Car routing methods

[n2mopac]

Well, after 2 attempts I got no response at all about my car card materials question, so let me ask a related but different question. What method do you use for car routing? Switching lists alone? Car cards and waybills? Colored pins? Or do you have some other unique method of your own invention. I'm planning to use a car card and waybill system on my new layout (presently under construction), but am always open for new ideas. Tell me also, what materials are necessary for the system you use and where do you find them (like those pesky pocked-style car cards that I still can't find)?
Ron

[n2mopac]

Well, after 2 attempts I got no response at all about my car card materials question, so let me ask a related but different question. What method do you use for car routing? Switching lists alone? Car cards and waybills? Colored pins? Or do you have some other unique method of your own invention. I'm planning to use a car card and waybill system on my new layout (presently under construction), but am always open for new ideas. Tell me also, what materials are necessary for the system you use and where do you find them (like those pesky pocked-style car cards that I still can't find)?
Ron

[dknelson]

I operate on two layouts that use a computer generated car forwarding system that was developed by one of the owners so it is not commercially available at this time.
The other layout I operate on uses a very old system where each car has about 8 to 10 forwarding options (an industry, then a marshalling yard, then another yard, then another industry, then off line (car physically removed), then back on line, then to a different industry, and so on. The boxes are checked off and and when the card is full the pencil marks are erased. The older method used a paper clip that would be moved down, but that got confusing.

When the car is off line the card is put at the front of a stack in an index card holder, and a card is taken from the back of the stack and that car is brought back on line. It takes several sessions, meaning a good part of a calendar year, before that car is seen again on the layout, and the owner is careful to mix up the off lines so you do not have the sense of "gee I have run this train before."
I hope I made this system clear. It is low tech but it works. As the yard master of the hidden staging I should add that I feel free to exercise a little judgment and sometimes a car is taken off line and no new one is brought on that session. that keeps the trains from being the exact same length as when came in. The other thing is that outbound trains might be the manifest freight or the local, so again that helps keep outbound trains from being the exact same number of cars as the inbound.
Dave Nelson

[dknelson]

I operate on two layouts that use a computer generated car forwarding system that was developed by one of the owners so it is not commercially available at this time.
The other layout I operate on uses a very old system where each car has about 8 to 10 forwarding options (an industry, then a marshalling yard, then another yard, then another industry, then off line (car physically removed), then back on line, then to a different industry, and so on. The boxes are checked off and and when the card is full the pencil marks are erased. The older method used a paper clip that would be moved down, but that got confusing.

When the car is off line the card is put at the front of a stack in an index card holder, and a card is taken from the back of the stack and that car is brought back on line. It takes several sessions, meaning a good part of a calendar year, before that car is seen again on the layout, and the owner is careful to mix up the off lines so you do not have the sense of "gee I have run this train before."
I hope I made this system clear. It is low tech but it works. As the yard master of the hidden staging I should add that I feel free to exercise a little judgment and sometimes a car is taken off line and no new one is brought on that session. that keeps the trains from being the exact same length as when came in. The other thing is that outbound trains might be the manifest freight or the local, so again that helps keep outbound trains from being the exact same number of cars as the inbound.
Dave Nelson

[ClinchValleySD40]

Car cards/Waybills - necessary for active staging - need the flexibility. In the round robin group I'm in, some use switchlists, some CC/WB.

[ClinchValleySD40]

Car cards/Waybills - necessary for active staging - need the flexibility. In the round robin group I'm in, some use switchlists, some CC/WB.

[cmrproducts]

On several of the layout we operate on we use the Modified Pin System. It is an easy one to learn. This system allows for quick and easy set up between sessions and moving the cars between sessions does not screw up the car and card locations.

Bob H Clarion, PA

[cmrproducts]

On several of the layout we operate on we use the Modified Pin System. It is an easy one to learn. This system allows for quick and easy set up between sessions and moving the cars between sessions does not screw up the car and card locations.

Bob H Clarion, PA

[n2mopac]

QUOTE: Originally posted by clinchvalley

Car cards/Waybills - necessary for active staging - need the flexibility. In the round robin group I'm in, some use switchlists, some CC/WB.

How do the cc/wb systems function? Are they the 4 location waybills that you turn in a pocket in the car card? What size are they? How are they produced (by hand, computer, etc.)?
Ron

[n2mopac]

QUOTE: Originally posted by clinchvalley

Car cards/Waybills - necessary for active staging - need the flexibility. In the round robin group I'm in, some use switchlists, some CC/WB.

How do the cc/wb systems function? Are they the 4 location waybills that you turn in a pocket in the car card? What size are they? How are they produced (by hand, computer, etc.)?
Ron