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What kind of operator are you?

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 8, 2005 10:04 AM
I voted for Railfan. When it comes to operating I generally like to just watch the trains run around the layout.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 8, 2005 3:46 AM
Railfan for now,but every once in a while like Fergie said damn the torpedoes, and let that baby scream.well actually more than just every once in a while.[:D][:D][:D] Terry
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: SE Minnesota
  • 6,847 posts
Posted by jrbernier on Saturday, January 8, 2005 3:20 AM
Well, I voted 'engineer', but I usually run as a 'railfan'. I run a lot of trains as a 'railfan'(while doing laundry), but wind up doing the next 'job' on the schedule

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Along the old Hannibal & St.Joe
  • 94 posts
Posted by cisco1 on Saturday, January 8, 2005 1:32 AM
Normally I'm a railfan but for the next few weeks I'll be a civil engineer working with plywood and sheets of foam. Got a copy of TRACK PLANNING FOR REALISTIC OPERATION and the whole layout is getting a major rethink.
  • Member since
    October 2003
  • From: Edwardsville, IL
  • 103 posts
Posted by KenK on Saturday, January 8, 2005 12:38 AM
RailFan. Anything more wowuld take the fun out for me.

One man with courage is a majority!

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: The great state of Texas
  • 1,084 posts
Posted by TurboOne on Saturday, January 8, 2005 12:07 AM
Hey Paul, how are you doing ? Good poll. I am a railfan as I in for the fun. The kids and I just watch the trains go around and around. As soon as I can find or make a double crossover, Will will convert our 4 x 8 into a 6 x 10 with a upper level. Then we can watch 3 trains go round and round.

Take care

Tim
WWJD
  • Member since
    May 2014
  • 3,727 posts
Posted by trolleyboy on Saturday, January 8, 2005 12:04 AM
I'm a railfan, I like doing some switching but I also like to keep it low key, the layout room is mostly layout not alot of people room 2-3 tops[sigh]. If I want to get conductorish and anal with paperwork somwwhere in the HD is an old version of ship-it,but I do like watching the trains go through scenery the most. Rob
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Midtown Sacramento
  • 3,340 posts
Posted by Jetrock on Friday, January 7, 2005 10:53 PM
I'm somewhere between "railfan" and "operator"--I made some wheel-report forms, but they are all for the section of layout that is currently out of commission and don't have any for my current module-under-construction. So I normally just switch cars in and out of sidings on a 1:1 basis, and not having a loop I don't just "watch the trains go round and round" because, well, they just fall on the floor if I don't switch 'em.
  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: CN Seymour Industrial spur
  • 262 posts
Posted by Dayliner on Friday, January 7, 2005 10:00 PM
Definitely a conductor. Scads of paperwork telling me what each car carries and how much it weighs. The trains pretty well run themselves--keeping track of the paperwork is the challenge! Oh well, to each his own . . .

A poll like this might qualify as a new form of psychological profiling. No, wait, that's kinda scary!
  • Member since
    July 2002
  • From: north central Illinois
  • 124 posts
Posted by jdolan on Friday, January 7, 2005 9:27 PM
I'm a railfan operator until I get my modifications done in about 2 weeks then will move upto engineer.
  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Out on the Briny Ocean Tossed
  • 4,240 posts
Posted by Fergmiester on Friday, January 7, 2005 9:21 PM
You forgot one...

Damn the Torpedoes, Full speed ahead!!!

Love that BLI Doppler shift when ya lean on the whistle.

Fergie

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5959

If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007  

  • Member since
    May 2002
  • From: Massachusetts
  • 2,899 posts
Posted by Paul3 on Friday, January 7, 2005 9:21 PM
I voted for "Dispatcher", because that's what I do at my RR club. In fact, I am the Operations Committee Chairman, so I better know what I'm doing. [8D]

Here's a pic of me hard at work in the Tower at said club:
http://www.ssmrc.org/PA250036.JPG

Now, at home, I'm more at the "Engineer" level, but since I'm the one that has to do all the paperwork...

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 7, 2005 9:00 PM
I have to actually get my layout built (track laid, at least) before I can call myself even a 'railfan' operator. Then, after I get a reasonable amount of scenery installed, MAYBE I'll try learning to imitate prototype operations. But I can usually do that on some of my friends' layouts. Otherwise I want to relax, keep it fun.
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Carmichael, CA
  • 8,055 posts
Posted by twhite on Friday, January 7, 2005 8:31 PM
I'm a rail fan until I get everything working the way I WANT it to (never, LOL), and then maybe I'll start doing some dispatching. Until then, I run on whim. Whatever I want to make up in the yards or pull out of the drawers (storage unit, not my underwear).
Tom
[:I]
  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: SE Nebraska
  • 249 posts
Posted by camarokid on Friday, January 7, 2005 7:46 PM
I'm a rail fan until I get my warehouse district finished. I'm also working on a new 9x10 extension (if you will) after I tear down what to me has become a spaghetti bowl with too much hidden track and places so difficult to get to. This new area will have a scene divider with loadsin/out capability. And a helix[}:)] or simply a disappearing track into a tunnel for staging below.
Archie
Ain't it great!!!
  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Christchurch New Zealand
  • 1,525 posts
Posted by NZRMac on Friday, January 7, 2005 6:56 PM
I was a rail fan until I pulled the thing to bits (again!!!) to make some extensions 8x3 and 4x4 now waiting on some funds for more track and turnouts.
Even when it's up and running again I'll have to learn more on the true operation of a railroad.
Ken.
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Culpeper, Va
  • 8,204 posts
What kind of operator are you?
Posted by IRONROOSTER on Friday, January 7, 2005 6:40 PM
I thought it might be fun to see how everyone is actually operating now.
I am am currently a Rail Fan operator, when I get the layout a little further along I might move to Engineer.

Enjoy
Paul
If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.

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