I assume most of us get a great deal of satisfaction building our layouts, from taking a design or idea in our mind and making it a reality, to overcoming interesting engineering challenges and implementing solutions. We enjoy the time we spend building and tinkering.
At some point, the railroad is sufficiently complete and we can finally run trains. Since I have a small point-to-point rail, running trains around the loop is neither an option nor a desire. Being a member of a club, I weekly enjoy running trains in the company of other engineers and tower operators, and get to experience all the enterainment value that provides.
For those of you who operate your railroad by yourself, what makes solo operation interesting?
I have a waybill generator and am collecting more rolling stock.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Greg, I operate solo on my layout and I also have 5 or 6 other guys who operate on it about every other month. Believe me, it's much more entertaining to watch others... :)
Jarrell
Actually, I have found solo operations to be much less interesting than I had hoped. I live in an area where it is difficult to know if there are other model railroaders. The nearest Hobby Shop, a good place to connect, is 85 miles away.
In the 27 years I have been building my layout, I have yet to come across anyone else so aflicted.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
I'll qualify this response with the fact that I've never "operated" trains like most of you. The majority of my experience has been watching model trains at various displays. I've never been to a club. I had an oval on a sheet of plywood when I was a kid. I've only had a couple months of being able to run trains - one oval and one figure 8, no switches or sidings or anything. For me, the fun is watching the trains. Sure, I'll slow them down and make stops, etc. but I'm fine to just watch them go around. That's why I don't have lots of operations, but I did make sure to include two bridges and four tunnels. Watching the trains is soothing and strangely calming for me; almost like a mild form of meditation. Of course, the layout is early in construction so a year from now I could be singing a different tune.
Since 2012 I have had enough trackage to do "operations"... I operate with my five year old. I give him assignments while I am driving another train.
He can throw switches from the computer and the analog panel (our layout is half detected/signaled) and select locos from the computer. Most of the time I uncouple for him. Recently he has been able to retain interest for tasks like "pickup five cars from Brendan docks, bring them to Knapford. Drop off two and take remaining cars to Elsbridge factory. Bring three new full cars from Elsbridge back to Knapford.
I am a lone wolf otherwise. I don't belong to a club (though there is one I know 20 miles away). I would rather spend the time with kids right now
NP.
Carnegie Falls, I'm sort of in the same boat as you-- very little prior experience in operation, and only a few clubs around (really, in Chicago? The rail hub of the country?) But that oval I had as a kid, while I enjoy watching trains go around, frustrated me after a while because I found it limiting and boring not long after I finished it. I think what interests me in solo operation is also a calming effect, coming from the rhythm of events in a day on the layout-- not so much the repetition of one or two trains going around, but a more complex sequence, some trains passing through, others picking up cars locally, changing a little from day to day as some industries have goods to ship out. I'm sure I could get that from a club or multi-person setting too, but as an introvert I also work on trains to clear my mind and get some 'alone time'. I'll see what happens as my current layout comes together.
P
I just finished a layout which can accommodate interesting operations, however I spend more time tuning the layout and rolling stock presently. I like to assemble and build structures and am constantly getting new ideas for details for the layout. I started making youtube videos and that is kind of a new side hobby for me, however I am not that social to become a star. I would fall into a camp where the primary interest is not railroad operations.
Operating on your own calls for a somewhat different approach than with others. First, you can take a more leisurely approach. The ops session won't end in 3 hours. You can put down the throttle and come back later.
Paperwork is a big part of any ops session. Keep in mind that much of it is done in trying to coodinate the actions of different people. Same thing with a fast clock. You can still use one, but start, reset and stop it as needed. I do use and pull car cards, but that avoids needing to write a swicth list. So consider what's really need to do the job and drop materail extraneous to the lone op.
Trains depend on other trains, both for timing and to expedite cars onward to their destinations. With TT&TO, passenger trains are often on the schedule and the freight moves by orders as extras, fitting in between the time slots. This can be simulated with starting and stopping the fast clock, running the passengers on the clock, then moving the freight as extra with it stopped. Another really good option is to not use the clock and just operate in sequence.
For freight, cuts of cars often need to be handed off at their desitinations, but you don't want them clogging the yards. I also don't try to service every industry/spot at once. Maybe you do only half, or just the trailing point spurs, picking up the rest the next pass through.
Implicit in all this is that trains interact with each other. The mainline freight depends on the locals getting cars to the yard before it departs, etc. If you identify these place/time interactions on your operating sequence, they make good places to organize and decide when all that work is completed and it's time to move on to the next group of tasks.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Timely question for me. I have been emailing back and forth this morning with a friend of mine who lives 1,000 miles away. We are both lone wolf operators. This morning's topic was about whether we are bored just running trains. Both of our layouts are sunstantially completed. Neither of us is a member of a club. We don't have any friends join us for sessions. We agree that it is a lot more fun to build a layout than to operate it.
Rich
Alton Junction
Sometimes you solo operate because it's all you have. I am operations centered, so I build everything with operations in mind. I also live very far away from any civilization and none of my local friends are the least bit interested in trains. If I don't build for solo operations, then nothing gets operated.
When I got back into trains (this was in 1978) I built my big layout (8 1/2 x 11) and these big dream of Operations.
I did not know any other Modelers in the area so I ended up being a Solo OP.
It was ok but I got bored rather quickly as one can only run a couple of trains and they went round and round.
Our local mall had a train display there during christmas in 1983 and I took my young son along to see what was going on.
They had a sign up sheet there for starting a Club - and I signed up.
The rest is History and I have been a member of the club for over 30 years. I have got to know lots of other modelers over these past years and this is an a Town of only 5000 people!
and we all know Model Railroading isn't one of the most popular hobbies out there compaired to some - yet here we are still around after 30 plus years and still have over 20 members from a small town.
Now I can't believe that a larger City that there ar NO modelers!
Once I learned of the Train Shows is where I got to meet others from 100s of miles away and would get to talking about home layouts and there other were doing Operations.
Some of the Club members were interested in this aspect of the hobby and ask if we could attend - this is how we learned that the real fun is getting a group together and having a OPs session.
The internet has made finding other modelers a lot easier and we regularly e-mail the others from all over the country and these modelers then inturn introduce us to their modeling friends.
And we will do cold call to the more famous modelers and ask if we can join in an OPs Session or if our local OPs Group and come out for a session. We will drive a couple hundred miles to attend an OPs Session.
It is up to the individual - if you like being alone - so be it -
I don't - it is so much more fun to run with a group - BS and swap stories.
So as for OPs - Once I knew a few modelers I had the chance to build a layout specifically for OPs - no Roundy Round as it is a Point to Point only layout. My current layout is over 2500 sq ft and can have up to 30 Operators.
I put out an e-mail and usually within a day or two I have to begin turning Operators away.
Don't rely on a Hobby Shop - this forum has a much larger crowd of known modelers than any Hobby Shop ever will. Get together and have an OPs Session!
My layout is ready anytime!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
My layout hosts regular sessions with groups, but I do sometimes run myself. When you're dealing with a yard or local job, the process is much the same - figuring out how to get the cars blocked, everything picked up and spotted correctly, etc.
There's also the reward of seeing the equipment, track, and structures you've worked on come to life - watching a loco move smoothly, cars roll well, turnouts throwing. Depending on what you're modeling, looking at all his might trigger a pleasant recollection of a railfan activity. It gives you a way to judge the success of all the tinkering too.
Solo operation can also spur you to more projects. Can I improve how that loco runs? Can I eliminate a bump at that frog? Can I tune up the trucks or couplers for better performance? As I stand here looking at industry X, are there more or better details to add? Would lighting improve the loading dock? Could the weathering and ballast on the spur use some help?
Rob Spangler
Hello All,
When I designed my pike it was with the intention of solo operation.
I too live about 90-miles from the nearest club layout. Attending operating sessions is not practical, although someday I hope to have the time to attend.
The first generation of my pike was DC. This was dual-cab control with 16 power blocks; some as small as one car length, with 14 turnouts on a 4x8 layout with a 3% grade to an elevated coal unloading siding ending in a 15-inch spiral loop back to the mainline loop.
The theme is a coal branch-loop in the early 1980's here in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Recalling the rolling stock of my childhood layout I sought out vintage Tyco operating coal hoppers. I've amassed 20 of these cars to date along with four sections of unloading track. Four of these cars are covered hoppers dedicated to delivering cement and rock dust to stabilize the interior of the mines. There's also a small cut of box cars for other mine supplies, several tankers that supply fuel and a rotary snowplow train to keep the tracks clear during the winter.
To say DC operation was a challenge would be an understatement. I converted to DCC and have never looked back. The turnouts are still DC controlled and I managed to add a Wye, two more spurs and a siding for coal loading directly below the elevated section.
When operating I setout a task or series of movements and attempt to complete them. With the advent of DCC, I have a single GP40 with two boxcars and a caboose running on the mainline loop. I attempt to make my movements without slowing or stopping this train.
These movements can be as simple as building a single coal drag from all the hoppers and running that along the mainline loop, to spotting various cuts at the sidings; which include a coal fired power plant, a small maintenance siding and an unloading siding for the cement and rock dust.
I enjoy running consists, even when my pike was DC. With DCC it's much easier to assign helpers to the coal drags up the 3% incline, cut the helpers loose and assign switchers for unloading and loading duties.
All of this makes operations exciting and challenging for a solo operator.
If that isn't enough there is also an "Olde Tyme" excursion train that runs on light coal haul days. This is a USRA 0-6-0 with a Vanterbuilt tender hauling three excursion cars with a caboose. This train negotiates the 3% grade to the spiral loop. When there are not enough guest to fill the excursion cars a "Doodlebug" takes over the excursion duties.
Occasionally a smaller cut of the Royal Gorge Excursion train makes an appearance. It is a truncated train with an F7 A-B-A consist, a coach seating car, domed observation car, coach seating car and a F7 A pusher for the return trip.
Because I don't yet have under layout staging often times I need to employ "Hand of God" exchanges for the various trains.
All of this leads to solo operating sessions that are far from routine.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Route of LION is designed for solo operation.
It is a model of a subway system. It really gets its look as a subway by the many trains that are running all at once. Actually there are only eight trains, but looks like a lot more.
The train under under automation. I do not run or operate trains, I operate the RAILROAD from the tower. I must align trains arriving at and departing from 242nd Street. Trains depart on schedule (yeah, right) and are supposed to be logged by the tower operator.
If other people were to operate with me, they would be dispatchers at Smith 9th Street, Union Square, Chambers Street, and Prospect Park. These are the main division points on the railroad. The idea is that the dispatchers can hold and dispatch trains so that they can facilitate cross platform transfers. This can only slow the railroad down, but would alsom make it more realistic.
MOSTLY, I just let the trains run while I am building features on the layout. I do not know what I will do when (if?) I finish the layout. But then I would start operations in ernest. The "Pause Button" stops both the trains and the railroad clock, so I can leave and come back and pick up the operating session where I left off. The railroad runs on a 24 hour real time clock.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
gregcFor those of you who operate your railroad by yourself, what makes solo operation interesting?
For me a 1'x10'(soon to be 1' by 12') ISL says it all..I have always focus on yard or industrial switching instead of running loops.
To be sure if I had a Godzilla size ISL in my basement it would be built for solo operation unless a visitor knows how to use momentum and braking while switching with a DCC throttle...
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Carnegie falls
I would encourage you to join the NMRA - National Model railroad Association. They have clubs who meet with like minded individuals, they have a wonderful magazine, many of the districts also have a qaurtely news letter. And the yearly calender is alone worth the price of membership ( which I think is real cheap for all that one recieves ) and I have met some wonderful people in the NMRA.
Hope you consider joining.
YGW
I built my layout for one person operation. It can support three operators. Joined a club, but continued building for single ops. Still that way. Three NMRA members joined the club after I did and I considered dropping out until the NMRA guys left in a huff. They couldn't get their way. Still in the club 11 years. Lots of fine people, no NMRA members.
I like being alone is why I built it that way, but I do like being around like minded people at the club.
For me, operations is one component of the overall goal...which is to try to reduce a part of the world (or the midwest or the south) into a portion of my basement.
Kitbashing, buying RTR, customizing, painting, weathering etc..or all ways to an end. Operations sets all of those efforts into motion. Realistic operations is important. I model a branch/short line in order to keep the task of purely running trains to about an hour's length. After which, I tend to find something else to build or improve. And then, after a while of building or improving something, I want to have another ops session or just display run for a while.
Just like building the layout in a realistic way is important, so is running the trains and spotting cars i a realistic way is important...most of the time.
- Douglas
Model railroaders are a little far and few between in northern Nevada. I know a few, but they are scattered all about the area. My layout is moderate in size and is intended to be run by one person...it's DC with a single central panel. I mentioned it before, but I treat my layout more like an elaborate and detailed test track system. I don't operate it often...mostly to try out or test things. On some rare occasions when I get a visitor, I will run it for show.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
Count me as another solo operator who built his layout with solo operation in mind. That means that the aisles really wouldn't support mutliple operators they're just wide enough for me.
I don't know if there are any other model railroaders in my area or not, but I doubt it.
I use a car card/waybill system and find that running a train that way, and watching it perform its "work" is very relaxing and enjoyable.
Once or twice a year, when my son and grandson come to visit they always want to run trains and then I get to enjoy watching them run my layout.
I'm another who designed with solo ops in mind. Partly because of the lack of other near by modelers and partly due to the limited space. Those limitations focused me on a small town at the end of a branch. A one train daily except Sunday operation. Even the interaction with other trains happens off stage at the junction, er fiddle track. Trains are short, just a locomotive and 3-4 cars, just like the prototype I use for inspiration. The only regret is I wish I had room to model in O scale so I can get more of the big iron feel.
jim
Hi All.
I, as well, count in the solo operations roster since I do not know of any other model railroaders in the area. When my wife and I have company over demonstrating the railroad and answering questions posed by the onlookers brings great joy. However, operating solo is a good escape and very theraputic after a stressful day on the job.
All the best.
Reinhard
Joe F
pt714 Carnegie Falls, I'm sort of in the same boat as you-- very little prior experience in operation, and only a few clubs around (really, in Chicago? The rail hub of the country?)
Carnegie Falls, I'm sort of in the same boat as you-- very little prior experience in operation, and only a few clubs around (really, in Chicago? The rail hub of the country?)
There are a fair number of clubs in and around Chicago. Here's a list compiled by the Fox Valley NMRA division, mostly from the north/northwest area covered by that division.
Lots of privately owned layouts host operating sessions, too. You may want to consider joining AmRail.
I'm a solo operator because I want to be. My two car garage size DCC layout can be run either point to point or continuous run. I use a car card system and enjoy dropping off and picking up cars along the route. Sometimes I will start trains at both end points running one at a time to each town on the route. one moves to the next destination and switches cars while the other waits at a signal. Then the roles are reversed. Of course sometimes I just want to watch a train run throught the scenery. To answer the original question of what makes solo operation interesting? I think at least for me it is the same things that makes the operating role on a club layout interesting. That is the challenges of moving cars or groups of cars from one industry to another. The diference is that my solo ops are not constrained by time or restrictions like time clocks or dispatchers. I like it that way.
Marty C
I think enough at work. I'd rather watch my choo choo trains go roundy-round than have some sort of structured playtime. The ability to have visually interesting layouts with automatic reversing loops thanks to DCC helps immensely.
While the track on my layout isn't complete, it was designed (a very loose useage of that word) to be operated solo.It's DC, so wiring was very simple, and the theme is a fairly busy secondary line. Single track with passing sidings, lots of en route switching and a leisurely pace, with only one train in motion at any time. My plan is to operate trains sequentially (that order to be established once all of the track is in service). There will be four interchange points (staging) and one staging area representing an industrial area, both receiving and originating carloads and empties.A typical "day" might include 12-15 freight trains and 5 or 6 passenger runs, but it may take a couple of weeks or perhaps a month of operating sessions to complete that "day".No fast clock, no distractions, and nothing to drag me out of another time and place.I do enjoy the social aspects of model railroading, too, but that doesn't, for me, include operations.
Wayne
I enjoy solo "operations" as I don't exactly run according to "RR law".
I can run what I wanna, do what I wanna, and quit when I wanna.
I don't have to worry my roundy-rounders layout isn't "PC".
My yard is a spur yard, also not so correct either, though not exactly wrong either.
My two spur engine servicing facility isn't so practical, but tis there.
Its what I could fit in a 5.1 x 3.5 foot space. All the space I had.
I would be intimidated by a 17 foot x 25 foot layout with waybills.
so that is my story and i'm sticking to it.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I am a solo operator and like it that way, although sometimes my granddaughter runs trains on the layout while I do some switching. I have DCC so I can let one train run around the layout while I do some switching with another. The layout is only small so sometimes I have to stop the train running on the main line so I can pull the switcher out. I usually bring some log cars down the branch and then attach them to a train at the junction. Then I deliver the loaded log cars to the mill and drop off some box cars here and there. Pick up empty log cars and leave the train in staging while I run the passanger train around for a few laps. I have only 2 towns and they are only a few feet apart so I need to do a few laps for a bit of distance. Operations conclude with taking a train out of staging and returning log cars, fuel, water to the logging branch or the junction yard for the next ops session. No paperwork, just a few logical destinations for different types of cars.It's lots of fun and I don't have to worry that someone is late or has to leave early.
cheers
Al
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
richhotrain We agree that it is a lot more fun to build a layout than to operate it. Rich
I think the above is one of the reasons we have read for years in MR magazine that "a model railroad is never finished" and also why people continually tear down their layouts and start another one. It is the building that many find the most satisfying.
For me, operations is (just) one component of the overall goal...
Which brings up the notion that many find the hobby multifaceted, and operation isn't necessarily the "be all and end all" for many model railroaders, and in fact many enjoy the hobby by building and detailing models and don't even have layouts.
Operating is on my to-do list this year - my goal is to have an operating layout by end of year, even if it is not scenic'd fully. Mine is being built for solo operation but could be operated by 2, possibly 3 operators max. Mostly built for railfanning but operational/switching is being built in to the foci of the layout, the yard above staging.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983