As the movement of freight became increasingly sophisticated in the 1960's, the railroad industry began to catalog freight train activities. These catalogs were titled differently by the carriers Some were called Operating Data Sheets, Freight Train Routing Instructions, or Blocking Instructions. Regardless of the name, they served the same purpose, to identify train missions, priorities and connections.
The Burlington has included train length limits, required horsepower, cutoffs, connections, schedule, blocking, and set out and pickup information for all priority trains operated by the CB&Q, C&S and FW&D. Sheets for local service are included indicating days of operation and schedule with occasional footnotes. Many carners placed tonnage ratings in the Division Special Instructions; the Burlington did not do so. They placed tonnage ratings in the Operating Data Sheets.
This book of data will be of interest to anyone interested in railroading. For those who enjoy photographing or watching trains, it will provide some insight as to why the cars are in the sequence they are in, or why certain movements or cars are seen only at certain times. For the model railroader, Operating Data Sheets will provide many insights to the reasons railroads for what they did The book may be used to develop operating guidelines on your railroad and improve your modeling enjoyment.
Originally this 3 1/2" x 5" book contained everything and operating official needed to know about "Q" freight train operations. We've reproduced a limited quantity in an 8 1/2" x 11" form for easier reading. Even though this book was from the late sixties, it has valuable information and insights for earlier years as well.