Operating Sessions: 3-16-17 update

Looking forward to seeing it, have been looking at your idea.

It's a tedious process. Juggling the thru trains. I decided to add a thru coal train and that requires redoing a couple of things. But I am a little closer. Here are some blank forms for the 6 sessions. I am typing the data and printIng it.  I will proof read, print and tape to the appropriate card.

After head scratching on senarios, deciding on shorthand for orders, checking for uniformity and spelling and getting the printer working I have everything ready to run the first session. I have to get a 2-3 hour house project accomplished tomorrow and then hopefully it's off to operating S1. I have two B6 switchers ready to go.

I won't bore you with all the excruciating details of prep and execution for the real official start of the operations.  Only a few excruciating details this time.  Over the last 10 days, I have operated on 4 days, about an hour or so each day.  Some scheduled operations were interrupted to clean loco rollers and wheels.  I find that assembling switching trains, thru freights, and spotting tanker, passenger and mail trains while enjoyable takes a significant amount of time.  So far I have (1) Completed the start positioning for S1; (2) Built the switch trains; (3) Completed the S1 switching manuvers; (4) Ran a passenger Coach train to its first stop; (5) and spotted the tanker train for thru traffic.

So, my take away thus far is that operations just by myself is quite enjoyable and relaxing especially because I do not have a time limit for operations. Initially I was worried that making up only 6 session senarios would not be enough, but at this rate I will be busy for quite a while.  Enough time will have passed during fishing and sailing months that I won't complete session 6 untill later this year, and even then, repeating the sessions will be OK.  It sure does help that I have finally completed most of the big stuff on my layout.  

Thank you for sharing.  It is always great to get additional ideas.

Interesting,

pennsynut, how big is your layout? Mine is about 15x15 and I am taking notes from threads like this and  ones John does for example. Based on the cards, seems to be big.

Thanks John.

Hokie 71: Thanks for the interest.  This is probably too much detail but I enjoy sharing.  I am blessed with a fairly large basement that is not finished nicely like so many others.  I have an old thread "Not quite a complete redo" that has some photos to give you an idea.  The basic bench work design is a big L.  The small part of the L is a 12 x 24 foot rectangle, with another 12 feet before the tall part of the L starts, extending for 40 feet. The track plan is basically a big figure 8 with 2.25 % grades to the upper level track that weaves over the lower level a couple of times before it returns to the main level.  Admittedly, I have broken most of the modeling rules especially for operational efficiencey but there are other aspects of it that make it interesting to me.  

Although the footprint of the benchwork might support a huge working yard, I wanted to avoid a spaghetti look.  I approximate over 320 feet of track, most of it easily reachable.  I have 7 steamers, no diesels, 65 freights and cabin cars, and 12 passenger heavyweights for my coach and mail trains.

I am interested in what you have done on your layout.  My first O-36 layout was 5 x 9 and to this day I remember it fondly.  I'll search the forum to see if you have previously shared photos.

I have done several op sessions on my On30 layout since it was ready to run in 2015. This is from one I had last weekend. Three is the highest number of people that can run the layout and I think it works better with two.

My layout is relatively small but was designed for operation. I use the Micro Mark car card system (and their boxes mounted along the fascia) with their inserts, which self-resets the layout after an op session if you have a good strategic mind when filling out the waybill inserts.

When I had my first-ever op session, I got two guys who were very op-minded to run. I explained my overall intention and that I was using them as guinea pigs to determine what would work best. I’ve found from running on other layouts that the people at the throttles come up with more streamlined ways to handle the owner’s intent. That’s exactly what happened, and all other sessions have been based on what those two guys came up with on the very first session.

I start off with cars already at most of the sidings, with a short train sitting at a designated ‘interchange’ track representing the line off the layout. I start a new train there with an engine staged in the small yard.

One operator runs that train to the end of the line, dropping off cars intended for the bulk of sidings about halfway through the run. A switcher is assigned at that location to switch the incoming and outgoing cars. Both seems to keep people busy throughout the session.

A third operator, if there is one, will be given a passenger run (one loco and a coach) from either end of the run, which the other trains need to get the way out of. I’ll repeat this.

Then, I’ll usually run at least another train after quickly ‘resetting’ the layout by changing the waybill inserts to the next position. People will rotate to not have the same job again.

It’s very simply and sounds like it’d go very fast, but it normally takes two or three experienced operators at least an hour to cycle just the one train this way. An op session with two or more cycles can run about three hours with a break in the middle.

Last time, I had a DVD of color movie film of the RR I model, taken the year I model (1943) and the operators were very interested to see how close my scenery was to the area in the film. It seemed to give context to the layout better than anything I could explain. Naturally, not all layouts can have this (especially the freelanced concepts), but it’s good to show film of at least operations in the area you’re modeling.

You guys are way ahead of me, I am not up to speed on micro mark cards and waybills.  Looking at p51's layout, reading pennsynut's post, and looking at John's you tube videos, it seems I may not be too far off but I certainly don't have a classification yard (which sounds like fun).  you can see my layout is biased toward accessory / action items.

It appears An option to get into more operating might be to develop a set of routes such as take logs from log ramp and dump them in bin #7 for example (if I had a bin #7).  Here is the layout.  It is basically three loops (072, 042, 031) with the connecting switches that allow movement between the loops.

Thanks for the informative post Lee.  Your layout is well done and polished.

Hokie, thanks for sharing.  I think you have an interesting and busy layout.  You have showcased lots of accessories, I don't have a single accessory on my pike. You can still figure how to  "operate" your trains much in the same way with the same basic switching challenges as a real rr, IMO.  I like classification yards as well.  I have looked on line for designs.  There are lots of elements to consider and space is a consideration.  Nonetheless, we can just use our imagination of a yard off layout.