Family Op Session--One step forward, two steps back

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I made up the following op session for my son. Since all the drop offs are forward facing, I have switchers positioned to place cars. To my surprise, my 13 year-old daughter wants to run the switchers.

I only get to run the turnout switches and uncouple cars.

Train Orders

To: Shane Engelmann,
Engineer of Dixie

Pick up Passengers and Mail at Train City Station

Deliver Hippogriffs in Cattle Car 1002 to Cattle Pen

Pick-up Beer in Hogwarts refrigerator car and refrigerator car 37015 from Red Tail Ale Brewery

Pick up Caskets From Gruesome Casket Factory in Boxcar 12778

Drop off Hops in Boxcar 20048 at Red Tale Ale Brewery

Drop off Lumber in Boxcar 502 at Gruesome Casket Factory

Pick up Oil in Tank Car 959 from Rock Ridge

Pick Up Ore Cars 20507, 91636, and 9001 From Rock Ridge Mine

Drop off Beer in Hogwarts Refrigerator Car at Rock Ridge

Drop off Passengers and Pick up Passengers at Rock Ridge Station
Make Mail Drop

Drop off Passengers and Pick up Passengers at Train City Station
Make Mail Drop

Drop off Caskets in Boxcar 12778 at Gruesome Casket Outlet

Drop of Beer in Refrigerator Car 37015 at Train City Saloon

Drop off Ore Cars 20507, 91636, and 9001 and Tank Car 959 of fuel oil at Train City Refinery

Drop Caboose at Train City Yard

Pick up Passenger Cars for charter at Train City Yard

Pick Up Passengers at Train City Station

Drop off Passengers at Rock Ridge Station

Drop off Passenger Cars at Train City Yard

Pick up Empty Ore Cars 20507, 91636, and 9001 from Train City Refinery

Pick up Empty Tank Car 959 from Train City Refinery

Pick-up Empty Box Car 12778 from Gruesome Outlet

Pick up Empty Refrigerator car 37015 from Train City Saloon

2

Cool, Chip! Throw in a few pics…if you can swing it. [:)]

Tom

3

What a disaster! My daughter starts switching and starts throwing all the switches to find the one she is looking for. Now all the switches are thrown so there is derail after derail.

In the meantime, my son keeps unaquiring his train while running (a flaw of the UT-1 controller) and I have to grab my daughter’s controller to steal it. After one car drop my daughter is done.

My son is getting tired of the moves and just wants to run. He starts going ad lib and then gets frustrated again. Finally he drives the whole train to the yard and quits.

We got about maybe a quarter of the ops session completed.

4

Not a bad start, when you think about it.

Does Preiser make hippogriffs?

5

Sounds like some operating sessions I have read about on some other lists. I say you had a good first/second run. It will get better.

6

Keep with it Chip. I was never much for structure back in the Stone Age when I was a kid but I sure am fond of the time my Dad spent with me. Good Luck.

7

Just have her get used to the controls. It sometimes can be hopeless - when i was a kid and my Dad put upt he 4x8 at the holidays, he did almost all the work, including putting down all te track - I was about 5 or 6 the first time I did some wiring, came down in the morning before he was up and found a complete loop of track laid but no wiring hooked up, I hooked up some feeders and the train ran halfway and stopped - that’s when I discovered the insulated joiners and the second set of feeders. Anyway, even though HE was the one who designed the whole thing, if I let him run trains, he was lucky to get 2 laps around before throwing the wrong switch and derailing something. That’s why most of the time, I was the one at the control panel. Of course we didn;t have a nice schematic-type panel, just a row of Atlas buttons across the top of the panel. So just give her some practice associating the schematic with the actual track, and you should be in business. And add a new rule: All switches must be put back to their original positions after the train clears!
Do you have badges to go into Rock Ridge? Or don’t you need any steenking badges? [:D]

–Randy

8

Hey Chip!
Keep trying!
Maybe for the first few times you should just have them do some continuos running, get the hang of it, enjoy it without all the operational stress. Then, slowly by slowly, work in more of the operation aspect.

9

I don’t think so, but they make so many other things, maybe they do by now. Bet you could kitbash one though! But they DO make llamas, and my wife LOVES llamas. Except, although there are actually a few llama/alpaca farms around here these days, I don’t think there were in the 50’s. Plus they are like $10 a pack. Hmm, we always get each other at least one gag gift for Christmas, think I’ll be putting in an order for a pack of llamas. [:D]

–Randy

10

And now kids let’s discuss the implications of the “Big Bang Theory” with the appropriate calculations and measurements. I may be wrong (will not be the first nor the last time) but these miniature people do not seem to have the same level of sophistication as the full size ONE. Remember it is “SHE who must be obeyed”, not HE. I don’t really know what advise to give that will not be as frustrating as your past experience, other than to point out the things learned at open houses, the public wants to see the trains run. After we get them “hooked” with the clickity, clack we can move into the advanced “pu***his button to make the train go there” to pick up or drop off that hogwarts car etc… So I guess that we need to expect only a little, and let the “troops” gain the skills and interest to surprise us down the road. Hang in there 'DAD" you have built it, they obviously have come to play too. Hopefully the technical gremlims will be overcome to minimize your distraction with run away trains. Also you may want to develop an additional set of eyes in the back of your head to watch every thing that is going on, or maybe a clone would be easier.
The final question is how do “MOTHERS” do it?
Good luck, good ops, and do have fun. These are the learning events we look back on later and laugh about.
Will

11

No but it’ll cost you a dime.

12

Dag nabbit, who’s got a dime?

So much for getting to bed, I need to go watch that movie now.

13

Sounds like you have made it a little complicated. Your list of moves is longer than a lot of real switchlists. I would have a hard time keeping up with it.

I would suggest organizing the switch list by station or town and limit it to one or two moves per town. Then list all the pick ups for each town and then all the set outs/spots for each town. You might also want to have a two person crew, acting as conductor for your daughter to help her with the switches while she runs the engine until she’s “qualified”.

Dave H.

14

Boy…I have to agree with Dave, but I would suggest something even simpler for the younger set. Let them start with a completed train, go around a time or two, then start dropping off cars. Then let them go round a time or two, then pick up some cars…and I’m talking maybe two or three and that’s all. …and let them PLAY, Chip. They probably don’t grasp the concept of “operations”…they just want to run trains…just like the rest of us. [:D][:D]
Better luck next session. Keep us posted and remember that model railroading is FUN!

15

It is not as complicated as it looks. Most of what you see is cars lined up on the same siding. My son pretty much just stayed on the main while I moved cars in groups in and out of the sidings with a switcher. The main problem tonight with my son was the newness combined with the accidental hitting unaquire with the train moving. The only way to reaquire is to steal it with a DT-400 and stop it. Then the UT-1 can get it back. Pretty much every time it got loose something came off the track

That said, I think my son only paritally understood what was happening. It was more than he wanted. He does surely enjoy running and railfanning a string of Overton passneger cars. For now, that’s what we’ll do. Problem is I get bored too quickly. I’m going to have to figure out how to switch while my son circles.

16

Space…KISS… ( Keep It Simple Stupid )…I think you might have overwhelmed the Kids! I’m not sure I could have done all the instructions!

I have to laugh, though…sounds like y’all had a good time, for a bit. Would be like trying to get The Kid to pull off that list…He’d do about 3 moves, then he’d adlib the rest! [;)]

BTW…maybe I’m out of the loop…but what the heck is a Hippogriff anyway? [?][%-)][D)]

Rotor

17

Chip,

I’m afraid most kids would rather do their math homework than do “operation” on a model railroad. Heck, half the people on this forum would probably rather “let 'em rip!”.

You’re intentions are great - to get them involved. But I would guess the Tom Sawyer approach of having a good time while painting the fence would entice them more than that crazy list of manuevers!

18

I agree. Running trains is THEIR priority, operations is YOURS. Let them run trains with a minimum of pick-ups and drop-offs. Your son would probably be happy just running and that would give you a chance to work with your daughter, teaching her how to locate the correct turnout and how to return the turnouts to their normal positions.

Still, I think you really had fun with your kids, and you can’t pay enough for that priviledge!

Go have some more fun and let us know how it works out. And don’t forget pictures if you have the chance - - in between derailments, that is! LOL[:D][:D]

Darrell, off-track, but quiet…for now

19

The instructions were spread out over 6 pages in 18 point font. They only saw about 6 instructions or so on a clipboard and most were combined becasue of industries sharing a siding. Still it WAS more than they wanted to deal with.

Hippogriff: From Harry Potter and mythology–a sort of flying horse with an eagles head.

20

Tom,

This is the second time you’ve asked for pictures and I’ll see if I can really get them this time.

Here they are:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=45868