BRAKIE Bill,This may help you. http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/package/jmri/jmrit/operations/Operations.shtml
Bill,This may help you.
http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/package/jmri/jmrit/operations/Operations.shtml
Thanks Larry, Actually I've been using JMRI for decoder programming but never looked into the operations support. I'll definitly give it a try. - Bill
There are all sorts of lists out there some are more prototypical than others some are organized better than others.
It also depends what you mean by a "switch list'. Ther is the list that yard crews use to classify tracks and then there is the list that industry jobs and locals use to switch industries. The two look very different and serve very different purposes.
Most commercial switchlists are exclusively the industry job type and it is a very small number that generate the class yard switch lists.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
<<However,looking at your layout I would use a computer generated switch list for local freight operation.>>
That's what I was hoping. I'm a retired client/server programmer with 4 PC's at home so I've got plenty of hardware. I just have no idea what a computer generated switch list would look like. Thanks - Bill
Here's a link to the operations page I made describing how I started operations on my layout.
http://chatanuga.org/WLMRops.html
Granted, I'm sure there are a few bugs to work out, but it definitely beats running the same trains over and over and over...
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
cwhowell2 Wow, this stuff is more complicated than I thought. But that's what makes it fun, right? Tony's book indicated that the Micro-Mark Car Routing System is one of the most popular. Is anybody here using it? Would you suggest it for a small-medium layout. My RR has 65' of mainline with two 4 or 5 track yards, 3 small towns with 1-2 sidings. Three to 5 locos and about 12-18 freight cars. Thanks - Bill
Wow, this stuff is more complicated than I thought. But that's what makes it fun, right? Tony's book indicated that the Micro-Mark Car Routing System is one of the most popular. Is anybody here using it? Would you suggest it for a small-medium layout. My RR has 65' of mainline with two 4 or 5 track yards, 3 small towns with 1-2 sidings. Three to 5 locos and about 12-18 freight cars. Thanks - Bill
Bill,Operations need not be overly complicated.
I first don my "operator's cap" with Doug Smith's car card/waybill approach back in '61 and have modified it to fit my needs..Each car I own has a card card and 10 different inbound waybills so the cars won't end up going to the same industry which IMHO would become boring and to routine-Gee,there's that Savanna State Dock boxcar again going to North American Knitting..
However,looking at your layout I would use a computer generated switch list for local freight operation.
You may want to look over this information.
http://www.modernrailroading.com/DigitalLibrary/index.htm
If you want a comprehensive (and concentrated) understanding of 'da rules,' find a copy of Peter Josserand's Rights of Trains. It is a complete, detailed listing and explanation of timetable-train order rules (down to how to repeat a train order back to the dispatcher) rewritten in 1959, by THE recognized authority on the subject, from a 1907 original. (Peter Josserand was a Western Pacific lead dispatcher who was often called as an expert witness in cases where rules interpretation and possible infraction were at issue.)
Fair warning - since it's written in 'railroad - legalese,' it's as thick as traction motor gear grease. But it does provide a clear understanding of why so much of operating an extra train or peddler consists of waiting in sidings for superior trains to arrive and depart your scene.
And yes, since it was rewritten at the end of the transition era, it also includes the Western Pacific's version of rules for operating under TCS (WP-ese for CTC.)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - where the timetable was Holy Writ)
<<One person running a wayfreight dropping off and picking up cars is "operating" the layout too for example. >>
Hi Stix, Yep, that's pretty much what I had in mind. So far I don't have any model RR friends in the area so an "operating night" probably will never happen. But I would like to add some interest to my train operations. My handicap is that I haven't the slightest idea how real railroads work. But just doing some of this homework has been very educational. Always wondered what a waybill was. Now I think I've got a pretty good idea. I'll keep reading. Thanks - Bill
To some folks "operation" means once a month inviting a hoard of people to come in your basement and run trains just like a real railroad with a dispatcher (who often is set up where he can't see the layout) and different jobs. However, it really doesn't have to be that. It can just be running a train that does something instead of just run around and around. One person running a wayfreight dropping off and picking up cars is "operating" the layout too for example.
dehusman Its available as shareware on the Yahoo CarCards Group.
Its available as shareware on the Yahoo CarCards Group.
Thanks again. I joined the group and see there is tons of information there. I'll check back after I read all the FAQ's. Also noticed that the current MR has a couple articles on operation. I guess my timing is good. - Bill
Hi Dave, Thanks for the reply. Actually I am a retired MS Access / Oracle programmer. Any chance you'd be willing to share your app? - Bill
cwhowell2 Wow, this stuff is more complicated than I thought.
Tony's book indicated that the Micro-Mark Car Routing System is one of the most popular. Is anybody here using it? Would you suggest it for a small-medium layout. My RR has 65' of mainline with two 4 or 5 track yards, 3 small towns with 1-2 sidings. Three to 5 locos and about 12-18 freight cars.
I absolutely reccomend the Micro-Mark car cards. It's a reasonably cheap and easy way to get started,although there are still several important decisions to be made and it's not a 100% complete system.
I've seen/read car cards/waybills and even just the way to use the bill boxes about a dozen different ways.
I am at the stage where I've got car cards for about 80% of my most useable rolling stock and have a waybill with at least two destinations for most of the industries (some more cards than others based on capacity).
I've decided to use one bill box for each switching location rather than each individual industry, and I've custom built an 11 space box for my main yard.
I'm still working on several aspects of routing and a way to generate requests for empties.
I can at this point, put together a stack of cards/bills and run a train with purpose, as well as build a train or break one down in the yard. I can also quickly set up a train for someone else to switch or run.
Let us know how you're doing.
I picked up Tony's book yesterday and am about half-way through. This is good stuff. Also managed to find a friend who has a Lackawanna Employee timetable from the early 1900's. So I've got lots of homework in progress. Thanks everybody for your replies. - Bill
For $5 a year you can join the OpSig and recieve their Dispatch Office quarterly journal electronically. All sorts of articles on operations, train orders, car forwarding, etc. A really great buy.
Hi Larry,
Good advice - Thanks. I wasn't aware that Tony had written a book for operations. I'll check it out.
Bill
Bill,There are several ways the best being hands on experience by working on a railroad but,being more realistic I would say you can learn by reading Tony Koester's book-"Realistic Model Railroad Operation: How to Run Your Trains Like the Real Thing" and then by observing the prototype by railfanning especially watching a local crew go about their work better would be following a short line crew and observing them while they go about their work.BTW.Shortline crews tend to be more friendlier..
Suggest you go to "serious" operations sessions and see what it is all about. Check out the NMRA, its respective regional organization for your area, and especially the associated Operations Special Interest Group. These groups organize "sign-up" operations. The hosts are very generous offering the use of their layouts. There must be at least several layouts within an hour's drive or so available..
Mark
John Armstrongs "Track Planning for Realistic Operations", "A railroad, what it is, what it does"
The Op Sig (Operations Special Interest Group).
The Gateway Division of the NMRA.
Rwy-ops-industrial Yahoo Group.
Or ask questions on this list.
I've been modelling for 40+ years and have gotten pretty good at scenery building, layout design and model detailing. But one thing I've never had any experience with is "operations". I tend to just run trains. Where does one go to find out how real railroads work? The popular magazines seem to skirt the issue and only occasionally offer "model" operations. I hesitate to adopt any of the model systems when I don't really know anything about the prototypes. I am primarily interested in short freight trains and actively run equipment from two different eras. Circa 1905 DL&W and 1973 EL. Obviously I don't mix the two. Thanks - Bill