Your Freight Consists:

My layout was designed to run double-headed diesel or steam, or one large steamer (Cab-Forward) plus 10 revenue cars and a caboose. However because on my steep grades I am beginning to adjust my motive power up or use helpers, but my train consist of freights is still the same. My passenger consists or are 7-8 cars depending

on REA or other express cars.

ncng

It depends. Usually, I like to run diesels in pairs with between 8 (Geeps) and 18 freight cars (6-axle diesels). Geeps seem to run in back-to-back pairs around here even with only a few cars in tow. This allows them to reverse direction via a run-around move for the trip back and still run short-hood forward.

I like to keep trains short even though the club layout supports very long (in excess or 30 feet) trains because the set up and operation is less involved and I don't have to worry as much about train weight distribution, especially with my penchant for running scale-wheeled freight cars.

I'm designing home layout components around the 2-Geep/short local model.

Greetings Hal, I'd say the answer depends on the size of the layout. If your engine is chasing the caboose, it's time to back off a bit! Apart from that, whatever looks good to you! Simon

Usually no more than 13 cars.

Rusty

My consists are usually 5 to 7 freight cars, however, I will run up to 15 and not catch the caboose.  I run diesel freight, however, my grandson runs passenger and freight on my layout.  It may be a small layout, however, it is enough to for me.

Have fun!

David56

My planned arrival/departure track will hold approximately 16 40' boxcars, so that would be the longest freight that I could put together.  My storage tracks will hold about 20 40' boxcars with a large steamer and a caboose, so that would be my limit.  This is assuming that I ever finish my layout.

Ron

3-6 cars.

3-rail, but I rarely run more than 6-7 cars, anymore and I have to come up with some fancy car moving to get it all in gear.

Six 12 1/2" passengers behind a T&P steam.  About 7 boxcars, 4 3-dome tankers and a caboose behind a UP fef steam.  Sometimes add more cars behind the steam.  That little booger just keeps on pulling.  Don't know how many I could add.

Want to add another outer loop and run MKT diesel freight.  Have lots of cars to go behind it, but can't find the right MKT diesels for freight.

Thanks for all the quick responses!

Well, my folded dogbone is 124 feet in length (not counting 2 spurs), so I won't be chasing my caboose by a long shot with a 9 foot train!

Here's my "Calico Freight Lines", with all 9 cars and a GP-35 on the point, beginning its ascent up a 2% grade.  (Note the rise)

BAD ORDER

No layout just a single loop of track.  It's 12' x 20' roughly.  I favor box cars although I do have many other cars.  Both freight and passenger.  As far as freight cars go I run 10 cars to a consist not counting the engine and/or caboose.  As far as passenger cars are concerned I usually run whatever came with the set.  I think that was about 4 or 5 cars and maybe 2 add on cars.  Except for my Amtrak Superliner (may favorite passenger train) which I run all the cars to the set (I think 7) plus 3 mail cars at the head end and 3 or 4 roadrailers at the end and 2 Genesis engines.  So, about 14 cars not counting the engines. 

Rick

That's what I like, you rounders, a good mix of rolling stock, from a few cars to many!

(A recent avalanche left a few boulders on my track.)

Bad Order

5 engine MU GP35's, 38's.40's [Pan Am and Guilford] and 35 tank cars on my 2 rail. at the same time on my  3 rail 2 SD70's [either CSX or NS] w 14 double stack intermodal cars.

All MTH power.

On main #1 is an SD-45 non-power, GP-35 powered, MP-15 non-powered and 18 scale cars. On main #2 is an FP-45 powered, GP-20u non-powered, GP-7 non-powered, F7B non-powered, Gp-38-2 non-powered and a steelcoil car and 8 scale boxcars.

I need to MU two or more powered engines and see if they will pull all 80+ scale cars in a train. The 2 mainlines are 072 and larger.

EIGHTY CARS?

[Gasp!]

Incidentally, 2 of you mentioned "MU".  What does that stand for?

Bad Order Hal

multi unit aka lashup

My mainline freights are at least 20 to 24 cars minimum. The local that goes out and switches the oil company, the silo & grain elevator, should have at least 8 to 12 cars in order to allow for replacement set-outs at all three locations (empty cars for the grain elevator , and new loads for the oil company), and then bring the pick-ups back to the yard and switch them out for mainline trains, depending on where the loads are going.

Occasionally there is a "run through" C&O coal train with at least 55 loaded 2-bay coal hoppers , powered by an H-8 class 2-6-6-6. 

HEY HOT WATER: 

The difference between your railroad and mine is: 

You OPERATE your railroad. 

I just WATCH mine.

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I run 7 trains at once on two tracks using MTH DCS. Anything from a 5 car work train to a 35 car freight.

See link below for photos or videos.

SIRT,

Model Railroad wise, I'm not even qualified to shine your shoes! 

Bad Order Hal, age 77,

US Army, 1960-1962

I like to run as many as the space and motive power allows. Typically from 12-50 cars. I also like unit trains ie: Coal, Beer, Tobacco, etc....

Gilly

I would rather watch railroad BluRay videos of steam locomotives then!

HEY GILLY & THE OTHER BIG-CONSIST GUYS:

You dudes are showin' up with 155mm Howitzers, and all I have is my Government Issued Garand .30 cal M1.

BAD ORDER HARRY

Well, that's why there's a 14x39' layout under construction in the Attic......

Here's a short video of what I would consider to be a "typical" consist... My two heritage units with a mixed freight.

Gilly

Hal, this isn't a war we are fighting here. As a former member of the 2nd Armored Division, Headquarters Division Artillery, I really do NOT understand your comparisons! 

Hey Hot Water.....

You don't understand my comparisons?

HAR HAR HAR!

Don't you see that this is all in jest?   C'mon, man...get with it!

BAD ORDER HAL

Hey Hot water. M1A1s to the rescue. I don't have a huge layout either but I am able to run 13-16 consists mix freight 36 ft,40 ft and 50 ft cars. The most my storage yard will take. Who needs a huge lay out to enjoy trains.

SGT S

US Army Ret 1987-2013

I'll take an M16A1 thank you.

Rick

HEY SUZUKOVICH,

I respect your 25 years in the US Army, Sergeant, and I always liked Yugoslavs!

[I'm Austrian & Ukrainian myself]

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M1A1 120mm main gun, 50 cal and 2x 240C in addition the crew each carry an M4. Not to mention 80 tons will chew up any fighting position. A platoon( 4 Tanks) will ruin any light fighters day and rescue same.

I don't have a "huge layout" either, and in 1965/1966 we didn't have any of that "modern stuff" like M1A1s. Our largest artillery piece was the self propelled 8 inch Howitzer, and boy were they accurate, even at 18 miles! Simply a half size version of the Navy's Iowa Class Battle Ships main armament.

HEY SUZUKOVICH,

It's Easter, so let's talk about rippin' up Steel and Flesh...so where do you wanna go for lunch?

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 Hal, Lunch would be good but I am in Florida.

Rick:  I take the M1 over the M16 any day. M1 has more stopping power.

Hot Water: your right about the 155s and they did a lot of damage during Gulf War I ( last War)but were not as mobile as their replacement The MLRS and still not as lethal as the Apaches with the Hellfire missiles. ( Gulf War I first war for both)

All this fun aside I always thought this was about enjoying our hobby not about who's #### is bigger.

Hal

I knew that, Its all about fun. He was getting alot of grief from someone on another thread I was following. So I jump in. It is interesting to find out what peaple run using smaller layouts. I good with what I running, anything more just Wouldn't look right. Hope you had a good Easter. By the way I think you need a bigger bike without the training wheels.

 Doug

I was about to add something, then i noticed it was the 2-rail forum.

Itza trap, innit?

(maxed at 61 mixed on a floor layout, between 24 autoracks to 51 ore jennies on the living-room test track, but typical is 20-something on the latter)

---PCJ

On my home layout, 6X16, short....4-8 cars.

On the modular layout......LONG!

Peter

HEY DOUG,

In my way of thinking, this Forum (and any other that deals with possessions), really does give unstated points to those whose layout is Bigger, whose layout is more   Detailed, who has the most Cars and Locos, and who runs the Most Trains sumultaneously.

(The Administrator and the Moderator will refute this of course, and rightly so.)

I've been a member on many Forums (Astronomy, Guns, Music, Motorbikes), and my experience over the years (I'm almost 78), has been that the understated King of 'em all is he who has the Most, the Best, the most Expensive, the most Talent, and the most influential Friends in the hobby. 

But all this doesn't bother me anymore, because I've seen it all!  I'm over 50 years late in building a modest model railroad layout.

Today, I completed a spur long enough to contain my entire consist of 9 cars! (see photo)

To me, that's a big-time accomplishment!  To you younger guys who have vast rail Empires, it's nuthun', but I still applaud you for what you've managed to build!

Ahhh well...I like this Forum because everyone is so friendly, understanding, and Helpful!

Cheers,

BAD ORDER HAL

we tend to go over board here John and my self like to experment on my layout.

we have the club here as well.  North Penn"O"Gaugers.

most nights will run 35 + 40 cars.

last week we went nuts with 115 cars it was fun.

here the you tube clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDq9IDxi0iE

have fun watching.

That's a nice looking layout, Hal. In terms of running feet of track, it sounds like your (running) layout and mine (under construction ~35% done) ultimately will be about the same size. I've already started contemplating what (if any) trains I may be running 15-20 years from now.

I applaud that you're running and still building your layout. Hopefully, I'll have mine running some time later this year. Size of the train really doesn't matter a wit. I ran a switcher pulling a big Schnabel transformer car w/ caboose on the club layout last year. That big transformer and the ultra-slow switcher were a real hit.

Gilly