Operating Session Program for a PC

There are programs out there that will route individual cars for you, but you need to come up with a schedule of trains on your own.  For example, suppose you have an eastbound freight come from staging, make a stop in your yard and then continue on.  A local freight originates in your yard, switches industries and returns to the yard.  Finally, a westbound freight runs the reverse route of your earlier eastbound.

The program can designate which cars in the eastbound get dropped at the yard (and what gets picked up), where the dropped cars get delivered by the local, and finally which cars get picked up by the westbound.

The gold standard right now is probably JMRI operations, which is part of the PanelPro module (a free download).  Information and download links are at:

http://jmri.sourceforge.net/

I checked out the JMRI site - -interesting stuff but I think the poster and myself included is looking for more the lines of a switch list type program.  I too would like to see an all around model railroad software for MAC - with a fast clock, inventory list, switch list set up etc - it would be great for a model railroader. 

Gregg,

You are correct, that is what we are looking for and who knows, there may not be one out there. I do not expect to get one for free, we are just wanting to see if one does indeed exist.

Or, maybe I should have ask "HOW DO YOU OPERATE YOUR YARDS AND SWITCH LIST ?"

I'm new to switching and know very little, but have been reading about it (scary). I have found several links that I have been saving, but have not really looked at any of them closely. Probably wouldn't know what I was looking at yet anyway? I will post a few for you to look at. Most of what I have been reading has been for HO and N scale, so some of these links are probably geared toward that instead of O scale.

Albion Software

CTI Electronics

DCC By Design - Not sure about this one?

Interchange Software

JMRI

NMRA Manufacturer's Software - Long list and not all switching related

ProTrak

Quaker Valley Railroad

RailOp

Signals By Spreadsheet

You know a lot more than I about all this. Some of these will probably not be what you are looking for, but hopefully you might find something, or maybe a lead to something else? Sorry if this turns out to be a wild goose chase.

Also another forum member posted a web based operation application that someone had made for them. They sent me a copy but there was a problem. They got the problem corrected but I have lost track of the poster and the thread. Maybe they will see this and reply. As I recall, some folks liked it. I am pretty sure it has been since the 1st of this year that this was posted.

I would be interested in following your findings if you find something good. 

I have been reading a Model Railroader special edition or something about operations on model railroads and also 'Realistic Operation For Model Railroads' (or something like that) by John Armstrong (author is correct). I think some of the links came from these publications. I will look for the exact titles tomorrow and correct the post here. 

Edit: You all probably already know of these, but actual titles were:

"How To Operate Your Model Railroad" Model Railroader Special Issue - Summer 2012

(Magazine like)

"Track Planning For Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong (Large size paperback book)