Article on Union Pacific's Harriman Dispatch Center which appeared in the January/February 1993 Volume 22, Number 1 issue of Rail Classics. Dave Crammer As a Class One railroad, covering 19 states, the Union Pacific in the early 1980's faced dispatching its trains handled through 10 different centers. To simplify this system and create a better co- ordination of train movement the railroad's 1983 plan called for combining these into three centers and in 1989 this system was brought to the ultimate concentration with one main center, the Harriman Dispatch Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Using microwave transmission, fibre-optics, and telephone lines, switches are aligned, signals set, and the trains directed through this one building. In addition to handling the routing of trains, the railroad has also made this center the source for calling of train crews system wide. Where once crew call boys banged on doors to round up a crew, now a crew caller brings the cursor on his or her computer down to the name of a crew member in the appropriate area, the phone rings and the message is given, "You are called for duty." This multifaceted dispatch center takes on the role of the brain of the system. Thirty million dollars worth of computers, designed to make the system work sit, in the support house next to the center. Three computers, each operating at 30% of capacity chart the railroad's operation (one each for Western, Central, and Southern). In the event of two computers failing the third can take over the missing 60% and continue to govern the entire system. The whole computer operation is protected by a Halon Fire Suppression System and monitored by a Vesda Fire Detection System. Should an extended emergency occur the computers can continue to operate powered by batteries and generators which have enough fuel (12,000 gallons) stored underground to keep things running for 15 days. Like the human brain the central bunker in the dispatch center is protected by what amounts to a skull of 18 to 24 inches of concrete plus three inch reebar designed to withstand the power of a tornado. In computer simulation tests a telephone pole rammed against this protective shield with enough force to simulate the effect of 175 MPH winds (California has earthquakes: and the Midwest, tornados; the railroad has to be prepared). To continue this example, just like the body the brain depends on centers of sensory input feeding information. Such innovations as satellite weather reporting, fibreoptics buried beside the track, microwave towers, and lease lines from AT&T act as the nerves of the system. Railroad towers responsible in busy areas for local movement of trains can act as eyes and ears helping in this monitoring and in some instances taking an extremely active participation role. That is the scope of this article, the role of the Harriman Dispatch Center in governing the running of the Union Pacific Railroad: how it interacts with one specific tower, the Locust Street Tower in North Little Rock, Arkansas, how the dispatchers in "The Bunker" in Omaha can be aware of what is happening in their areas of responsibility, and how co-operation and teamwork keeps the trains flowing past the tower dispatchers who can actually look out the window and see them roll by. Union Pacific spent $48,000,000 to build the dispatch center (10 million less than Harriman paid for the whole railroad in the 1890's on the steps of this same building) using the site of its first Omaha Depot (nicknamed the Cow Shed). As a further link to the past the steel girders for the roof are original beams from 1875 held together by bolts instead of welds. Surrounding the dispatch center are approximately 100,000 cobblestone bricks, which were found buried under the asphalt covering the area, cleaned off, and repositioned. Entering the dispatch center one is immediately struck by the light from the six ceiling skylights on the north side and an almost rainforest environment. On the upper level almost 1550 trees and plants sit between desks, over cabinets, and almost every nook and cranny not just to provide a pleasant work atmosphere but also to provide a clean work atmosphere. NASA studies have shown that plants in the workplace tend to absorb chemicals and gasses given off by working computers, copiers, etc. meaning healthier employees. Among this forest of plants, situated among a maze of screens, are the individual work stations. Sitting in 37 cubicles on the left side are those engaged in calling 2,000 crews for duty each day. Before Union Pacific switched to two and three man crews in the beginning of 1992 approximately 25,000 calls a day originated here. With the advent of the smaller crews this has been reduced to between 15,000 to 20,000 calls in a twentyfour hour period. Rather than dialing the numbers the crew caller simply brings the cursor on the computer down o the appropriate name which the computer has determined to be sufficiently rested and ready to work. The computer has the appropriate phone number in memory and does all of the dialing. The Train Management has already entered on their computer the train symbol and approximate departure time. The crew caller is flagged on the computer in Omaha that a crew is needed from entries on the computer at the point of origin such as the Yardmaster's office in Los Angeles. When the Yardmaster enters the departure time on his computer he also lists whether a brakeman is required for switching or if only two crew members will be called. When a train is combined such as an Extra-Pedro with a coal train then the crew call office is notified by phone that only one crew is needed. This system aids in speeding up the system and eliminates misdials or time wasted calling crews not yet ready to return to work. The crew member contacted is given the time to be on duty (usually two hours in advance but in some cases three), the train symbol (important especially with dogcatching where the crew takes over for another crew that has died on the law since picking up an LAYRB, Los Angeles to Barstow, could lead to being in Yermo with no clean socks if not interpreted correctly), where to report, and whether they are dogcatching. On the right side sit the payroll clerks who are responsible for seeing that the 12,500 operating personnel are paid (considered an important job by most train crew members). The center is also responsible for keeping track of the approximately 15,500 people who make up Maintenance-of-Way, Mechanical employees, and clerical. While the center would like to do away with as much paperwork as possible they are required to keep on hand hard copies of the records that are stored in file cabinets at the center. Hanging from beams along the side are the Union Pacific Flag, the United States Flag, the 19 state flags where Union Pacific operates and the state flag of Pennsylvania where corporate headquarters are situated. Flags also represent the 3 countries who interact with Union Pacific shippers: Japan, Canada and Mexico. To keep in touch with the history and traditions of the Union Pacific such antiques as a steel safe, plows, hammers, railroad spike, tools and a buffalo head are displayed. They help to remind the current employees with their computers that they are part of a tradition that will no doubt evolve into the twentyfirst century as it did coming out of the nineteenth. This is the upper level, but to feel the pulse of the railroad and observe its moving veins and arteries it is necessary to descend into the bunker. In the bunker it is always night as a giant Nintendo game appears to cover the football field length of display screens that run down either side. The bunker is divided into two levels with the central area occupied by managers overseeing the operation. Each of the three geographical areas are monitored by an area superintendent, five directors, corridor managers, locomotive managers (handle the distribution and utilization of the locomotive fleet) and managers to oversee the updating of systems and to provide any needed information. In addition there is the unit train management and the coal desk responsible for daily operations in these fields. Situated along the floor facing the north and south walls and separated from the central part by clear glass walls are the 36 dispatching stations. Facing the dispatchers are the screens monitoring 10,000 of the 23,300 miles of track on the system (Yard limits and some branch lines have not been computerized and are run under track warrants such as the San Pedro Branch in Los Angeles). The action is divided among the 150 screens that are currently in use (there are 172 screens in place with the rest kept ready for possible expansion of the system). Utilizing rear projection techniques against the etched in surfaces the dispatchers can follow the progress among the 700 trains a day that operate on the Union Pacific trackage. Along with the screens mounted on the wall in front each dispatcher has his or her work station. Each dispatcher has one detail color monitor for close up viewing of the operation, two data processing monitors, one communication screen and one TCS/Traffic planner. The amount of territory varies for each dispatcher from 100 miles to 2,000 depending of the track concentration. The dispatcher can allow the computer to control the train movement or manually assume the actual operation. For instance the computer will not allow a train to move through an area occupied by a Maintenance-of-Way project. To move through here the dispatcher must handle to operation. The dispatcher interacts with all aspects of his control area from train crews, yardmasters, trainmasters, towers, etc. to keep thing moving (25,000 phone calls a day out of the bunker). The display is illuminated by different colors, each indicating the status of the track at any given location. Red lines represent a real train moving in real time with an arrow giving the direction. A green line shows where track is cleared for travel; white indicates the dispatcher is monitoring; blue, people are working on the track; brown, unoccupied track; and yellow, the direction the train wishes to proceed. Each train is accompanied by its code which travels with it along the screen. The train is handed off to the next dispatcher as it proceeds across the system. Along with the trackage being displayed it is necessary for the dispatcher to get a feel for the actual operating conditions. Local operating conditions are provided by weather maps displayed among the trackage boards on six map displays and updated by The Weather Bank, a Salt Lake City company. The company uses satellite coverage to track such items of interest as cloud cover over the U.S., areas where it is raining, current temperatures, wind speed and direction, and chance of precipitation the following day. This information aids the dispatcher in getting a feel for the area (such as the California desert between Las Vegas and Yermo at 120 degrees in the blazing sun) while sitting in the darkened bunker at 68 degrees. Using all of this technology for monitoring and shuttling the trains across the country, the railroad boasts it can run a train to anywhere on the system in four days. How does this look from the local level of the railroad, and how does one tower symbolize what happens on the rest of the system to keep things moving? For that we must travel 500 miles south to North Little Rock, Arkansas, and its Locust Street Tower to sit with dispatcher Dave Helvering. The Locust Street Tower, in communication with Omaha, is responsible for the movement of from 80 to 100 trains a day passing through. Its jurisdiction extends south of the Jacksonville Crossovers to Alexander Crossover (28 miles) and from Mayflower to Higgins. It is responsible for the nine tracks in the receiving yard (which do not show up on Omaha's screen), the two mainline tracks, yard switches off the main line, and the operation of the two drawbridges over the Arkansas River. Anything that moves through the yard (including hyrail equipment) goes through the tower and is displayed on his monitor. On trains that terminate at North Little Rock the Yardmaster informs the tower and the tower talks to the train to handle the situation. The Locust Street Tower interacts with four different dispatchers in Omaha, the Hoxie Sub, the Little Rock Sub, the Pine Bluff Sub, and the Van Buren Sub. The tower dispatcher is on the phone to Omaha several times a day to discuss meets, meeting points, single track, etc. While the Tower at North Little Rock is talking to dispatchers the Yardmaster also interacts with the HDS regarding inbounds and outbounds (There are three yardmasters on duty at North Little Rock. These are the Trim Yardmaster, the Hump Yardmaster, and the General Yardmaster.). If the yard is full he may need to have Omaha hold up the inbounds at Pine Bluff, Memphis, Van Buren, Texarkana, or McGehee. With the longest inbound track (#208) 7605 feet long and the shortest (#209) 7000 feet there can be a problem. Southern and CSX interchanges from Memphis vary from 8,000 feet to 9,000 feet and can cause humping to stop while the inbound is broken up. Problems like this can be anticipated since the CAD will give notice of inbound footage 1 to 1 1/2 hours in advance making communication with Omaha a must. The two drawbridges (Baring Cross and Junction) over the Arkansas River are a particular problem for the tower dispatcher as they sit between locks 6 & 7 on the river. Under normal water flow ships (some days there are six ships and some days none) give warning on the marine radio in the tower when they are approaching, and if there is already a train near the bridge the operator may allow it to proceed before raising. Two trains have priority over the ships in normal flow: passenger trains and mail trains. If the corps of engineers is releasing water under what is called VTS (Velocity Traffic Signal can reach 70,000 cubic feet per second) nothing has the right of way over the ships fighting against or flowing with the increased current. Failure to raise the bridge (they are vertical lift rather than tilt or swing) for other than mechanical reasons can result in a $20,000 fine for the operator and 5 years in prison. The bridges are monitored by video cameras with the display and controls in the tower. Junction, which sees little traffic is usually kept in the raised position, and Baring Cross, where the most of the trains cross, left down. Should a mechanical problem occur with either of the bridges a maintainer can usually be there within 10 minutes during the day, though a night time problem may require the maintainer to be beeped. As a silent picture it is interesting to watch a train approach the bridge on the monitor (bridges and tunnels on the monitors in the tower and in Omaha are represented by magenta rectangles), and then watch the train crossing the actual bridge viewed from underneath on the video monitor as the sunlight goes in and out between the cars. Along with the bridge monitors, the marine radio, and the regular railroad radio, are the computer monitors (CRTs) which display the same type of picture as viewed to the north and interacted with in the same way. On a typical September morning the Harriman Dispatch Center (HDS) turns over to tower control the CNANW (coal train). The train shows up as red on the tracks with a white CNANW printed above it. The dispatcher calls up the appropriate screen on what he terms the work monitor by typing in the code and begins to set out the route he will use for this particular train. Once the appropriate screen is displayed the signals and switches are set by entering the appropriate number. Even numbers represent signals, odd numbers for switches, and the blue numbers on the screen indicate the track number. The planned route shows up as yellow as he makes the entries that will set the signals green and move the switches. The route staged to his satisfaction, he hits the key for transmission to Omaha. In Omaha it will be displayed on the screens in front of the Pine Bluff Sub-Monroe Sub Dispatcher and returned to the tower monitor where the route now shows as green: Mario Brothers with real people at stake. At the same time this train is approaching a Little Rock Western unit needs to travel back across the Baring Cross Bridge. Checking the monitor there is ample time to get it across before the coal train needs the same bridge. As the LRW unit (with its initials LRWM on the monitor over its red lined block) crosses, a barge calls in on the marine radio giving notice that it needs the bridge raised. Halting the coal train the Tower Operator hits the switches that will sound the warning horn on the bridge and position it high enough over the water for the barge to pass under. As the bottom of the bridge disappears from the displayed picture, a series of red lights on the right side of the control unit confirm the bridge is moving upward. With the barge safely through and on its way, the bridge is returned to the down position, the signals changed from red to green ( all monitored at the HDS as well) and the coal train allowed to continue on its journey. After leaving the territory controlled by the tower and once again falling under the jurisdiction of the HDS, the smooth transition and constant communication fulfill one of the basic goals of dispatching; keep the train moving. The 800 employees at the Harriman Dispatch Center and the three who in the course of a twentyfour hour day will occupy the command seat at the Locust Street Tower will work to keep the railroad running. Crews will be called, switches aligned, signals set and the Union Pacific will keep on rolling down those arteries of steel that supply the nation. They will do it using modern technology the likes of which were never imagined a hundred years ago when the "Cow Shed" was new. They will do it using old fashioned gumption and some sweat (except the women who will glow) and a tradition for getting the job done. (Oh yes, and the people on the second floor in charge of payroll will see that they get paid for it.) I want to thank George Cockle, Kendall Longe, and Locust Street operator Dave Helvering for their help in preparing this article.