Operations: Dispatching in 1917--how do I model it.

[SpaceMouse]

I'm setting up my basement layout to be operated by 4-6 crews. I have set it up with a single main with passing tracks and bottlenecks. So I need a dispatcher.

Now I've read that someone set up telegraph keys around his layout and his operators used Morse Code to dispatch tains. I will have trouble finding enough operators to run the trains. Operators learning Morse Code ain't going to happen.

We use radios at all the other places I've operated, but I don;t think that's quite right here.

What would you do?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

I'm setting up my basement layout to be operated by 4-6 crews. I have set it up with a single main with passing tracks and bottlenecks. So I need a dispatcher.

Now I've read that someone set up telegraph keys around his layout and his operators used Morse Code to dispatch tains. I will have trouble finding enough operators to run the trains. Operators learning Morse Code ain't going to happen.

We use radios at all the other places I've operated, but I don;t think that's quite right here.

What would you do?

Chip what about wiring up some old standing hook style telephones, I see them for sale at my local junk shops all the time.. might fit the time period a bit?

like this: http://www.amradios.com/pictures/phone-conn-wall.htm

Coyote

[cjcrescent]

Chip;

I wouldn't worry about being totally authentic, esp for 1917. Grampa has a very good suggestion, althou the radios may be easier. Remember, you're main objective is to have fun, and run a railroad, not to be so caught up in it that it becomes WORK!!!!

[Anonymous]

A rather expensive, but very neat way to tackle this would be setting up a computer, then several printers at key points along the layout, and have the "Telegraph operator" forward authentic looking train order sheets to those locations via a network. A crew would simply pick up its train orders from station to station. The sheets would warn crews of where meets will happen or any other problems along the route.

[Jetrock]

The dispatchers used Morse code, but the crews got flimsies written on paper--the dispatcher would send a Morse code message to the station, who would hand it up to train crews as they passed through. Perhaps a "station agent" runner carrying written train orders to crews would be a low-tech solution.

[SpaceMouse]

Jetrock, Stuck,

I got as far as sending my kid to carry messages to the various places on the layout, but I was stcuk as to what the messages would say. It seems a bit more complicated than a radio to carry messages back. It would further be complicated if my messenger developed a case of Sponge Bobitis and went on strike.

[Anonymous]

To further complicate the telegraph code used by the railroads was a variation of Morse code, so that will further complicate your communication requirements. Wait until girls replace Sponge Bob as a distraction. You are in for some real trouble!!!
Use the radios for your train orders, telephones would be nice but you don't need a whole new hobby adventure building and supporting the power supply and routing for them.
Go run trains and have fun, and if "Sponge Bob" is not enciting labor disputes use train order flimsies and the "runner".
Will

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Stuckarmchairing

A rather expensive, but very neat way to tackle this would be setting up a computer, then several printers at key points along the layout, and have the "Telegraph operator" forward authentic looking train order sheets to those locations via a network. A crew would simply pick up its train orders from station to station. The sheets would warn crews of where meets will happen or any other problems along the route.

I've thought about using this method of delivering TO's on my "dream layout" sometime in the future, combined with a phone party line set up at each manned station. If I ever have the space/time/ca***o build a layout with a 10+ mile long mainline, this plan will become a reality! Heck, you could even pool your resources with other layouts around the country, and hand off trains virtually between layouts. Just email copies of schedules and orders between layouts, with a listing of engines, cars and cabooses. You could even have a master dispatcher sitting in an office 1000 miles away!

[dehusman]

It depends whether you want to dispatch realistically or or not.

If you are serious about dispatching like they did in in 1917, go to Ebay and search for "rule book" or "rulebook" and find a teens or 20's railroad rule book, preferably one from your area (SP, WP or other western road). Next go to www.transalert.com and buy a copy of Josserand's "Rights of Trains". There is no need to worry about teletype or radio or paper orders or computers or PDA's until you find out exactly what you will be doing.

Most people I know who dispatch using TT&TO have a dispatcher in one room and an "operator" in the layout room. The operator copies and distributes all the orders to all the trains and feeds OS's back to the dispatcher. Don't worry about telegraph right now, you have more than enough to learn just to move the trains with train orders, let alone learning RR Morse (which is a different code than International Morse that is normally taught.)

You might also want to look at joining the Op-Sig Yahoo Group. There are several ex-dispatchers and operators and many model dispatchers and operators on there (who can be crusty, but that's the nature of an old line dispatcher).

Dave H.

A violent thunderstorm washes out a bridge and a train falls into the river, tragfically killing the crew. The engineer and conductor find themselves in line to get into Heaven. Its a very long line and takes a while to go through. When they are just about to St. Peter, a person in a white shirt, with sleeve protectors, a green visor and a roll of train sheets under his arm walks right by the line, waves at St. Peter and goes right through teh pearly gates into Heaven. This makes the engineer and conductor mad. When they get to St. Peter, they demand to know why a dispatcher can just walk right by them and get into Heaven. St. Peter tells them, " Don't worry, that guy was God, he only thinks he's a dispatcher."

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse
layout to be operated by 4-6 crews. I have set it up with a single main with passing tracks and bottlenecks. So I need a dispatcher.

Now I've read that someone set up telegraph keys around his layout and his operators used Morse Code to dispatch tains. I will have trouble finding enough operators to run the trains. Operators learning Morse Code ain't going to happen.

After all the comments let us know what you decide. We just had this same argument at the club I belong to. Since we are 1953 should we go prototypical - station masters, telephones at each station, orders at each station, no CTC, no digital clocks, etc. vs. single dispacher, entire trip train orders, everyone with a radio and a digital fast clock. We went with the practical because we just don't have room to have a person standing at each station being the station master....

[dehusman]

CTC was available in the 50's. Its just the hobby is so focused on TT&TO, and it takes a lot of additional hardware, that CTC is relatively modeled.

Also if you are doing 1950's most railroads didn't have radios on every engine.

Dave H.

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Texas Zepher
We went with the practical because we just don't have room to have a person standing at each station being the station master....

You don't need someone standing at each station playing station master to effectively run TT/TO. On the TT/TO layouts that I've operated on, only one had any manned stations at all, and that was only at one busy interchange location. There were phones (or radios) set up at each station, and the train crew (conductor/switchman, usually) would call in to the dispatch office to let them know where the train was. At that moment, the train crew itself was playing stationmaster. At a few locations, the crew would have to stop, sign the station register train log, call in to dispatch, and move on.

Likewise, the dispatch office, instead of working true CTC (which was available in the 1930s!), would replicate the operations of local towermen. Instead of having manned towers, the dispatch office would set the routes remotely, replicating the operations of the on-site towermen in a long-distance, CTC sort of way. As an aside, the dispatch offices usally consisted of two men crews: one dispatcher, and one runner, handing out train orders and acting as eyes on the ground (again, a tower or station personnel function) if there was something odd going on.

[Anonymous]

Whoa we forgot semaphore and smoke signals (from the smoke of burning flimsies). And rule thirteen, all personnel disobeying orders resulting in a cornfield meet will be shot! The sesion could also be started with the sound of a pistol or shotgun, or if Grande is present a burst of automatic weapon fire.[;)][}:)][:)][(-D]
Will

[dehusman]

Regular trains (those having a timetable schedule) don't need running orders or any orders to make meets. The only trains that need orders are the extra trains (those that don't have a timetable schedule). So if you run 6-10 trains a session and half of them are regular trains, you only should have to write maybe ten orders.

The part of TT&TO that most modelers don't "get" is that when TT&TO is working well the dispatcher is several hours ahead of the trains. If you want a successful TT&TO session, then when the session starts all the trains should already have the orders that will carry the operation through the first several "hours".

I agree with Orsonroy, most TT&TO layouts I have operated have a dispatcher and maybe one operator (who sometimes doubles as agent). The crews OS out of stations to the dispatcher. On most TT&TO railroads, the crews don't have radios, they either talk to the operator or there is a "base" radio/telephone at the stations if they need to contact the dispatcher.

Dave H.