How do you operate your layout?

Mine is to be  all automated. I turn on the switch and trains will run. Conventional,forward only. I am wiring it up now.

 

Dale H

I have a switching layout about the same size as yours.  I developed a switching system using poker chips with numbers on them that represent each of 7 sidings.  Using random assignment of chips to cars in a consist I can set it up so switching becomes a challenge as you move cars in and out of sidings to allow for the placement of others.  I use a variation on this to move cars already in sidings and set up a consist on my outer loop. I have two K Line TMCC controlled switchers, A5 and B6.  Also use two Lionel TMCC baby Trainmasters and an R11 for some switching and long haul running. in addition have a Lionel Dockside, 3 K Line speeders, K line Plymouth diesel. all conventional control, that I like to run around my two collecting loops when the spirit moves me.  Roadnames are mostly southwestern since I live in Tucson, AZ and the layout landscape is desert.  My run time is not as well organized as yours and many times I find myself ignoring the layout and then regretting the good feelings missed because of my laxity.

Holidays I run nothing but 3 passenger trains, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and 4th July. Spring is boxcars, gondolas, flats, and cattle cars. Bringing factory parts, and hauling goods from same. Cattle to the Meat Packing Plants, gondolas handling manufacturers refuse, and flats hauling farm, military, or special large equipment around. Summer the reeefers are run. fall, comes the tankers and coal cars. Winter is mixture of freight cars.

Passenger cars I run the loops to relax. making station stops and crossing trains to other main lines, (carefully to avoid disasters). When freight cars are run. Cars are dropped off, and empties or loaded pulled and consist made up for 2 or 3  engines to pull. If only 2 mainline consist, the switcher is kept busy moving full and empties in place around the industries around their docks.

I also use marked chips to decide how consist is made-up. Cards to decide which drop off or pick up orders. Then to sit back and watch em run the rails.

You guys are way ahead of me.  I just have four circles of track. Inside loop is about 70 ft and outside loop a little more than 80 ft.  When my son was young their were 12 switch tracks that connected all the loops to go in and out.  Insulated track sections controlled the switches.  We put a train on, less than 40 ft in length, and start it going forward.  The train would work itself to the outside track make one circle of the outside and set all the switches.  Then it would start going back to the inside circle.  We could stop at any accessories along the way and operate cars or accessories.  Once inside the small loop it would circle, set the switches and go back outside. Near bedtime we would lay underneath some portion of the layout and listen for the train to come by.  Most nights it didn't take long for him or me to go to sleep.  I have since pulled the switches and just run four independent loops.  My son has a 2 yr old who is the reason I got back into trains.
Now days, on high stress days at work, I come home start up a couple of trains and just enjoy seeing and HEARING them come and go, clickity clack. Some day I may put scenery and such down.

Worse case I lay down under the layout and work through the list of all the things I have that I want, and all the things I don't have that I don't want.  Doesn't take long to realize how fortunate I am.  Trains are a great equalizer for me now days.

When all said and done, nothing, and I mean nothing is as relaxing as just watching them going around the loops. The sound, the smell, takes the days worries away. I've actually fallen asleep in the room when they just circle.

II have no permanent layout. I do one for Christmas under the Christmas tree. It is usually conventional and DCS Commander. Primarily it is the conventional Thomas and Friends locos. No smoke unless it is gingerbread and it the windows are open. (California I won't freeze my parents or the house out)

I usually make up a freight train and let it run the loop while I'm busy in town shuffling cars that need to go out.  Once I get them coupled up and waiting on a side track I bring the mainline freight into town, cut off the engine and caboose, and let the switcher swap out the incoming cars for the outgoing cars.  When the switcher is done I back the mainline freight engine onto the outgoing cars (and caboose) and head off towards the out bound mainline.

 

While the mainline freight is running the loop on it's way offline, the switcher is busy shuffling cars to their respective destinations.

 

When I'm not running freight I let a 3-5 cars passenger train run the loop while I sit back and take it all in, or work on a spot of track that's giving me problems.  Using Battery Power I can actually work on the layout without having to turn anything off.  I might have to stop the train once in a while so I don't run into myself but for the most part it runs while I work.

My typical operating session:

1)  Power-up the layout - ammeter pegs due to short.  Find tool left laying on track.

2)  Address locomotive and start train moving

3)  Observe locomotive pushing several cars that I forgot were left on the track

4)  Back train up to retrieve cars being pushed

5)  Part of train enters a switch that was partially thrown causing a massive derailment

6)  Remember why the tool was laying on the track in the first place - Broken switch

7)  Clean up derailed cars

8)  Where did I put that tool that was on the tracks?

9)  Make a note to fix the broken switch

10) Power-down the layout and open a beer

11) Repeat steps 1-10 tomorrow

 

Tom

 

Wow Tom.  That doesn't sound like much fun.

 

I kinda started laughing when I read this.

Schedule:  Run trains in the winter; don't run trains in summer.  Okay, maybe not all that strict with my time, I will occasionally run trains in summer.  But now that Fall is approaching, as I get my layout ready for more regular running, I find that I will need to run my track cleaning cars, real soon.

 

I had changed virtually all of my trains from Milwaukee Road to Chicago and Northwestern last Spring when I had most of my train buddies over for an operating session.  So now, back to the "real railroading" that the layout was designed for. More trains to be changed back than I had realized.

 

So when we get back into place, I'll probably spend an hour or two running trains in the afternoon until about 4:00pm when I head upstairs to watch the news.  Then at 5:00pm the Five is on and we watch that.  Not a very exciting retirement, I guess.

 

Paul Fischer

It was one of those days!  I have been distracted from working on/running the layout for several months.  I forgot that I had a broken throw bar on a switch.

 

Several weeks ago I had a train derail while backing up.  I had used the stray cars to figure out where the problem was and pushed them past the offending switch once I found the problem.  I started to replace the throw bar and got pulled away from the layout.  In the meantime, I forgot about the broken switch.  When I went to run the trains the other day.... Well, that happened!

 

I am actually working on the problem right now while I listen to Ohio State play Virginia Tech.  GO BUCKS!

 

Tom

The layout is still under construction, so only about half of it is functional. More than half of the cars and engines are still in their boxes, although there are 19 made up trains on the rails. I guess for now the answer is, most of the time I don't run them. I need to get it whipped back into operational condition for visitors this week.

 

For me trains have to be going someplace and doing something. They can't just go in circles.

 

When the track, wiring and all the switches are finally functional, and the car card system is in place, it will be time to do some serious operation. The railroad could comfortably keep 10 operators busy. There will be switching jobs, yard jobs, and mainline run throughs as well as dispatching. It will be a busy railroad.

 

 

I am like Big Box 400, my trains have to operate to do something.    Once in a long while I host an open house and just run a few trains.

 

My operation is point to point out of a set of staging tracks that connect to both directions through a wye.    the mainline is single track with 3 major passing sidings and goes twice around the basement and once around a peninsula.   I think it is about 375 feet of visible main.   

 

I run a through freight in each direction that changes locos and cabooses at Youngwood yard and does pickups and setouts at Connellsville.   These trains also set out cars in the yard that are to be delivered to various industries on the layout.    the originate and terminate in the staging tracks.

 

I run 2 transfer runs.   One runs to Shire Oaks yard in the Mon valley and the other runs to Uniontown for a connection with my friend's imaginary Conemaugh & Juniata RR.    these originate in the yard and terminate in staging.   They have counterparts that originate in staging and terminate in the yard.

 

I run 4 locals.   One originates in staging on an imaginary coal branch and runs acroos the whole layout setting out full hoppers and picking up empties to return to the mine.   It has 6 customers on the layout.    All the others originate in the yard and return to the yard when they are done (hence turns).   One runs to Brownsville and works the industries there.    One runs to the connellsville area and switches the Western Maryland interchange track and a couple of industries in Leisenring.    The last one works the various industrial sidings between the yard and Connellsville, but not Connellsville.    Connellsville is a big town and all the trains going staging may have work there.   There is an assigned local switcher, often a 44T that does the work in Connellsville.   

 

The destinations for the cars are set by computer generated switchlists.   there is one generated for each train and for each town.   

 

Finally there are 4 passenger trains.   There is a through train in each direction (to/from staging) that sets out and picks up express/baggage cars in Youngwood.   And there is a local in each from Brownsville to Pittsburgh.   these do express work in the 4 towns along the way.  

 

Then there is local yard work.   A switcher has to make up outbound trains in the yard and classifiy incoming cars for locals they will go out on (next session).   

 

All in all there are 15 trains of various types that make up an operating session.    I enjoy the local switching, so the layout is designed to generate a lot of that.

 

Frankly, I rarely run my trains at home. When I do, I generally don't run them for more than 15 or 20 minutes and most of that time is spent looking at something on my iPhone. 

 

I like running command control, DCS to be exact. Despite having full "10s", I had constant issues - stuck horns, check track, out of range, you name it, I had it. Tried replacing the track, rewired the layout twice, bought a new remote and TIU, updated the software, etc. No change. I now run conventional. So sick of the BS. 

 

I like to generally have some human operated things. Keeps you moving around a little. With conventional, I try to have everything within easy reach of my chair at the control panel. 

       

I wish my layout was large enough so I could run point to point.  I agree with Big Boy 4005, I like my trains to go some place.  ( Of course when I'm banging my head doing wiring etc under the table quite often I do tell the trains to go somewhere &nbsp But until I hit the lottery, I let me trains roll to imaginary destinations... imagination is a good thing!!

 

I always leave my trains parked in the tunnels.  Upon entering the train room, I check for any objects left on the tracks ... i.e. drills, hammers, freight cars, etc.  I then power up a Z4000 and a ZW via the surge protector.  I usually ( but not all the time ) power up the inside main line and let the train slowly emerge from the northeast tunnel portal ..... then the outside main slowly letting the train emerge from the tunnel portal on the far southeast side of the layout.... finally powering up the Mountain Division allowing the train to glide slowly out of the southern portal and over the Bollman bridge. I gradually increase the speed of each train until they are traveling at what I think an appropriate scale speed should be for that specific train... passenger, drag freight, mail train, manifest freight, perishable, freight etc. 

 

If running a passenger local, I make the imaginary station stops at my two stations, but in my imagination each station stop is at a different station along my imaginary route.  I like watching the trains gracefully slow down into the station and gracefully pulling away again.  I don't ever become tired of watching this.

 

If running freights on the outside main, I like running long ( 15 cars on my layout ) slow trains ... usually with two diesels or my Y6b Mallet on the point.  Once I complete my siding off the outside main, I will be able to have a yard loco do some switching as the other 3 trains are running loops. 

 

Running passenger trains on the outside main, I usually like to run a locomotive with no more than three scale cars ... otherwise long passenger trains with scale cars look a little ridiculous on my 17 X 6 layout.  I do run my scale Lionel J class 611 with a set of 5 Williams Powhattan Arrow cars... which are not to scale but still look good, at least to me.

Passenger trains always look great for night running with no lights on in the train room.

 

The inner main loop handles freight only.  Shorter freights of 5 - 6 cars run look good on this line.  Sometimes I run longer freights of 10 - 11 cars on this line.  I really enjoy watching the action created as two long freights enter and exit the tunnels at the same time.  

 

The Mountain Divison has one siding, which is not yet operational, so the train usually runs at a very slow speed around the loop.  I often run a B&O Docksider pulling a flat car of logs with a bobber caboose.  Other times I run a Ma & PA SW 1000 with an open hopper or two of coal and a Ma & Pa woodside caboose by MTH. At other times I may run one of my two post war steamers pulling a consist of postwar 027 Santa Fe passenger cars on the Mountain Division ... which looks good from a forced perspective standpoint. 

 

Once my elevated street car line becomes operational, I will have a street car adding to all the action.  The car will go from Patsburg Westend overtop of central Patsburg and dissappear inside Mount Randolph where it will hit a bumper which will kick it in reverse and back out to Patsburg Westend. 

 

I run whatever kind of train I'm in the mood for.  I have no particular formula.  Sometimes I run a colorful beer train with all 12 of my beer cars, other times I want to run a long slow mixed drag freight of all weathered cars ... which I weathered myself... and pulled by a Y6b or my Western Maryland BL2 coupled with a FA2 dummy.  Others it may be train of all tank cars or a drag of  15 coal hoppers.  A trio of RDCs or a two car local passenger with a steamer on the point.   I enjoy running mail and express trains pulled by a scale GG1.  Also I enjoy running fast perishable trains and fast freights. Whatever moves me that day is what I run.  My favorite kind of train is a mixed freight ... I like the varieties of cars on a mixed frieght, even as I watch real trains.  Another favorite train to run is a rural milk train.... I use my Hoods and Dairymens League milk cars with a B&O R50b express refrigerator car and a scale B&O coach at the end.  Rarely I run a work train ... every once in a while though I get a hankering for a work train and I always satisfy that hankering too.  

 

 Friday late afternoon and early evenings, I really enjoy coming home and watching the trains run.  Just sitting back with a beverage and watching those trains roll is most enjoyable and relaxing.  Good times on the Free State Junction Railway!!!!  Lets hear those whistles and bells and watch em roll !!!!

I'm not sure if others would agree, but I have trouble visualizing many spoken operation descriptions.  Any chance you contributors (and the OP) could post pictures or layout design files to help me out?

 

Chuck

I have always run postwar on a layout between 4x8 and 8x8.  I like to have an outer passenger loop and an inner freight loop.  I'll let the passenger train run and have my freight on the inside occasionally making stops to pick up or drop off cars and to load or unload cargo via the operating accessories.

 

I am currently without a layout, but my next one will have a passing siding that I have two ideas about, either 1) use a 132 automatic stop station or the block signal with the same stop function, combined with 022 switches wired to set opposite each other so that the train will only go on the siding and stop every other time around the layout.  or 2) set it up so I can have two passenger trains alternating.  The freight loop will have a decent yard with a specific train assembly/disassembly track so I can do some switching operations while the is a train running on the freight loop.  of course I need plenty of space for this, so we'll see what my next place affords.

After years of operating conventional, I took the step up to DCS operation this summer.  I power by layout with a Z4000 run through the TIU with a handheld remote.  I WOULD NEVER DO IT ANY OTHER WAY!!!!!  It is like in am in the cab of the locomotive.  DCS RULES!!!

Scott,

    All my O Gauge Trains, Bumper Cars and Street Cars are controlled via the DCS Hand Held Remote Control and the Legacy Remote Control, everything from switches to lights is now fully remote control operated.  You got to love being able to run your old conventional Tin Plate Engines via DCS/Legacy, along with the new P2/P3 and Legacy engines.  Most importantly I always recommend over powering your layouts, for the best operating control.  In my case this means 2 Z4K's 4 OLD ZW's and 2 old KW's.  Scotty we need more power!

Mr UP, add Legacy next, use FasTrack and the Command Control Switches, you will love the complete low voltage remote control package it delivers.  Using DCS and Legacy together is just a fantastic control system, get Bill Ingram to up grade your DCS Hand Held Remote Controls (HHRC) to fully rechargable, to match the Legacy 990 and never need to replace batteries ever again.  

You got to love O Gauge Railroading via remote control!

PCRR/Dave

I just run them. I don't over think it.

My railroad has a single track mainline 108 actual feet long with a few passing sidings. The railroad's operating system is DCS. So considering two or more trains running in dark territory with DCS, there is no way I can take my eyes / mind off what's happening on the railroad to enjoy a beverage or chitchat with friends.

 

Three trains running is the maximum my brain can handle. However, with a second operator we can run 4 trains. The most exciting operation is to have a passenger train enter Woodside which has 3 passing tracks, just as another train is leaving and with a freight train in the hole eager to clog the mainline.

 

For lazy loop running with a coffee in-hand, there is a double track El. I enjoy watching the sparks from the third rail shoes.

My layout is linear loop to loop with a junction leading to yet another return loop.  If feeling brave I run two trains, one on cruise running the length of the layout between two reverse loops.  The second is controlled and run out and back on the other return loop and sent out on the main line when the one on "cruise" will be somewhere else.  At one end of the layout is a 12 foot long length of track where a k-line plymouth switcher pushes an empty hopper back and forth.  At the other end there is a trolley line that circles 2 city blocks.  If I just want to watch trains then I eliminate one train on the main line and just let the action happen.  

I just love to run trains. Working on the layout I run trains. At times through the week I just go up to the layout and run trains. I never tire of watching them........Paul

I have a 22x11 ft layout with 40" switches. I use car-cards & waybills to give purpose to the operation. I have 5 towns with lots of industries and switching, with 2 thru trains to deliver & remove local cars for "off layout" destinations. Lots of fun and it takes about 4-5 hours for one person to complete an operating session. This is usually done over a number of days. I keep track of the train schedule on a magnet board that outlines all the train movements and "jobs" required for the session.

 

The layout is great when guests are over for dinner. We have pre-dinner snacks and drinks up in the train room, with 2 trains running on continuous loops. Very relaxing atmosphere.

 

I like the idea of running trains in the morning while having coffee. I will have to try that this fall, as "train season" is fast approaching.

 

Joe K

Amen, brother!

Let me add one more thing about the DCS world of operation.  on my outside loop (8' x 18' with 072 curves) I get my passenger train going and a freight train at the same time!!!  I was never able to pull that off in conventional operation.  Ha!  I learned a valuable lesson last night.  my inside loop has a 90 crossover.  I got train number one going on the inside loop, then I pulled train number two from the siding and had them both going...until I realized train one was too long and train two hit train one while train one was in the crossover.  No damage done...the derail crew was called in and cleaned it up in short order.  I have a large collection of Lionel postwar stuff I inherited from by granddad.  I have a separate upper loop that I use exclusively for operating the postwar stuff.  Typical operation session...cup of coffee in one hand DCS controller in the other.

DCS, Legacy and conventional

 

I don't have a huge layout, but I'm able to operate with some degree of realism.  I'm able to take specific locomotives from the two stall Hornby engine shed, run them on the inside loop and through the crossover and hitch up to either a passenger consist on the Union Station sidings or a cut of freight cars left on a siding off the main line.  It's always a challenge to perform these moves with MTH electro-couplers.It's much easier at the end of the session to uncouple the consists and move the locomotives back to the engine shed.

 

Other times I'll operate trolleys on 3 different routes including a bump & go.

 

lewrail

 

lewrail

Run two trains counterclockwise and one clockwise.  Hope there are NO PILE UPs?  Been lucky so far?

Tom. I looked in my garage to see if you were there.

 

Brent

Scott

 

I have absolutely no logic or pattern when playing with my fantasy railroad.

 

I fire them up, and ALWAYS keep a good fire extinguisher handy.

 

Larry

 

Still as always having fun!

 

 

 

All great responses. Thanks! I sure would love to see some of these larger layouts in operation. Learned a lot about real ops too. As a card carrying over-thinker I'll have to take the time to learn a card system or two.

Scott, pick up a copy of the new OGR DVD that will be released in October.  Prototypical operation on my Pennsylvania & Western will be prominently featured. 

That DVD is definitely on my York list.  From what I've seen, Bob's layout is fabulous.

 

George

Right now I'm running On30 on a small layout located in my garage. What operation I do is mainly limited to switching freight cars out of my train into one of the sidings. 

 

 

Jeff C

John,

Those are Pioneer Valley card stock building parts I used to make a 2" wide fascia.