I think Andy's Gang was some time before the Wild Bill Hickock/Jingles days. "Froggy", the magic frog, would appear out of a puff of smoke saying "Hiya, Hiya Kids!" The camera then cut to what appeared to be stock footage of the audience: All kids laughing their fool heads off.
I'm not 100% sure of my facts here. I'm having a Brian Williams moment.
I guess you had to be there.
Tom
ACY I think Andy's Gang was some time before the Wild Bill Hickock/Jingles days. "Froggy", the magic frog, would appear out of a puff of smoke saying "Hiya, Hiya Kids!" The camera then cut to what appeared to be stock footage of the audience: All kids laughing their fool heads off. I'm not 100% sure of my facts here. I'm having a Brian Williams moment. I guess you had to be there. Tom
We're both in danger of doing a Brian Williams here so I checked Wiki to see if I could validate my memories. The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok ran in syndication from 1951 thru 1955 and then on CBS from 1955 thru 1958. Andy's Gang ran from from 1955 thru 1960. It was the successor to Smilin' Ed McConnell which Andy took over following McConnell's fatal heart attack in 1954. I can't find anything that indicates they played episode's of Wild Bill Hickok during Andy's Gang. I'm wondering if The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok ran after Andy's gang on Saturday mornings and since Andy Divine was part of both shows, in my head I might have had the impression it was part of the same show.
I've been re-reading Tony Koester's book on Realistic Operation. He suggests a simple approach on an oval layout by simply selecting cars based on odd/even car numbers. But he later describes using car cards not specifying where to spot a car but its destination, which may be off the layout and requires a dispatcher to determine a route/interchange.
As his book title suggest, I believe Koester is focused on modeling railroad operations, including as many of the jobs on a railroad as possible. He is not trying to bring a railroad to life by operating it, but building a railroad so that he and other operations modelers can operate one. In other words, he is more of a model operator than a model railroader.
But operations at a the club layout I'm a member at is mostly running trains from one destination to another. Waybill switching occurs infrequently and trains are as small as 2 unit RDCs to 85 car coal trains. So even on a large layout, simply running trains can be enjoyable ... when there are enough people.
Unless a modeler already has a group of fellow modelers who help build and ultimately will help operate the layout, I assume that almost all layouts are designed to operate solo by the modeler, even if there is a 2nd throttle. But I am not suprised to read that most (but not all) of us don't operate our railroads using something similar to card cards and/or have a train schedule with trains running from staging onto or through the layout.
It appears that for many of us, our layouts only really "operate", however we define that, when we share them.
I think many of us find building the layout is more interesting because there are many different challenges from benchwork, trackwork, wiring, electronics, scenery, structures, engine maintanance, weathering, ... and we have a choice of which challenge to tackle each time. Building is fun because it's not the same thing every day.
I think operating with others is inherently diverse. And I realize each operating session is involves a different set of industries and cars to switch. But I don't think a different set of switch moves is challenging enough for most of us.
I appreciate the responses of those describing how they actually operate their railroads. I think for many of us
... but what happens when the layout is done?
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
gregc ... but what happens when the layout is done?
Alton Junction
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
For me, a layout is NEVER "done".......
There is simply a "pause in forward progression".....!!;)
May your freight ALWAYS roll smoothly...and ON TIME!!
NP2626 Truly for me, if I did not have something to build; or, something to wire, paint and weather, track to lay, etc. and had to rely on operating my layout as my enjoyment of the hobby, I would sell off all my model railroads stuff and use the money to find some other hobby to enjoy.
On that we are polar opposites. To me the most enjoyable part of the hobby is running trains whether full fledged operations or just running them from one end of the layout to the other. The stuff you mention is just a means to an end. If I had the financial resources, I would gladly hire someone to do what to me is the grunt work. Some parts of it such as scenery building is enjoyable but for the most part I find layout building to be tedious. If I could snap my fingers and have the layout I envision I would do so in an instant.
What does one do differently when designing a model railroad specifically for solo operation as opposed to multiple operators?
Are there actually differences in design and track layout or strictly creature comforts?
Do certain modelling topics better lend themselves to solo operation?
Maybe these questions deserve a separate thread but I thought I would add here since they seem directly related to the original question.
For me, I really don't have a choice but to operate solo.
None of my friends are into trains. Sure, they like seeing my basement and watching the trains run whenever they do visit, which is rare, but when I start talking about operations, they've typically wanted to go back upstairs.
Whenever my family visits, they aren't really interested in operations, just seeing what I've been up to with the trains. I also get nervous about my brother getting near the controls since he like to run trains like slot cars.
There are clubs around, but I don't have time for that between my job and trying to get my business going.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
MJ4562What does one do differently when designing a model railroad specifically for solo operation as opposed to multiple operators?
as some have already said, aisle space is one consideration. I would think having trackwork and wiring to allow more than one train to run at the same time are other considerations.
But my question was more about how to make operating the railroad by yourself interesting.
It appears that running trains is much more enjoyable when others people are either watching or helping to run trains.
gregc MJ4562 What does one do differently when designing a model railroad specifically for solo operation as opposed to multiple operators? as some have already said, aisle space is one consideration. I would think having trackwork and wiring to allow more than one train to run at the same time are other considerations. But my question was more about how to make operating the railroad by yourself interesting. It appears that running trains is much more enjoyable when others people are either watching or helping to run trains.
MJ4562 What does one do differently when designing a model railroad specifically for solo operation as opposed to multiple operators?
With DCC, the wiring is going to be pretty much the same regardless of the number of operators. What will change is the number of throttles. I operate solo on a double track mainline. I've mounted two wireless throttles on a small cutting board that had a slot in it that I can uset hold the board. I like to be able to operate two trains simulatenously and it is difficult to do if you have to keep toggling back and forth. Generally westbound trains operate on one throttle and eastbound trains on the other. I also have a tehthered throttle which I use at my claissification yard and engine terminal. The layout is large enough and has wide enough aisles to accomodate multiple operators but I have no plans for that.
MJ4562 What does one do differently when designing a model railroad specifically for solo operation as opposed to multiple operators? Are there actually differences in design and track layout or strictly creature comforts? Do certain modelling topics better lend themselves to solo operation? Maybe these questions deserve a separate thread but I thought I would add here since they seem directly related to the original question.
If all I wanted out of this hobby is to build things I would sell my trains and build model ships or NASCAR models.
For me operation is the main key that has held my hobby interest over the past 60 years. I've spent a ton of money on models and building several ISLs over the years so,why not get a return out of my investment?
Why spend thousands of dollars on cars, locomotives,structures vehicles etc if I don't use 'em?
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE NP2626 Truly for me, if I did not have something to build; or, something to wire, paint and weather, track to lay, etc. and had to rely on operating my layout as my enjoyment of the hobby, I would sell off all my model railroads stuff and use the money to find some other hobby to enjoy. If all I wanted out of this hobby is to build things I would sell my trains and build model ships or NASCAR models. For me operation is the main key that has held my hobby interest over the past 60 years. I've spent a ton of money on models and building several ISLs over the years so,why not get a return out of my investment? Why spend thousands of dollars on cars, locomotives,structures vehicles etc if I don't use 'em?
I couldn't agree more!
BOB H - Clarion, PA