Just wondering, I like to turn mine on and build a train and let run around the track, past the places that I have got sort-a finished as I enjoy a cold beer. I can run 3 trains at the same time so it is not near as boring as just one train. Two of the trains are an the same track for now until I get the rest on my second main line complete so I have to be careful so I don’t rear-end each other. In the near future I will be able to run up to 5 trains without paying close attention to avoid a bad accident. I might run them this way for 3 hours at night. Is this hard on the locos, having them run for that long without letting them rest?
How do you run your trains, Back and forth, round and round, do you do mostly switching in the yard while another train circles the layout? Just curious. Mike
I’m pretty much of a ‘runner’ myself, in fact my Yuba River Sub is set up for a long run over the mountains.
However I do have a medium sized yard in my main terminal of Deer Creek where I can not only make up and break up trains, but also change out motive power. Deer Creek is the start of my main mountain grades, so I usually ‘change-over’ locomotives there, either adding helpers or turning the trains over to my articulated steam power.
But for me the thrill is watching my freights and passengers wind their way up the canyons and around the mountains. I do my ‘operating’ sessions in ‘real’ time, not ‘scale’ time, so I can spend a lot of time in my California Basement (garage) just running one or two trains.
But I do like to do yard work, occasionally, and often my freights coming up from the Sacramento Valley will either drop or add cars in the Deer Creek yard, while the locos are being changed out.
I just have fun. It’s a hobby for me, not a profession.
Right now just about 20’ worth of unobstructed branch line is all I have to play with, but back when I had my large UP layout I would do pretty much the same as you. I would sit there sometimes with the lights down low and have a nice long freight pulled by a Big Boy or a Challenger. That was back before DCC sound so I had picked up a Sound generating system I think it was from GME but I can’t remember but it was cool when it did work which wasn’t most of the time but it was just enjoyable to sit and watch the trains run. Not knocking the operations guys by no stretch of the imagination as I do that also on friends layouts and the club but there is just something about sitting back and watching them go by that appeals to me much more.
it all depends on what would be most enjoyable at the time. My layout has a number of different scenarios that can be easily produced. Helper operation in the form of adding a pusher at the end of the train. Running up to three freights at the same time, switching the yard to make up new trains, sending out a local to switch industries on the main line and trying to not get in the way of the mainline freight. Running a mixed freight-about 20 cars that then gets broken up into two locals. These locals then go and switch the different industries while a unit freight comes out of the hidden storage to run the main line. Of course sometimes it is just enjoyable to let a train run and watch it circle layout.
The engines usually run for about 10 minutes then they get changed out. This is my way of representing the freights being pulled by different railroads.
I have about three scale miles of mainline up and running. At this point there is no sidings built even though the turnouts off the main are in. I run a 40 car freight and a ten car passenger at the same time around the main. The main can be broken into two separate loops to run the two on different lines if I so wish. A sixty footer and a 120 footer.
That’s a great question Mike. All the answers so far are very interesting.
I only have a small (bedroom sized) layout with single track continuous main line,2 stations and a switchback logging branch line. One station is a junction with the logging branck. It has a 3 track yard, 3 passing tracks and 2 sidings, The other station has one passing track and 2 industries on one spur siding. I have 2 staging tracks. I am trying to devise a simple car routing system for such a small layout as I enjoy shunting/switching one train while another runs around the main line. The logging branch runs by itself, just one train up and the other one back, it runs continuously but I can interrupt it to take the log cars away to staging or one of the industries. It’s wired for block control with two cabs, but I have a DCC Powercab and 3 diesels with decoders. I can isolate all my DC engines using the block switches, disconnect the DC power packs and run the rest of the layout as one block on DCC. I’m finding that 2 engines at once is about all I can handle safely and with such a small layout I don’t need consisting.
I usually make up a train, send it oround a few times, stop it, bring another train to the main station to switch cars, then send it around, bring another train in etc.
I had a small loop layout that was about 50% finish…Even with industrial sidings I became bore running loops…December 24th I rip up the track and on Decemember 26,I started research on a modern urban industrial branch for yet another ISL.
Heres the plan…The local will arrive and will do the needed work…As a twist not all industries will be switched every operation.
Mike, I TUI (Training Under the Influences) as well. I run 2 to 3 trains at the same time. I like long freight trains. On the B Main Line I run high speed freight, around 40 or so 50 foot box cars and 54 foot covered hoppers.
A line gets two trains, freight usually 20 car’s for a single engine 40 cars plus for Mu’s and either passenger or coal. A line is the longer run, around 95 feet so it is not hard to keep the longer trains away from each other. Love to watch my Y6b or Big Boy do a slow drag of 60 plus coal cars.
When I run passenger trains, Santa Fe War Bonnets. Sound engines are Proto 2000’s E-7 A and B powered. The PK 2000’s sound engines are a little slow (71 sMPH) High speed passenger services is provide by a pair of Erie Built PK 1000’s (War Bonnet) and they will cook. Working on some older Blue Box F 7’s, like the shorter engines with the passenger cars. Passenger cars are Con-Cor Valley Flyer’s.
I run mainly none sound DCC engines. Seems odd with having around 10 sound engines.
I have tried to get into switching, but just not as much fun for me. Might have something to do with TUI’ing.[:D]
About onces a month, I all so get it to the Great Train Races! What seems to spawn the Great Train Races, is TUI’ing and playing Smokey Mountain Break Down at the same time, like NOW! Big Boy is cooking dragging 40 cars, but the Y6-b is High Balling, boiler is up to max and they are still stoking!
I wouldn’t worry about running the loco’s for long periods. If one wears out the parts are cheap enough to replace and you’ll be up in no time. I tend to do the same thing though. Pop a beer or 2 or 3 and watch a couple of trains run. I usually run them for about an hour or 2 about once a week.
When I don’t have group operations, I keep a session going by myself over a two week period. Trains are staged in the staging yards, and trains operate as normal, only there is only one engineer, me, and I use the laptop to record where trains are when I stop for the evening, and can then pick them up next time I run. I don’t run as many switchers by myself, but lots of grain trains, etc. only I start one from its terminal, advance to a passing track and park, then start with another, etc.
Mostly idiot loops. My layout occupies a three and a half by six foot space with just an oval and two sidings. But I never get bored. I’ve got lots of locomotives and I can change trains when I get sick of looking at the same one.
Since mine is a small switching layout , I generally build a train in the staging tracks and run it onto the layout where I go and start spotting cars and picking up cars and build a new train and run it back to staging . I can build and run upto 3 trains at a time before I need to reshuffle cars . Sometimes though I run run a locomotive up and down the small yard just for fun .
TTTO, 24/30. Or at least as much as I can simulate on my currently-operable trackage. My mainline will eventually be a loop, but right now just runs out to end-of-track and stops in four separate places.
Even after the loop is closed, nothing will simply run round and round (Unless I’m demoing things for some visiting mundanes.)
I also enforce Rule G. I’m befuddled enough without alcoholic assistance…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - to the prototype line’s timetable)
My layout is set up to be operated as a single-line point-to-point, but throw the turnouts at the double crossover and fire up the second power source (I’m a DC holdout) and I can also run two trains continuously in loops. That’s how I typically run the layout, and I enjoy just railfanning my trains. In fact, one of my new year’s resolutions is to actually have an operating session in 2010, as I’ve never done that yet! Besides, my 4-year-old son isn’t interesting in watching switching moves, he wants to see the trains go.
I normally let the train do several laps. Just to make sure everything is still running. Sometimes while the train is doing that, I will work on the layout (trees, hills, etc). Then sometimes it just depends on what I feel like doing. Just switching the yard out, maybe some switching on the cement plant, etc…
I’ve got two main lines and like to just run one in either direction while I’m working on something. My layout is being built for operations as well as just running in a loop.
I have two circles with two throttles; I usually run two at a time and just watch them go. Sometimes I’ll run some switching while one runs but usually it’s two.
As too the train damage, I dont think it will hurt them, but it probably annoy your 1 inch tall hostler . For running, I probably would run one in a circle, use one as a switching run, or run one mainline and one switcher.
My layout has a number of different scenarios that can be easily produced. 
Helper operation in the form of adding a pusher at the end of the train. Running up to three freights at the same time, switching the yard to make up new trains, sending out a local to switch industries on the main line and trying to not get in the way of the mainline freight. Running a mixed freight-about 20 cars that then gets broken up into two locals. These locals then go and switch the different industries while a unit freight comes out of the hidden storage to run the main line. Of course sometimes it is just enjoyable to let a train run and watch it circle layout. 
. For running, I probably would run one in a circle, use one as a switching run, or run one mainline and one switcher.