How one thing leads to another.

It's amazing how 1 idea leads to another.  Don mentioned that he liked the idea of NOT SWITCHING in the Elsewhere yard, just drop off your train and take 1 of the Trains already staged there, replacing the cards to match that trains consist. Well that would take some time searching for cards using our present card system as you might not find matching cards for that train, for that day. What  if you used cards from a different Day?  Why do we use a system with different Days? Oh wait a minute, why not use the same cards for that train, they could be stored in slots for each track, 9 slots in all, with 1 always open. It would take 9 turns before a train was rerun with the original cards. However as that train was switched the types and quantities of rolling stock may not be a perfect fit so the operator will only switch what is possible. Again this would throw off the day part of the card system. Is that a Problem?  If the day is ignored, they could be stored in 1 box, taking cards from the front and replacing them in the back of the pile. Another idea is to only switch trailing switches each way. The cards could be marked east or west. We could also use 3 cards with each train containing at least 1 for each direction. Yes you could simply use the lower loop and switch your way back to Wellington but then you loose the storage capacity of the Elsewhere yard.
It would work like this. Leaving Wellington you switch trailing switches arriving at Elsewhere. Turn your engine and move the caboose to the back of the train. Put the cards on the appropriate hook. Take the next staged train and switch the trailing switches back to Wellington, or switch your train, swap it in Elsewhere and switch it back to Wellington with its original set of cards.
This idea  should be tossed around as it has many merits.