To launch our all-new operation-oriented series, Charlie Conway captures a day in the life of a hardworking SMS Rail Lines crew in New Jersey. In this narrated show, you’ll discover useful modeling insights and prototype railroad information you can apply to your own layout operating sessions. You won’t want to miss any of the shortline railroad action on Taking Care of Business.
Taking Care of Business: SMS Rail Lines
By Kent Johnson | April 19, 2017
| Last updated on September 17, 2024
Pureland is an amazing place SMS serves all the depots in the park. The first three companies in the park are ADS Pipe, Chilton Housing Products, and Home Depot. To switch these three out their cars are at the end of the train when Conrail when Conrail drops it off.
When the cut comes in SMS unhooks the flatcars first then the boxcars, and finally the covered air slide hoppers from the train and shoves them down the ADS lead. Once that is done the lumber flats are spotted at Home Depot fallowed by the boxcars at their dock. All lumber goes to Home Depot because that is their primary commodity.
Once Home Depot is spotted next stop is ADS Pipe at the end of the spur tank cars going to SMS Tank Farm are also spotted here until the rack is empty. Once the hoppers have been spotted Chilton Housing Products is the final stop empty bulkheads go in wood trusses come out with the lumber supplied by Home Depot.
Once everyone has been switched on the west end the locomotive returns light to the junction and shoves the entire train into the park.
First switched is Bennington Bakery formerly Royal Sugar they take boxcars. Next switched is Heritage Bag, US Foods, Central Ink, and SMS Tank Farm is switched with the empties placed on the running track. There are other costumers but these are the general ones The final two costumers are WM Services and the SMS Locomotive Shop. WM Services has a transfer station near the SMS yard their containers are placed on flatcars and shipped out to the landfill.
The SMS Shops is where the engines are fixed and power is assigned and houses the offices for the entire park.