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The porter driver dropped switchman Rabbit track-side prior to him crossing the tracks to 'get the switch' prior to a shove. Conductor Mr. Railroad stands by while figuring his next move. When you work the ground you see a lot more of it. Keeping these avatars in mind while running trains helps players engage on the playing field. By the way, the hopper car is a good "rider" for Mr. Railroad and Rabbit to ride on during the up coming shove.
I liken this avatar operating scheme to RPGs, the fun comes when you immerse yourself in the game. Our RPG story has multiple scenarios (e.g., A train coming to pick up a cut and leave to the schedule), roles/characters:(e.g., train and switch crews, Mr Railroad, Rabbit, you & me etc.) And finally, guides/facilitators(i.e.,Train Master, Dispatcher, Yard Master).
Shall we play a game?
A switchman job on the L&N out of Tilford Yard in the 70s took me from the isle way to the game board. An example is coupling speed - about 3mph. Three mph means taking 20 minutes to walk a mile in the real world and twenty actual minutes to move 60 actual feet on a HO layout.
Quickly, two ideas popped off the layout:
1) I would be more cognizant of the game board (nee: layout) and the game pieces when running.
2) I would need to come up with skill sets to actually railroad on my physical pseudo virtual environment game field.
One such skill set is uncoupling from a train with air in order to make a set out.
Here we go: Once the train is stopped, you need to let things settle such as any slack action prior to making the cut. Once all is at rest, you need to 'wrap up' a hand brake on two of the cars to remain on the mainline. Then, its between the cars to block the air on both the cars coupled to the engine and the cars left on the main. To do this, turn the air hose angle cocks on both cars to the off position.
Next, step out from between the cars and lift the cut lever on one of the cars. If the couplers are stretched, the pin won't 'pull' and you need to 'get some on the pin' by having the engineer back ever so very little and slowly to get slack between the two couplers. Now, and this is a fun part, waiting and watching the couplers until you get the slack. As soon as the slack is in, "That'll do!" You don't want to push the cars to be left on the main - remember they have air and brakes tied up. Now, once again lift the cut lever, "Slack off." "That'll do," once the couplers separate enough (six or so scale feet) to easily get between the cars. Next, make sure the couplers on both the cars are 'open' and centered - a professional courtesy for the next switchman/trainman.
On the layout, if making this move by yourself while holding the hand held controller, its relative easy to get the slack. Tap-tap, 2mph, until the slack is in and stop. On the other hand, if you are 'on the ground' as part of a crew at the coupling and your friend is 'on the engine' 15 cars away (standing about 10 feet away from you on a HO layout) and can't see the coupler action, all movements must be made from your radio commands. Using hand signals? Even more interesting!
Once you have aligned the draw heads, it's "Pull ahead about 5 cars to my switch" and once the engine and cars start you climb on the side ladder of the moving car and 'ride the bottom.' The engine knows to pull away at 2-3mph and go no faster than 7mph. "Three more cars, car and a half, half a car. That'll do."
Then, it's step off the ladder and walk to and throw the switch, "Come on back..." and so and so on...
This move takes a couple of minutes in the real world and so should it do in our virtual model world.
Next time, coming out of the siding and coupling back into the train after the switch, and touch on what actually goes on on the field during those two minutes and perhaps we'll run some air.
BillyJoeBobThis move takes a couple of minutes in the real world and so should it do in our virtual model world
If it is your model railroad and you are a solo operator, sure.
But if you wish to do this on a large model railroad with multiple operators, unless you find a way to slow down all the mainline trains that are piling up behind you, you probably won't be invited back.
Seems to me that this RPG analogue would work much better integrated into a 'train simulator' program than applied to a 3D model railroad. For proper "realism" a layout would need moving crewmen to make some of the delays other than tedious -- you might be able to adapt the Faller Car System or that product that simulated an HO scale cyclist to move the switchman up and down the train to produce the effect of inspections, lacing hoses, pulling the pin or applying handbrakes, etc. It would be fun to watch, but hard to model unless you appreciated things other than trains and cars moving.
One thing that might be useful would be a RailDriver-style "RCO pack" to give realistic control over some of these operations, rather than just pretending to turn knobs.
Personally, I think a reasonable way to include the work times in a compressed or 'fast-clock' type of switching operation would be to have a clock controller with buttons or controls that would 'take off' however many minutes correspond to each necessary action. I waited with great enthusiasm for the 'pocket watch fast clock' we were promised circa 2014, and here is a perfect value-added set of functions for one. This would account for the realistic time spent without having to sit around pretending your characters are moving -- until we reach the era we have Boston Dynamics agility in popular model-railroading scales smaller than 1 gauge.
Some friendly advice from someone who played this game:
You forgot to test the handbrakes.
You also bottled the air on your cut. That's a rule violation.
Drawbars are usually straight when you cut away (unless you really shoved some long drawbars). And you should have at least a car length between the cars if you go in between to straighten. Also, stopping to open knuckles is wasting time. Just open the car you are cutting away from and hop on. You can open the other knuckle later when you have to stop for another reason.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any