I was just wondering the time everyone runs their trains. I usually run my trains on Friday and Saturday nites in TRAIN SEASON, (Sept.-Mar.), anywhere from an hour to two hours. How bout YUZ GIZ? Just wondering?
laz57
I’ll go downstairs once a week, plug in the blue rope lights, and have a night “session” for 90 minutes; just to decompress. The layout is across from the laundry station, and I’ll usually run a train while I’m folding fifey’s-whities and the princess’s frilly-slingshots. Just one way to keep those PS-2 batteries charged up.
I do not have a regular time but try to find time here and there - a rainy Saturday afternoon, early evening after the youngest is in bed. I run some pre-arranged trains in some sort of sequence but really not following a plan or just turn them on to run in the background as I work on some other layout related project -
Usually about 40 minutes to an hour in the early evening like Doug. I run different trains and do some switching in my freight yard.
George
Well, it all depends on the weather and the Chief Engineer’s “Honey-do List”. It could be as short as 1/2 hour or as long as “When are going to ‘Give It A Rest’ and come in here”. (This usually happens when I’m trying to “fix” something on the layout.) Either way, it’s all great time. Thanks for asking.
Every friday for five hours and when needed for other days for 5 or 6 hrs depending which extra day I run.
Hey, it’s a dirty job but someone has to do it ! [:D]
Well, in the summer, I try to run the trains for at least one day a week for 2 hours. In the winter, or rainy days, I usually run them 3 to 4 times a week for 2 hours each day. I like to make it 2 hours, as I can get a lot of trains running.
Depends on the season.
Spring & summer: rarely if at all.
Fall & winter: 2-3 times a week, 45 minutes each.
Granddaughter season: whenever she wants 
1/2 hour to an hour, a couple of times a week when possible.
I have enough sidings and yard tracks, that I can keep seven trains staged on my layout at all times. That way it’s just a matter of seconds until I can get the trains running on my double main, without wasting any time getting them off a shelve or out of a box.
Jim
When the kids are around about 10-minutes, each session, about twice a week. When I can get them to take a bath I can see them from across the hall and run for 30-minutes. Out with the boys, I can run for a couple of hours.
It’s easier to find time to work on the trains on the kitchen table (sans Bride) and be in the same room with them, than to go into the office and run trains.
Kurt
It depends. I get a lot of train time at the LTS, running 3 O scale, 2 N, 2 G and 1 BIG HO layout.
That time can be anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour, depending on customers.
At home, can run anytime, 10 minutes to 1 hour to hour and and a half usually. Sometimes the wife will pull the brake cord, due to smokey conditions…[:-^][sigh]
I get a decent ammount of train time I usually get them running 5 out of the 7 days in a week for an hour or more. Supprisingly enough I usually never have time to fun them on weekends usually on week night I have time:P
When my nephew, Jack shows up to run the trains, it is a marathon session of running the trains. Three or more hours.
I usually run them about one hours a week, if the switches are working.
Buckeye…I thought you were my Dad. Which is it? [:D]
Jack
In the cellar I go 2 laps minimum on a double loop with a 45 degree crossing. It’s my little retreat I try to do daily. It’s amazing to think some of my engines are still running and older than myself. I date back to the 55 chevy.
If I have a project to add to the layout, then I will run trains longer on this session, a couple of hours. Otherwise I enjoy running trains for about an hour a night.
1/2 - 1 hour
5 times a week
any time of day or evening
yearound
I usually run my steam locomotives for about 10-20 min at the most.
Minimun 4 to 8 laps, which is probably 5 minutes, unless there are derailments, uncouplings or other problems, which will most likely occur if I leave the room with the train running. Repeat several times per week, with different engine / train combos to maintain interest and find out what can do what and what needs attention.
Runtime
I can think of a couple occasions I fell asleep running my train. I woke up several hours later and it was still running strong. That’s postwar for you.