Hi all.
I'm building a small (borderline "micro") HO switching layout and I want to have working operating sessions. I have a mainline going through the middle of the modual-type layout and a few industries and an interchange branching from it. I was wondering if anyone had some operating suggestions for me. I would like to have realistic operations for 1 to 2 operators including situations where the operator working the industries must clear the main for through trains, turns, etc. Any suggestions? Thanks
Could you us show your trackplan so we can see what situations operators might have? If there is room, you could have one person running through trains while the other switches the industries.
Lone Geep
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It's a loop design, but this beginning model railroad ops clinic from my website might be helpful.
Also, this web page describes ways to make a small switching layout more interesting.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
Here is a very, very crude trackplan
Although I'm not sure it showed up
Ahhh I found a picture of the plan I used. I modified it a little:North Yard track and Yard Lead Y were merged into the main line, South Yard Track is the interchange, Siding A serves a brass works, Siding B serves an amunition plant, Siding C serves a textile mill, and siding D is a team track
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That's Scott Osterweil's adaptation of Linn Westcott's clever "Switchman's Nightmare".
It's not clear how you'd like to have two operators working at once, since they would need to share the runaround for most moves. If this is all you've built so far, I'm not sure where the "through trains and turns" that you mention in the first post are going to come from and travel to.
One way to operate this is to imagine that one of the yards is an interchange track with an (unseen) connecting railroad. Then you can switch those cars into the industries and switch out the cars from the industries to place them into the yard for the imagined interchange.
cuyamaThat's Scott Osterweil's adaptation of Linn Westcott's "Switchman's Nightmare.
Yes, I was looking for a small HO switching layout that looked like it would have good operational capabilities and it fit the bill. Do you think I should go with a carcard/waybill or switchlist approach?
newhavenroadYes, I was looking for a small HO switching layout that looked like it would have good operational capabilities and it fit the bill. Do you think I should go with a carcard/waybill or switchlist approach?
Either one works fine. I've used both on this small switching layout in N scale.
I started with a set of three interlocking pre-made switchlists, but then changed to car cards and waybills for a little more variety.
The through trains and turns I was referring to would traverse across the layout from one staging cassette (yet to be built), to the other (yet to be built). I probably should have mentioned my plans for those. Oops. Is there a site that describes how to use carcards in a way that doesn't get boring for such a small layout?
The only place the switching crew can go when the through trains pass through is to duck onto one side of the runaround or into a yard or industry track. Then the train passing between staging cassettes can pick up or drop off cars, if that's what you had in mind.
But you'll need to plan where the switch crew "hides" to allow the other train access to the yard (if that's what they are doing). If they're just passing through, then it doesn't matter where the switch crew goes to get out of the way.
newhavenroad Is there a site that describes how to use carcards in a way that doesn't get boring for such a small layout?
The best way is to have more waybills than you have cars and car cards and just swap waybills around for variety. It's almost easier done than described. Just don't leave the waybill with the car for the same 4 cycles over and over. I use a lot of 2-cycle waybills and pull them after the movement is completed, replacing it with a different waybill or even a different car.