I've built a long 4-track staging yard that will be hidden from view. It will be "accessible" through liftoff scenery sections, but not generally visible.
How do the rest of you keep "track" of where you've staged trains? I'm thinking of a whiteboard with dry-erase markers, but are there other methods? At a minimum, I'd like the engine number and some vague idea of what kind of train it is - passenger, mixed freight, coal drag, etc.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
While my staging is on the lower level, it's not completely hidden. In any case, I sue 4x6 index cards listing lead engine # and a genereal 2-3 word description of what type of train (mixed freight, intermodal, etc...). I post this right by dispatchers panel, so I know what needs to be moved and what track it's on..
Neal M.
Will need to do something when I start my next layout - I was thinking just have a bill box there with a slot for each track and put the train's waybills and train sheet there.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
MisterBeasleyI'm thinking of a whiteboard with dry-erase markers
Come on, Mr. B. - this is the digital age! You can do much better than a whiteboard and markers. Install a cheap video device and a monitor integrated into the facia of your layout and you can actually see the trains, identify them and also check for any problems.
My staging tracks have four CCTV cameras watching, two at each end so I can watch their progress and see when they are clear of the turnouts. While convenient for seeing the train location it doesn't help much when I want to address the lead engine, which may be weeks—or sometimes—even months later. Generally I can only get a "top-down" view so seeing the engine number is not all that practical.
Same deal in the roundhouse! When the engines are in their stalls I really could not keep track of which engine is where and often the number is impossible to read on the back of the tender without a "scope" of some kind. Cameras in the roundhouse, positioned to see every engine number would be impractical, to say the least!
My solution was to make a 1" label which slips into these magnetic "C" channel label holders. I have white boards in a few places that are backed with sheet-metal. At a glance I can see which stalls are occupied and by which engine number. The magnetic holders are easy to shuffle around as the situation changes on the layout.
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Channel-Label-Holders-Holder/dp/B00895UL1Q
My ultimate goal is to have one for each locomotive. I started out with color coding, Blue for NKP, Red for PRR, Green for NYC, etc. but some of the label colors got hard to find so that idea may be phased out.
I suppose you could have a few additional labels (magnetic holders) for the type of train, i.e. empty hoppers, loaded hopper, merchandise, mail & express, etc. and if you really want to get fancy, make one up with your caboode numbers, too. You can have an instant graphic representation of your complete train.
Even lacking a label maker you could use color-coded card stock and marker.
The other benefit they have is to designate the lead engine and trailing units so I can remember which DCC engine is addressed as "top" in my M-U consisting.
I'll try to grab a photo and post it so you can see what I'm suggesting.
I painted this metal plate with high gloss white paint. It doubles as a dry-mark board, too, so I can make quick notes on it if needed. At the bottom are smaller ½" magnetic labels that work well, too. You can get rolls of magnetic "tape" and place your labels directly on them.
At some of the office supply places the prices are pretty steep for these holders. I don't recall but I'm pretty sure I found them on Amazon. My label maker 1" tape slips into the channel very nicely.
Just an idea but it works for me...
Good Luck, Ed
My lower level staging is 3 to 6 inches below the main deck with trains staged elephant style (one behind the other) on a double track 90 foot long reversing loop. With one track loaded and one empty the sides of the locos are visible (with a flashlight) so I can confirm the numbers if I need to. The staging on the upper deck is behind a 4 to 6 inch high backdrop/viewblock and I need a step stool to get high enough to read the loco numbers. I have mirrors strategically located so the staging turnouts/clearance points can be seen. Where I have more than one slot for staging multiple trains on a single track, I have 6 to 8 inch long area painted bright yellow that shows operators where to stop the caboose.
For operating sessions I use an operations sequence sheet that lists each train number <DCC number> origin location (track or slot if in staging) and destination location. For locos that originate or terminate at the engine terminal the specific track number is listed. Keep it simple, "old school" methods that work well.
Grinnell
Sir Madog MisterBeasley I'm thinking of a whiteboard with dry-erase markers Come on, Mr. B. - this is the digital age! You can do much better than a whiteboard and markers. Install a cheap video device and a monitor integrated into the facia of your layout and you can actually see the trains, identify them and also check for any problems.
MisterBeasley I'm thinking of a whiteboard with dry-erase markers
Sometimes oldschool can make less costly and simple - you could spend more money buying and faffing about with technology when something simple like the white board may be cheaper and elegantly simpler too.
My cheap method is to visually look and see - my staging yards are all vible from the sides. I could do with some cheap LED lighting cause it's kinda dark but otherwise I can pretty much see the trains ok. (staging is 11 tracks deep and ranging from 13 to 22 feet long.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
The problem with a whiteboard is forgetting to make an entry thereon.
With video, what you see is what you have. Well, that and maybe being sure not to over-run a switch.
Ed
If you can arrange it, staging that is easily available for inspection with the eye is the cheapest and most reliable method. Not always possible or the best use of our space, depending on a lot of things that may be beyond the control of the user.
7j43kThe problem with a whiteboard is forgetting to make an entry thereon.
Yeah, that's the truth. While it affects everyone differently, many of us are at the age where we struggle with CRS. I started off like this in my staging.
I ended up with just the small shelf at the bottom to the rear of the tracks, as keeping the white board up to date is a chore. You can see my packs of train car cards and other paperwork lined up on the small shelf. Here's what each breaks down to. A clip with the lead loco in the consist on a magnetic strip; the train card; and the car cards. I tuck a switchlist in depending on the train.
But CCTV should be considered as a supplement in many cases because it's useful for other staging operations like getting the train spotted clear of interference to others; spotting derailments and other issues, and even figureing out which way the train is headed.This is my monitor bank at its old location before it was moved to a better spot.
Obviously, there are other solution to all these problems, but you can often kill a lot of those birds with a single stone with CCTV. Likewise, although these systems used to seem pricey, they're fairly reasonable now. Combined with the multiple uses they serve, this makes the value more apparent.
Among the most interesting features of many CCTV home security packages now is realtime monitoring via wifi and your smart phone. Since many now use WiThrottle or other apps for operating, you've got monitoring of staging right in hand when you need it and don't have to worry so much about where the monitors go in the layout room so all can see.
Newer systems are generally some form of HD, so it's a lot easier to set things up so you can even read unit #s via CCTV if you arrange things right.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Now I'm hoping someone with more experience might jump in here, but JMRI supports webcams, no? Seems like a cheap and easy way to watch staging. Cheap cameras, free software, one $60 gizmo to connect to DCC...
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
I have a file box which has file guides to represent each track. The car cards for each train go in there. My staging yard is visible but if it wasn’t I would use an infrared security camera hooked up to a monitor to see it. You can get discount priced cameras at the Harbor store and find an old tv at a garage sale or maybe already in your own garage.
MisterBeasley I've built a long 4-track staging yard that will be hidden from view. It will be "accessible" through liftoff scenery sections, but not generally visible. How do the rest of you keep "track" of where you've staged trains? I'm thinking of a whiteboard with dry-erase markers, but are there other methods? At a minimum, I'd like the engine number and some vague idea of what kind of train it is - passenger, mixed freight, coal drag, etc.
I use the car card/waybill operating system and card boxes attached to the fascia. Each train has a stack of cards including one for the loco. There is a seperate slot in each box for each staging track so when a train enters staging I just drop the cards bound with a rubber band into the appropriate slot. Since I have a card for each loco as well I use a similar method to keep track of the locos in the roundhouse. Not all of the steamers have the road number on the back of the tender so this helps keep the roundhouse straight.
I got my car/loco cards, waybills, and card boxes through Micro Mark.
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.
This is my staging yard, without the scenic covers:
Right now, I've got the scenic covers in place.
The covers are removable in 2-foot sections, and there will be "cliffs" on the outside, so it's not going to be a "hands-on" staging area. Cheap video cameras seem like a good idea, but it will be dark and there's very little clearance above the trains.
MisterBeasleyCheap video cameras seem like a good idea, but it will be dark and there's very little clearance above the trains.
Hi MrB
Unless you are down to '0' clearance above the trains you could use LED strip lighting. If you do go that route I would suggest building in some sort of voltage control because at full brightness the LEDs might be too bright for the camera and wash out the images.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I plan on building some sensors with Arduinos to track physical position in the staging - so I know when the tail is clear of the fouling point and the head has not yet passed and it is a good time to stop your train. ANd also keep track of what tracks have a train on them and possible lock out the occupied tracks in the entrance side so you can't switch a train into an already occupied track. But, you could always walk around into the other room where the staging is and just look (although that wrecks the illusion). It gets more complicated because I will probably need to us eserial staging. The staging loops are oblong teardrops at each end of the layout, one above the other, and I just do not have enough room to add as many tracks as I would need, however each one is longer than the typical train length, so I could put 2 trains on each. I don;t see this as a big deal, you just have to set things up such that the train in front is the first called.
LION uses an automatic train stop. Assumes the engine is in the lead. A gap stops the train.
OK, this is important to my scheme, for the train always stops in the same spot.
So the lion uses a feather. whale maybe a drinking straw, but I still call it a feather. It is attached to a micro switch and the engine pushes it to make contact when it is present. It is long enough so that the engine does not pass beyond the end of the straw, thus it can back out without difficult.
End of problem, althouh the LION does use a more complicated system in other places.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS