|
|
Post by bnsffan on Oct 25, 2014 15:32:31 GMT -8
Do you operate using time tables, car forwarding, or another scheme?
Do you just run trains and then rail-fan?
I am in the process of building a layout and am curious how others use their railroad.
I am modeling the BNSF in Iowa and am to one degree or another trying to duplicate their track plan, compressed of course. My goal is to run 30 car coal trains with three SD70ACes providing the power. There is an interchange with the DME and I am making it a working interchange. A BNSF coal train will leave staging, travel the mainline, traverse the interchange onto the DME mainline, and disappear into staging. Later the empty train will leave staging, return to BNSF track, and return to staging.
The layout when completed will have an on-line power plant, ethanol plant, and a large grain elevator.
Respectfully,
BNSF Fan, an
|
|
|
|
Post by Brakie on Oct 25, 2014 15:50:07 GMT -8
Since I have a ISL(Industrial Switching Layout) I use car cards and waybills but,been studying on the merits of using a hand written switch list using a small note pad or nothing at all since I only read the car number..
|
|
|
|
Post by atsfan on Oct 25, 2014 15:55:21 GMT -8
Rail fan style.
|
|
|
|
Post by wmrdgfan on Oct 25, 2014 16:33:36 GMT -8
Rail fan style for me also.
|
|
|
|
Post by grabbem88 on Oct 25, 2014 16:34:22 GMT -8
Gomez Adams way
|
|
|
|
Post by mlehman on Oct 25, 2014 18:46:52 GMT -8
I do a little bit of everything with the layout...but as little Gomez Addams as possible  The layout is designed to support operations, although I know way more now than I did then. Still, it's done well. I use car cards. Started with a sequence operations system, but lately started using TT&TO and the fast clock when we hold ops sessions. I operate by myself quite a bit, but it's mostly local freights. I have 7 standard gauge staging tracks. There's also several staging tracks available on the narrowgauge, so it's easy to call up a train if I just want to see things run. |
|
|
|
Post by nssd70 on Oct 25, 2014 19:21:22 GMT -8
I am modeling the Norfolk Southern between Chicago and Cleveland, Ohio. I use car cards to operate my layout. In addition I have a friend who is modeling the Chicago area railroads, another who models the Union Pacific between Chicago and North Platte, and another who is modeling the UP between Kansas City and the Twin Cities. We all use the same card system, and actually interchange, cars, trains, and locomotives between us. NS and the UP run daily Elkhart to North Platte and Elkhart to North Platte trains, so the westbound runs on my layout from Elkhart to Chicago, and then has to run through Chicago, so it goes to the Chicago layout, and finally my other friend gets it at Proviso, and goes to his house to run to North Platte. Now if we could just find a BNSF and CSX modeler.
Doug
|
|
|
|
Post by umtrrauthor on Oct 31, 2014 7:07:18 GMT -8
"Let 'em run" for stress relief  and regular operating sessions as well, often by myself. I have a shortline and operating is "casual" with switch lists. A session can be left off and picked up at any time. |
|
|
|
Post by iccn1000 on Oct 31, 2014 7:29:28 GMT -8
BNSF Fan - Sounds good man! Post some pics! I'm modeling the CN/IC from Champaign to Centralia in 2004-05 (compressed of course) with 30-35 car mani/grain trains. Pure hardcore operations when we can. I'm talking 2 man crews and car forwarding systems.. etc Rob Gruber www.dcctrain.com |
|
|
|
Post by IAISfan on Nov 1, 2014 7:18:11 GMT -8
I'm in the same boat as Rob here. Two-man crews when company is over, but even when operating alone, I use paperwork generated by Railquik, an Access-based application I developed to emulate my prototype's train, yard, and interchange lists - model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/17032 . I love the sense of purpose I feel it gives my operations. |
|
|
|
Post by thebessemerkid on Nov 1, 2014 9:04:43 GMT -8
TV used to be fun!  |
|
|
|
Post by keystonefarm on Nov 1, 2014 9:59:41 GMT -8
I model the PRR's Buffalo Line. RR was built for operating sessions. In between sessions I do run trains by myself usually restaging things for the next session. I also run trains just for fun every so often helps keep the rails clean and shiny and allows me to test out things I may attempt during a future session. ------------ Ken
|
|
|
|
Post by oldmuley on Nov 4, 2014 17:15:10 GMT -8
At the moment I use my layout to pile stuff on...
|
|
|
|
Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Nov 5, 2014 7:12:31 GMT -8
At the moment I use my layout to pile stuff on... Me too, hoping to have a fair sized point to point with branches running sometime late winter. |
|
|
|
Post by Paul Cutler III on Nov 5, 2014 8:32:58 GMT -8
When I had a layout of my own 6 months ago, I did car cards and waybills. I made the waybills in Excel using a "copy & paste" method where I had a 2nd Excel file as a "prototype" that had every siding and spot already created with the normal AAR code on it. So when I needed a waybill for my TOFC ramp, I would go to the prototype file, click and drag the already made waybill with "FT" on it, hit ctrl+C, go to the blank waybill file, click on the open waybill and hit ctrl+V. After doing that for all my sidings (correcting for different AAR types as needed), I would print out the waybills and cut them out (2"x2") on a paper cutter.
Before every operation, I would take inventory by AAR type of every siding and my staging yard. I also included every AAR type for all cars already on their way to all sidings. This showed me what was coming. In this way, I was able to order new cars based on what was already at a siding and what was being spotted there next time. My old 25' x 50' layout had 330+ cars, and I was writing about 110 waybills per session in the above manner.
As for trains, we ran a "turn based" scheme where we had a certain number of trains that ran in a certain numbered order. There was no fast clock or timetable. This included passenger and freight trains, but local wayfreights ran outside that schedule. We used to run 13 passenger trains, 6 mainline freights, and 2 mainline locals (plus 2 freight yards that had local sidings, too). This would take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on how many operators we had (2 to 6).
At my club, I'm the Operations Chairman. Currently, the layout is roughly 50' x 60' with hundreds of cars on it. Right now, we run with manually created switchlists that I create on the computer and print out. We are in the process of learning JMRI's Operation software, but the switch over is months away from happening...maybe years. Who knows?
We run with timetables, train orders and a fast clock (6:1). We operate around 34 trains in 2 hours with a crew of 12 to 24 operators. Mainline freights are all "bridge" trains with no enroute switching. There are 4 mainline passenger trains, 4 local and 6 commuter trains. We also run 6 local freights, 2 freight yards and 1 passenger terminal.
|
|
|
|
Post by grahamline on Nov 5, 2014 10:24:14 GMT -8
Our club uses a regular line-up, real-time clock, and departure times that have evolved over the past couple of years. A dispatcher issues track warrants over FRS radios. We use car cards and waybills to route the traffic around. Each crew gets a half-size clipboard that has a pad of warrant forms and a general description of their train's work.
No one has to run to "beat the clock." The release times were set up to keep the traffic flow steady without jamming up the railroad, and it reduces the amount of chatter on the radios.
|
|
|
|
Post by lvrr325 on Nov 5, 2014 19:48:22 GMT -8
It's collecting dust ATM, although I keep adding cars to my Reading coal/ore train.
Only being 10x14 I started trying to do too much in too little space, then I revamped it and made it so I can alternate between HO and On30 just by changing the trains and the buildings. But it really has no scenery, the last I ran it was mostly tweaking trouble spots. So there's a long mainline loop, a small yard and an engine servicing area, and various sidings.
|
|
and regular operating sessions as well, often by myself. I have a shortline and operating is "casual" with switch lists. A session can be left off and picked up at any time.
