z-LACALT9 would be a "Z" or high priority intermodal train originating in Los Angeles, CA and terminating at Alliance, TX. The "9" at the end, like the middle number in the early Santa Fe nomenclature, indicates this train has the highest priority.
All of the above individual railroad train symbol logic discussion is not all-inclusive. One can drill down into each railroad and find exceptions or other subtle details not mentioned here. The point of this material is to give one enough history to begin thinking about creating a suitable train symbol methodology for a Freelanced or Proto-Freelanced model railroad. One thing nearly all of the above railroads did in common and not included in the above discussion is to end each train symbol with a two-digit number indicating the scheduled date of the train's scheduled departure from origin. So for example the KCS I-DAAT that departed on the 9th of the month would be the I-DAAT-09.
For discussion of the train symbol methodology that I have developed, please visit the appropriate page:
