What's the best way to have an operating session?

I may be in the running for the poster boy for how not to do it. 

First, I have been to very few sessions that I didn't enjoy.  It's always fun to visit someone's layout and see what they have done since you were there last.  The fellowship and chance to visit with your train friends is always worth going for.

I have experimented with several different formats and am still trying to find the best one.  I started by just having guys over to run trains.  I encouraged them to bring something of theirs to run if they wanted to.  Most did.  Sometimes we spent way too long putting trains on the track, setting them up in handhelds, and trouble shooting. 

The next version was come over and run my trains that are all setup and ready to run.  We would run 7 trains at a time and kept a lot of people busy.  Then we would have a social time to eat and visit afterwards.  That seemed to work better, but at least one guy was unhappy that he couldn't bring his favorite new train that he couldn't run on his layout.  Another was disappointed because he thought this was always the perfect opportunity to bring the engine he couldn't get to run and have us troubleshoot it for him.  But when we would spend an hour trying to get his engine to run, everyone else was standing around bored.

Lately I have been incorporating more realistic operating into the sessions.  I am wanting to try the card system at some point, but not everyone likes doing that.  Maybe the solution is to have sessions of different formats and alter them?

We always serve snacks and desserts.

I was wanting to have several sessions a year, but it has been less frequent lately and I want get back on track.

Art

We have a "club" of about 8 to 10, maybe 5 or 6 active who run trains every two weeks (or whatever works for schedules) at each other's houses. Alphabetical order. All have Tmcc and 042 or better. Starts at 6:30 pm, cake or pie and ice cream and coffee, etc. at the 7:30 break, and then run from about 8:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Everyone brings an engine and car(s) and a Legacy controller. Crashes are not uncommon. Don't bring it if you can't fix it...new acquisitions are given a solo loop around the layout without traffic from the other trains. Trainless observers are welcomed...neighbor kids are given a controller and carte blanche (sort of).

There have been times when we spent an hour or three fixing an engine for one of the members. Everyone here enjoys the fellowship, no matter what's on the menu.

Some have been known to be unable to make it for the meeting but were able to stop by for the pie and ice cream.

Art, I don't have any experience yet with my own layout, but back in the 80's I was part of an HO operating group. It was usually guys only (no offense ladies), with railroad simulation with car cards. For that reason, guest equipment was not used. Soft drinks and a simple snack were usually brought by the crew and consumed during a break about half way through the session. Sessions usually lasted about 3 hours. We had 2 guys with layouts, so they would alternate weeks, and we would operate once a week. Day of week was hosts choice, but I think it was Tuesdays.

I would say that you have it down pat. By that I mean your run sessions where the visitors get to run trains on a schedule with seven operating at one time. This keeps everybody busy and on their toes. This promotes interest with not too much down time. As far as visitors bringing their own equipment to run or for you to troubleshoot their engines, save this for one to one visitations to the layout.

As for refreshments, absolutely yes, particularly with such a great cook on board, Dixie!!!!

The run sessions I have attended at your home have been fabulous. Don't change a thing.

Okay, this is going to p*ss off all of the "they're only toys" contingent.

I hold regular operating sessions for 3 different groups: a regular monthly group (Saturday afternoons since Sept. of 2004), a round-robin group that operates weekly on Wednesday mornings (all are retired and I joined that group about 4 years ago) at 7 HO layouts plus mine, and for the last year or so a round-robin group that operates monthly on Saturdays at 4 HO layouts plus mine.

We operate these layouts in order to simulate real railroads.  In my case there is a sequence of 20 trains that are run over about 3 1/2 to 4 hours.  The Wednesday morning guys come here for 2 weeks in a row in order to finish the full 4-hour schedule.  At any point in time, 4 to 5 trains are running or switching cars somewhere on the 550-foot main line.  There are also 1 or 2 switchers working in the yard and a hostler moving locomotives that get changed when trains stop in the yard.  Car movements are determined by computer-generated switch lists and train manifests.

All of the equipment has been worked on to run reliably during the sessions, all locomotives are PRR and all equipment is weathered.  Visiting locomotives or trains are not welcome during these sessions.  Separate visits are arranged to accommodate such requests.

I provide bottled water, soft drinks and carpet-friendly munchies such as oil-free nuts, pretzels, white cheddar Cheetos, etc.

Operating sessions typically have about 12 participants although the Wednesday morning group is large so that tends to be more like 15 or 16.

First, I am in the operations type group.   My layout is not conducive to round and round, there is a loop connection but it is buried in a coal mine and always full of cars.  Trains run point to point.   The focus is on a prototypical style operation as we understand it.   Visiting locos are OK, but not encouraged.   this is the PRR and a daylight steamer just does not look right.   and since we "operate" we don't have time to spend hours trouble shooting.    That is for other evenings.   this is not a problem, because most guys in the group are in HO so there stuff is pretty incompatible!

We meet once a week on Thursdays.   We picked a specific day, so it would make it to everyone's calendar.   When the day wanders, we found many people would have conflicts.   But now our families know that Thursday night is train night.    Wives are not invited but these are operating sessions.   The host wife is not home quite often.   so there is not anything other than the operating session.   Wives are not told not to come, but what would they do for 2 hours standing around a basement unless they are interested in trains.   We currently have none that are.

Snacks vary from simple to complex.   A few guys wives are avid bakers and we get really fantastic treats there.   Most places it is pop and pretzels (not greasy snacks).  

thers is usually some visiting and discussion prior to the session, and a lot during.  

But since we all in our like operations, that is what happens.   That is the purpose for our meetings.

I guess teh summary is that you should decide what you want the meeting to do and why did you build the layout.    Then focus your meetings on that.

If it is operations, then focus on that and do not encourage strange new locos.   do encourage all attendees to operate.   You may have to limit attendance based on the size of crew needed.

If it is based on showing off a display, do that.    And if you are comfortable invite visitors to bring their stuff to run.   It works.

I guess if you want to get an active group started, the most important thing is to get a regular schedule, once a month, once a week, twice a month etc, and a regularly scheduled day such as the 3rd friday, so people can begin to plan to attend and know when.

This is exactly the type feedback that I was hoping for.  You have made some excellent points for me to digest.

My layout was designed for multiple people to operate a number of trains in as prototypical manner as possible.  But, I did not plan enough sidings for local industries to enable the normal style of switching operations.  After visiting some super two rail layouts that were designed for this type of car card and fast clock operations, I am modifying my layout to include as much local switching as possible.  I'm thinking I may want to try as many as three different format operating sessions.

1. Old fashioned session where we are primarily just running trains and visiting.  Anyone can bring something to run if they like.

2. Operating session where we run only my equipment but run multiple trains.  Have a dispatcher, people manning the control towers and switches, and have engineers and conductors on each train that would switch positions.

3. Have an operating session with less people and use car cards and maybe a fast clock.  Operate as realistically as possible and invite all my two rail friends.

Brian - Thank you very much for your comments.  We have had some fun sessions in the past.

Art

I am a member of a construction / operating group on a friends HO layout.  Everyone in the group is retired.  We meet nearly every Thursday evening.  We usually build scenery or do other jobs for 3 of the Thursdays during the month.  We operate on the 4th Thursday.  Operations consist of moving trains across the layout and switching industries, etc.  The layout uses DCC.  Operations are my favorite part of the experience.  It is fun to run a trains on a layout that you have been building.      

Our host and his wife like to cook so we always have a fabulous meal.  Usually we arrive about 3 in the afternoon and work on or operate the layout until about 6.  Then we have dinner.  We watch train videos after dinner. 

The big difference that I see between HO layouts and O gauge layouts is that most HO layouts are designed with operations in mind.  This means that tracks are included in the layout for industry and other switching opportunities.  Staging yard are used to hold trains until they are scheduled to run on the layout.  

In contrast, most O gauge layouts are designed to display trains.  Many layouts have loops without any switches.   Most of my O gauge friends are "loop runners" if they run trains at all.  Many of them are display shelf collectors.  

I have never attended an operating session on an O gauge layout of any kind.

Joe

First let me say I am a total greenhorn and have no idea how to conduct an operating session or how a real railroad operates. I am developing an interest in operations and have been reading some of books on the subject which I find fascinating.

Anyway the books talk about mostly a combination of your numbers 2 & 3 and usually have a yard with a person or two operating the yard also. Car cards, train orders or other means of train control and stuff like that. They have a desk or table or something set up for the dispatcher. One book was by John Armstrong and the other I think by Tony Koester. You are probably already aware of these books, but I can get you the names if you are interested.

Your item 1 sounds like a lot of just plain old fun though, probably more of what I would understand. 

Hi Art

     Sorry I can't add to the excellent ideas presented. Don't forget that most of the success is due to the talents of the host(s) and you both are a great yardmasters at that. I have no idea on prototypical running, but however the trains are running that is fine by me.

Best

Ray Marion

rtr12 - It just seems like I have a group of friends that prefer operations and another group that just wants to have trains running and be able to visit.  Some of these guys can go either way, but a few are only interested in one or the other.  Group one is very informal and relaxed and requires no advance planning.  Some of them are even intimidated by the various command control systems and would rather run conventional.  I originally wanted to be able to allow conventional running for my grandson so he could run his Lionel on my layout.  But he does a better job with the TMCC and DCS handhelds than I do.

Art

I thought that I would expand on my previous reply and address some of your questions directly.

I think that the one of the most important decisions you have to make is the design of the layout.  In order to have a successful operating sessions instead of a watch the trains session, you need a layout designed for operations.   This usually means that you need a yard, sidings, passing tracks, etc.

Another important criteria for an operating session is to have empty tracks so that you can run a train from one place to another.  This is one reason for staging.

A third criteria is for an enjoyable operating session is to have equipment that operates well, a control system that works, good track work so there aren't derailments, etc.  An operating sessions quickly finds all the flaws in your equipment and track work.

You need enough hand held controllers for each engineer if you are using a command control system.

To respond to specific questions:

1.  Do you just run trains around during an operating session?   No.  Trains leave a yard or station and drop off cars at an industry, etc.   

2.  Do you attempt to operate like a real railroad?  No.  Only the most experienced operators attempt this.  Most operating sessions are simple in both concept and operation.  For example, just running opposing trains on a single track mainline with passing sidings can be both challenging and fun.   

3.  Do you encourage friends to bring trains to run?   No.   You can't be sure your friend's equipment will be both reliable and fit your layouts operational scheme.  The only exception to this rule is when you have been operating with a group of people for a long time.  

4.  Do you have food?  Yes.  Most operating sessions that I have attended have a meal break about half way through the session.  One of the most successful meal breaks is to order in pizza and enjoy a beer.

5.  Do the wives come?  Not unless they like to operate trains.   My wife never comes because it doesn't interest her.  One wife of a friend is more enthusiastic about trains than he is.  She is always front and center.

6.  When do you like to get together?   I have been in three operating groups.  One group met every Tuesday evening.  The group that I am in now meets every Thursday evening.  I was a member of a third group that met once a month on the last Saturday.  All of these times worked because they were consistent and we could plan to be there.

7.  How long does it last?  Most sessions last 3 to 4 hours including the meal break.  The actual running time is about one to two hours.   

8.  How often do you get together?  My current group gets together weekly on Thursday to build and operate a HO layout.

I hope that this helps.

Joe

What's an "operating session?"

Pete

It's great that you have so many train folks around, there are folks in my area, but not many clubs or places to meet train people other than at my LHS.

Personally, as I said I would probably be best suited for the item 1 group, but I would also like to go and watch some operating sessions with item 2 & 3 groups to see what's going on (as I know nothing about them other than the books I have read). To me, seeing an operating session in person would be much better than reading about it.

Maybe you could try something like having a couple of the ones from the item 1 group at a time attend the operating sessions.  Maybe if they saw what was going on they would become interested?  In the engineer and conductor groups, maybe an item 1 person could be paired with a more experienced person from the operator group and start to learn from there. TMCC and DCS could be used and they would pick it up as they become more familiar with it from participating with the more experienced folks.

Something along those lines might be a way to get started and see how it goes. Things could be adjusted according to how everything progresses. Anyway, just an idea.