Big Jim posted:This is not a "race". No one is pressed for time. Do they also not apply hand brakes before cutting away from the train in order to "save time"?
Exactly.
I don't know what their operation looks like, but it sounds like ours on the New Hope Valley, where we have a long passing siding. We park the train up near one of the switches (all hand brakes are applied, no bottling) uncouple the locomotive, go past the switch, manually throw it then move the engine onto the siding, and lining the switch back for the main line.
Then we roll down the siding past the train, where the folks can get a good look at the engine. At the far end, we throw the switch, enter back onto the main line, line the switch for the main line and move back to couple up with the train at the opposite end. After recoupling, we pump up the line.
It was always my impression that this gave the folks on the train a good show of real railroading: Using and releasing the hand brakes; throwing and closing switches manually; pumping up the line.
