Passenger equipment run on this layout shall match all of the following requirements:
Passenger equipment should meet the following requirements:
Passenger trains operating on this layout shall be governed by schedules that will be provided to operators. Trains scheduled for stops are governed by the departure times on the schedule. Trains are not to depart a station before the time stated on the schedule unless otherwise noted. In addition each station stop is to be no less than 30 seconds. If a train is late arriving at a station it must still make the stop and depart after 30 seconds. Washington, Baltimore Penn Station and Perryville all have arrival times listed. Trains should arrive at approximately the time listed.
Northbound trains are even numbered trains, and southbound trains are odd numbered. (Example the southbound Crescent is train #19 and the northbound Crescent is #20).
These trains will typically make stops at Washington, BWI and Baltimore Penn Station. Certain trains will also make stops at New Carrollton. Acela trains have the highest allowable speed of trains on the layout. Acela and Metroliner trains have the same priority. They will be allowed to proceed in all cases except where there is a conflicting movement of the same level. In this case the northbound train shall have priority. (NB Acela vs. SB Acela) All Acela Express train numbers will be prefixed in the timetable a capital X (i.e. X2150) and Metroliner train numbers will be prefixed in the timetable with a capital M (i.e. M110). Although Amtrak no longer runs a Metroliner service this layout is based in the time period around the summer of 2004, and as such I will be scheduling Metroliner trains.
Acela trains that normally operate on Saturday or Sunday will have a train number similar to this: X2250 (X22##). Metroliners will have a number similar to this: M203 (M2##).
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Intercity trains are the named trains that operate on this layout. They include the Cardinal and Crescent. On this layout these trains enter the Northeast Corridor at Washington and continue north towards New York (beyond the end of the layout). Intercity trains on the NEC may be powered by an electric locomotive or a diesel-electric locomotive. Typically these trains will be powered by a combination of P40 and P42DC locomotives or an AEM-7 or HHP-8. Trains will typically make stops in Washington, New Carrollton, BWI, and Baltimore Penn Station before continuing beyond the end of the layout. Northbound trains will only discharge passengers at New Carrollton, BWI and Baltimore Penn Station. Southbound trains will only receive passengers at Baltimore Penn Station, BWI and New Carrollton. These trains have priority over all trains except Acela and Metroliner trains. These trains will have no prefix added to their number.
Regional and commuter trains will make stops at a variety of stations and platforms between Washington and Perryville, MD. These trains will be typically powered by a single locomotive and be fairly short. They have priority over freight movements only. The stops will be made to discharge and receive passengers at all stations that they are scheduled to stop at. MARC trains will be prefixed with a capital C (i.e. C506)
The following table is a sample schedule extract for trains running on the ICER Layout. It covers northbound movements between Perryville and Washington. The schedule is presented in a horizontal format with the trains numbers/names being listed on the top, and the stations on the side.
| X2126 | 188 | C442 | 50 Cardinal |
C544 | 198 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | M-F | M-F | M-F | WFSu | M-F | Daily |
| Washington | 1900 | 1910 | 1930 | 1945D | 2030 | 2035 |
| New Carrollton | - | 1921R | 1941 | - | 2040 | 2046R |
| Seabrook | - | - | 1946 | - | 2044 | - |
| Bowie | - | - | 1952 | - | 2050 | - |
| Odenton | - | - | 1959 | - | 2057 | - |
| BWI | 1922 | 1937 | 2007 | - | 2105 | 2102 |
| Halethorpe | - | - | 2012 | - | 2109 | - |
| West Baltimore | - | - | 2018 | - | 2116 | - |
| Baltimore | 1936 | 1952 | 2030 | 2040D | 2127 | 2117 |
| Martin Airport | - | - | - | 2139 | - | |
| Edgewood | - | - | - | 2149 | - | |
| Aberdeen | - | 2014 | - | 2158 | 2140 | |
| Perryville | - | - | - | 2209 | - |
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Roadrailers and Material Handling Cars are to be handled on the back of applicable Intercity trains. (Cardinal and Crescent) RoadRailers must be handled with a CouplerMate on both ends of the RoadRailer set. The RoadRailer trailers must be the last equipment in a train.
The maximum speed of any train with RoadRailers and Material Handling Cars must not exceed 90MPH.