One man layouts operation styles

[Alantrains]

This is a great thread and I have read most of your very interesting replies.

Thanks to restorator for starting it.

I am a solo operator and this thread encouraged me to document an operating schedule for my  small layout (11' X 6').

I don't use waybills or car cards (yet).

As I tried to get a working schedule, I realised that I have too many trains on my layout. By reducing the numer of trains I can now have an interesting schedule that is flexible enough that it doesn't matter if I don't complete a full session at one time. I can pick up where I left off or just run a train around to show visitors without messing up the schedule.

Now to try it out!  I suspect I may have to reduce the amount of rollingstock (Cars) on the layout too.

Oh one piece of advice, you can never have too much staging even on a small layout.

[SeeYou190]

Alantrains

you can never have too much staging even on a small layout.

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I have learned that lesson, you are correct.

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Over 1/3 of the space on my next layout will be dedicated for staging.

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-Kevin

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[Alantrains]

You are right about staging Kevin, and I was right about having too many cars on the layout. I ran the schedule I had planned. It worked very well except for the switching cars part, where i realised that all my switching tracks were a bit too full. So in addition to removing one whole train I also removed  2 tank cars, 3 box cars, two flat cars. a gondola and a caboose. I kept my special passenger train (Oscar and Piker) for the bigwigs to used for adhoc inspections, and I need to add a spur in the loco depot to store them.

Once again thanks to restorator for starting this thread.

 

[CNSF]

Agree that you can never have too much staging. I have devoted fully half my layout space to staging. I have a two-level layout with helixes connecting at each end. The entire lower level is a double-ended staging yard; the upper level is the "stage" with scenery.

[BNSF UP and others modeler]

My lone wolf runnings on my old layout consisted of having a mainline train run around and around, while I focused on switching cars. The most fun comes when you try to figure out how to get the mainline train and the switcher to not collide or hog the right of way. Totally unrealistic, but...

[PED]

My wish is to have more staging area but it will not happen in my current situation. In reality, I have too much stuff on my layout. I love long trains but finding a place to park them became my headache. To help, I wound up adding a lot more track. That helped but now my layout has more track that I would prefer. As a result, this situation has dictated my operating style.

I always have a continuous loop that I can run a long train on. It operates primarily in the background while I am busy running a local that shuttles cars to/from a yard and customers. So far I am not using any card list, JMRI or any other structured process to move cars. I do plan to integrate something structured into my operations as soon as I figure out what works best for me.

In the meantime, the long train operates on the mainline loop but is forced to stop as needed to accomodate the work by the local.

[taholmes160]

HI Folks; This is quite a timely thread for me as I am trying to get my operations plans in place. I am modeling the San Luis and Rio Grande, set in a slightly alternate universe where passenger is still in its glory days, BUT it is set in the modern day using modern equipment. The layout covers the area between Alamosa, and Walsenburg, with a connection to the BNSF in Gallup NM, and the UP in Walsenburg, as well it has branches to Creede CO (west of Alamosa) and Center Colorado. There are several Active coal mines, one of which is modeled on the railroad, as well as a number of real or fictional businesses. Walsenburg has staging off of it, as well as a few "cassette" type staging tracks in various other places. I want to run some sort of operations, without spending all my modeling time doing paperwork, and I REALLY want to avoid the same car orbiting the layout each time I operate. Likewise, I want to be able to "Pick it up and put it down" as I have time here and there. I enjoy computers, and I have developed an access app for generating waybills and car cards (similar to shipit) that I can use. I am NOT (I repeat NOT) interested in a stateful system, as that will take much more time than I am interested in spending. Also, I love the idea of being able to introduce some random elements into the mix (Fires, floods, derailments, Bad orders, empty car orders etc) I would really like some input into how to set it up and make it work Thanks TIM San Luis and Rio Grande