Hi guys
How often do you guys operate your railroads???
When the mood hits… If I’m doing good, it hits every night… New structure, refurbished engines, getting a troublesome car fixed… New digital camera, etc
LOL I’ve been building on the layout for 3 years now…I keep tearing things up and reworking, I may never operate
Not often enough. A few times a week, maybe, and for a short period.
Have the capability to operate three trains simoltaneously, and the system is well debugged. Has many industries plus exchange opportunities, a coach yard, diesel facilities, steam facilities, and icing station and stock pen in a stub end yard, but nobody to operate with.
Everyday for at least an hour or so, I have a two track layout and run 2 trains, helps keep the track and wheels clean, and the locos loose and running well.
Bee Line
Been modelling for over 25 years - have smooth running, almost completed layout - may run train around layout once in a while or have it running while I work at the workbench but actual operation is not (as yet part of my modelling schedule) not against learning more about operating as the prototypes do but its not a priority with me. I enjoy model building, engine maintenance and all that goes with having a layout and dont need the additional stress of operating realistically after all Model Railroading is suppose to be fun - remember the beauty of this wonderful hobby is to do what you want when and how you want it - keep on tracking…
I enjoy building structures and detailing my layout than operating, but I do operate, maybe ten times a month. Somewhat more during the long winters here in the northwest! [:)]
Still trying to build one, three years ago had own layout for conventions etc, anyone got some new ideas for layouts for HO’s
I host operating sessions once a month from September through May, then take the summer off. When the crew (8-12 operators) isn’t here I usually only do test runs for new equipment or “run bys” with the pre-assembled trains from the staging yard. If a job from the session isn’t completed, I finish it on my own as well.
Perhaps more clarafication in the subject line would have been helpful to answering the question posed. To “operate” implies to most of us having a predetermined schedule of freights picking up or dropping off cars at specific industries, or running passenger trains against a time schedule. Numerous past surveys here and elsewhere have demonstrated that less than 1/3 of hobbyists ever actually do any formal “operations” on their layouts. The vast major of us simply enjoy running trains around the layout. What might have been a better choice of words would have been,“How often do you run your trains and do you do operations?”
CNJ831
I operate mostly on weekends. Like many others, I get more time in during the fall and winter months.
Doug
Taking “operate” to mean “run with some purpose”, it’s when need to. That is, as they say in Newfoundland, “when I gets t’ urge, my son!” My layout is presently two levels on top of one another, both are yards off reverse loops. Sandwiched between these two at one end is the mid-level where these two will meet when the shelves that they are gets all the way round the room. This mid level is jury rig wired from the top level.
Operations are therefore making up trains, taking them onto the main, returning, and breaking up and classifying. There is also some maitainance switching etc. Mid level operations are nothing complex, limited to running into and out of a passing siding inside a dogbone type loop.
So, when I need a “quick burst on the trains” I power up and do something. This generally ends with a satisfying “By George I needed that!” [:)]
I don,t run trains for weeks at a time . But I like to admire what I have accomplished and sit down admire my rolling stock…rambo1
Don’t operate currently.
just take out my trains and hug them every so often.
contemplating move so not redoing layout.
Doug, in Utah
Hi guys
How often do you guys operate your railroads???
When the mood hits… If I’m doing good, it hits every night… New structure, refurbished engines, getting a troublesome car fixed… New digital camera, etc
LOL I’ve been building on the layout for 3 years now…I keep tearing things up and reworking, I may never operate
Not often enough. A few times a week, maybe, and for a short period.
Have the capability to operate three trains simoltaneously, and the system is well debugged. Has many industries plus exchange opportunities, a coach yard, diesel facilities, steam facilities, and icing station and stock pen in a stub end yard, but nobody to operate with.
Everyday for at least an hour or so, I have a two track layout and run 2 trains, helps keep the track and wheels clean, and the locos loose and running well.
Bee Line
Been modelling for over 25 years - have smooth running, almost completed layout - may run train around layout once in a while or have it running while I work at the workbench but actual operation is not (as yet part of my modelling schedule) not against learning more about operating as the prototypes do but its not a priority with me. I enjoy model building, engine maintenance and all that goes with having a layout and dont need the additional stress of operating realistically after all Model Railroading is suppose to be fun - remember the beauty of this wonderful hobby is to do what you want when and how you want it - keep on tracking…