Train Running Routines?

For most of the year, I prefer late afternoons and early evenings for train running as it allows me to enjoy the “noise”. We are approaching the time of year where I have an exception to this routine though.

Once the leaves have dropped from the trees in the ravine along the south side of our house, we get some great sunshine coming in the basement windows. For some reason the Fall “tint” of that sunlight reminds me of the sun playing through the trees when riding the train home for a Fall weekend, Thanksgiving or Christmas while I was in college. This puts me in a nostalgic mood and I like running trains mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

Curt

I don't have much in the way routine for when I run them.

But I definitely have scenarios on my test table that I run. I usually will switch hot metal cars from the line where the blast furnace would be, completely around the table. But it's interesting because there is a locomotive with a minimum curve of 0-72 so I have to contend with that. It's exciting! I do the same thing with the coal cars.

@juniata guy posted:

For most of the year, I prefer late afternoons and early evenings for train running as it allows me to enjoy the “noise”. We are approaching the time of year where I have an exception to this routine though.

Once the leaves have dropped from the trees in the ravine along the south side of our house, we get some great sunshine coming in the basement windows. For some reason the Fall “tint” of that sunlight reminds me of the sun playing through the trees when riding the train home for a Fall weekend, Thanksgiving or Christmas while I was in college. This puts me in a nostalgic mood and I like running trains mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

Curt

I relate to what you say, Curtis, especially about how sunlight enhances our enjoyment while running our trains. Arnold

I like to run in the morning, sunlight floods my den (where I run my trains) at that time of day so its easiest to appreciate the details.  Better yet while enjoying a cup of coffee.  Besides, all the chuffing, puffing, bells, and whistles is a great way to wake up my college aged kids when they are home visiting for the holidays.    Even though none of my kids are train hobbyists, dad running trains has become an endearing part of Christmas for my family! 

Fun and interesting topic as usual Arnold!

I often (but not always) put a CD of train sounds on the sound system while I am running trains. Some of my favorites are "Time Freight", issued by the O. Winston Link Museum (on-train recordings of N&W Class A locomotives in service east of Roanoke), and "Sounds of Santa Fe Steam Locomotives", issued by the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modelling Society.

Other times, I will play many types of music while train running. Depending upon my mood, it can be anything from rock, blues, or jazz to classical or ethnic music. I really enjoy big band music.

Sometimes, I just let the trains make their own sounds on the tubular track.

Great fun.

@BillYo414 posted:

I don't have much in the way routine for when I run them.

But I definitely have scenarios on my test table that I run.

Same here.  No routine but when I do run trains I am doing more switching scenarios lately then just running the trains in a loop. 

I use "The Spinner Wheel" and simplified car cards described in Eugene Villaret's Realistic Revenue Operations for Model Railroads.  Well, maybe not that relaxing when the wheel gives me a hard assignment

@CAPPilot posted:

Same here.  No routine but when I do run trains I am doing more switching scenarios lately then just running the trains in a loop.

I use "The Spinner Wheel" and simplified car cards described in Eugene Villaret's Realistic Revenue Operations for Model Railroads.  Well, maybe not that relaxing when the wheel gives me a hard assignment

Sometimes, when I'm not tired or sipping, I like to set a short train going slowly around the loop. Then I try to switch without causing havoc. It makes it exciting!

I like the spinner wheel! Effective, batteries never die, doesn't repeat often, etc. It's a good system to be perfectly honest!

During my morning train runs, sunlight mingling with smoke from a locomotive can provide stunning images as shown in this short video:

Arnold

My mid-day train running routine includes running trains with big smoke and sounds, like this MTH PS1 Jersey Central Trainmaster hauling heavy freight through town:

Arnold

My routine every day starts at 4:30 or 5 AM. Sit in my swivel chair, run a couple of trains, sometimes 2 on same loop. In my basement cave under the garage alas I have no sunlight. But I can make all the noise I want. I sit to do 8 minutes of band work on my feet and legs. So every day the goal is to get out and run in the dark before work. Running trains does help the motivation to arise. I am lucky to live in small town USA where traffic is sparse.

I run my trains in late afternoon and early evening.  I do not have windows to let sunshine in the train room.  The layout consists of three loops.  It is just relaxing to watch them run. 

Relaxation, yes Tom, that's important to me too when running trains.

Late at night, my routine is to run quiet trains, as it is early in the morning. My 773 is among my favorites for running quiet trains, which won't wake up my wife:

IMO, the 773 is Lionel at its peak; so big and yet so good at navigating 031 curves, mechanically sound, durable, reliable and relatively indestructible. It's not so economical but still well worth it.

I run my trains only on days that end in "Y"

@Arnold D. Cribari

I also run the 773 because of the gearing ratio, It is one of the few Postwar engines that does not fly around the tracks.  I also love your silhouette passenger cars.  The silhouettes just make the cars sparkle.

@Wood posted:

@Arnold D. Cribari

I also run the 773 because of the gearing ratio, It is one of the few Postwar engines that does not fly around the tracks.  I also love your silhouette passenger cars.  The silhouettes just make the cars sparkle.

Wood, those NY Central aluminum extruded passenger cars are by Williams. I'm very pleased with them, but my favorites are K Line passenger cars with seated figures (passengers).

@Arnold D. Cribari

Arnold, I also like the K-Line passenger cars and use them for the Canadian Pacific consist and the Amtrac Bombardier consist.

Below is my silhouette Lionel Super Chief from 1992.  The lighted figures just give me delight.

I don’t have a routine anymore since my layout and all my trains are at my parents house still, but I used to have one around Christmas time. I used to enjoy turning the Christmas lights on in the basement and hooking my phone up to computer speakers and playing classic Christmas songs while running trains. Maybe once I build a new layout in my house I’ll develop a new routine of sorts.

I moved and don't have a layout (and probably won't for many years).  But my routine used to be 1) pour bourbon, 2) run trains

Don

I never had a "routine" but when I had the D. C. Central, I would just let it run as my favorite sound is of the wheels rolling on the rails:

Note that the O-48 Fastrak was replaced with Atlas O-72 shortly after this video was shot but for some reason, I never did any videos of it.