OBJECTIVES FOR OPERATING SESSIONS
(Normally held on the third Tuesday of every month)

1. Club members shall operate a model railroad as reasonably close to prototypical situations as possible while still having fun.

2. Operating sessions will serve to teach club members something about prototype operations.

3. Operating sessions will foster teamwork skills among club members in the operation of the club layout.

4. Operating sessions will familiarize club members with the technical operations and skills necessary to effectively operate the Mountain Pacific layout of the Flagstaff Model Railroad Club.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

DISPATCHER
· Maintains final authorization over the movement of freight and passenger trains, from Phoenix to Provo.  All operators must obtain permission from the dispatcher prior to movement of railroad equipment anywhere along, or involving, the main line.
· Responsible for operating block control and mainline turnout toggles on the dispatcher's booth control board.
· Communicates with each yard master regarding train movements into and out of yard limits.
· Works professionally with special agent in resolving accidents, speed limit violations,
and any other fineable offenses.  Dispatcher does not have authorization to levy fines for said offenses, however.
 
YARD MASTERS (1. Flagstaff Yard,  2. Timber Creek Yard,  3. Hill Valley Yard)
· Responsible for decisions regarding the movement of railroad equipment within yard limits. Train crews must secure permission for train movements from the yard master within the yard limits.
· Responsible for operating his/her own motive power within yard limits.  Train crews, however, will operate their own train within yard limits, but only with the permission of the Yard Master.
· Prior to the operating session, the Yard Master will decide what motive power and caboose to operate within yard limits, and will place both of these somewhere in the yard by hand.
· Responsible for controlling all local turnouts and blocks within yard limits.
· May not utilize the main line without the dispatcher's approval.
· Maintains final authority and decision making capabilities with regard to all train movements within yard limits.  (Also decides how all switching maneuvers will be accomplished.)
· Yard Masters are recommended to order all mainline freight trains to leave the main line while switching is taking place, if possible.  If use of the main line is required for switching, the yard master must secure permission from the Dispatcher.

ENGINEER
· Responsible for operating the throttle and brakes of his/her assigned main line train.
· Remains in the dispatch booth to operate assigned train throughout session.
· Responsible for communicating with Brakeman, Dispatcher, and Yardmasters.
· Maintains no authority over decisions regarding train movement.  That job rests with the brakeman.
· Responsible for staying within speed limits, for the careful handling of rolling stock, and for the safe operation of the train.
· Authorized to select the motive power to be used on assigned train.
 

BRAKEMAN
· Responsible for being in charge of assigned main line train.
· Responsible for all movements and safe handling of the train.  He/she maintains
 authority over the engineer.
· Coordinates safe train movement with engineer, dispatcher, and yard masters
 for assigned mainline train.

SPECIAL AGENT
· Responsible for overseeing the safety and operations of the entire railroad.
Maintains policing authority and the ability to collect fines for violations (see end of document).
· Determines and judges the fault of violations committed by dispatcher, yard masters, engineers, and brakemen.
· Responsible for setting speed restrictions for any part of the railroad as necessary.
· Must be reasonably familiar with Mountain Pacific railroad operations and protocol.
· Maintains the authority to suspend any person not behaving in an appropriate, professional manner during the operating session.  The judgement of appropriate behavior will be determined by the Special Agent.

OPERATION SUPERVISOR
· By default, this position is held by the elected Trainmaster for the FMRC. Trainmaster has authority to delegate Supervisor position to another volunteer if trainmaster so desires.  Delegation of position to someone else must take place at least one week in advance of the operating session.
· Responsible for setting up and organizing the operating session in advance, unless job is delegated to someone else, as stated above.
· Assigns job positions for each operating session within one hour in advance of the session.  Supervisor is encouraged to ask for volunteers for job positions, rather than dictating them outright.  Still, Supervisor has final say and judgement regarding who is assigned which job.
· Supervisor understands that the first priority is always to assign jobs to people other than him/herself.  All jobs are first-come, first serve, although job assignments may not be made more than one hour in advance of the operating session.
· If not enough personnel are available to fill all jobs, the Supervisor will assume the most important position that is required for the successful operation of the railroad.
· If Special Agent is not on duty for a particular operating session, then the Supervisor assumes the responsibilities of Special Agent in addition to any other job that the Supervisor is assigned to.

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR OPERATING THE LAYOUT

1.  Official Club Operating Sessions will be held once a month on the Third Tuesday of each month, unless an alternate date is voted on by a majority of club officers at an officially designated board meeting.

2.   It is illegal for any operating member to purposely place objects on the railroad that might cause an accident or damage rail equipment.  If someone is guilty of such an offense, and judged as guilty by the Special Agent or Supervisor, the guilty party will be suspended from the remainder of the operating session.  More serious offenses may subject the offender to partial or full suspension from the Club per Section 4.9 of the Club Bylaws.

3. No motive power with train shall leave any yard limit without a caboose or a designated rear marker.

4. If a caboose is needed for a train leaving a yard, but no caboose exists in that yard, the yard master must request from the Dispatcher that a caboose be transported by rail from the nearest facility.

5. All accidents that involve derailments must be reported to the Special Agent and explained so that the Special Agent can determine fault and assess appropriate fines.  If Special Agent is not on duty, Supervisor holds authority to determine fault and levy fines (see end of document).

6. All decisions made by the Special Agent are final and may not be appealed.  If Special Agent's decision is judged to be irrational or unprofessional by the Supervisor, the decision may be overruled by the Supervisor.

7. Any piece of rolling stock that derails three times during the operating session will be "bad-ordered" and removed by hand from the layout, the only time rolling stock may be moved by hand during an operating session.  Any person desiring to remove faulty equipment from the layout must secure permission from either the operation supervisor or the special agent.

8. The maximum speed limit for the entire railroad is 65 miles per hour, and 25 miles per hour within yard limits.  Excessive speeds will be judged by the Special Agent who has the authority to levy fines for speeding anywhere on the Mountain Pacific railroad.

9.  All rolling stock and locomotives used in the absence of their respective owner during an operating session must have the owner's official identifying marks on the bottom of said equipment.  Otherwise, the owner of the equipment may decide whether or not to place identifying marks on his/her equipment.

10.  All personnel who wish to include their own personal equipment into an upcoming operating session must inform the Operation Supervisor at least one week prior to the session.  All personal equipment must be available to the Supervisor at the club layout site at least one week in advance.

11. It is understood that any personal equipment used in an operating session is trusted to the Supervisor so that the operating session can be set up.  If Supervisor accidentally damages someone else's personal equipment, the Supervisor is responsible for informing the owner about the damage.  The owner and Supervisor will resolve the issue in a professional manner as specified in Section 4.8 of the Club Bylaws.

12. Any Supervisor for an upcoming operating session must be assigned at least one week prior to the operating session, assuming that the Trainmaster is delegating the job to someone else.

13. No locomotives on the layout may be handled or operated by anyone without the permission of the locomotive's owner.

14. No construction or general repair of any kind to the layout or facility may be conducted during an operating session, unless it is vital to the operation of the railroad for that particular operating session.

15. Club members who attend a club meeting during the night of an operating session are not required to participate in the session.  Non-participants, however, are not allowed to interfere in any way with the session.

16. Assignment of job duties by the Supervisor for an operating session will be determined first on a "first come, first serve" basis, and secondly by seniority status of club members present.  This assignment of duties will take place during the hour leading up to the beginning of the session.

17. Any person assigned to a particular job position should feel reasonably comfortable and competent with that particular job in advance of the operating session.

18. The conduct of club members should be of a professional manner as specified in Section 4.8 of the Club Bylaws.  Anyone who is not behaving professionally will be suspended from the remainder of the operating session as determined by the authority of the acting Special Agent.

19. All rolling stock in an operating session must meet national NMRA standards with regard to weight, coupler height, and trucks.  All rolling stock will be equipped with Kaydee-type knuckle couplers that maintain the proper height as determined by a Kaydee Gauge.  Any equipment problems may be cause for the removal of the rolling stock from the operating session.

20. All steam trains must stop for water at all water tanks on the mainline.

21. All passenger trains must stop at all passenger stations.

22.  All through passenger and freight trains must stop at Flagstaff for a crew change.

23. No job position may be held by the same person for more than three consecutive operating sessions (providing that there are enough people to fill all positions during the session).

Potentially Fineable Offenses

The primary purpose of levying fines is to add to the fun and excitement of an operating session.  A secondary purpose, however, is to serve as a gentle enforcement of the Operating Rules as specified in this document.  All of the following infractions are subject to a potential fine during a designated operating session.  No fines levied shall equal more or less than the cost of 10 cents, or one dime in U.S. dollars.  Any participant in an operating session may accrue up to four fines without being suspended from the remainder of the operating session.  Suspension from the operating session will occur upon the levying of the fifth fine during any single operating session.  Fines will not carry over from one operating session to another.  Monies collected from fines will eventually be placed into the general Club treasury.

· Speeding in yard limits or on main line.
· Passenger trains that miss stops at designated train stations.
· Steam trains (freight or passenger) that do not stop for water at designated water towers.
· Accidents, derailments, and/or collisions that are caused by operator error.
· Personal handling of equipment other than normal uncoupling, re-railing, or bad-ordered equipment.
· Transporting rolling stock to places on the layout not designated by train orders and waybills.
· Operating a train on the main line that does not include a caboose or designated rear marker.