Model Railroad Operations?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

All…
I am a dispatcher on a very large layout (HO Scale)… We have a problem on communations with the dispatcher…

We use FRS radios.

The question is… What format or style do you use when calling the dispatcher? And what if any rules do you have when you operate with a dispatcher on line.

Please note that when we operate the layout will have about 25 to 30 trains on the main line doing switching and run-through etc… The problem is everyone wants to talk to the dispatcher at once. I can only take one at a time… Is there some way to tell the crews to be more curtious to the other crews when working with a dispatcher???

2

It sounds like you may need more than one dispatcher. You are no different than the prototype. A real dispatcher can’t handle 25-30 people calling him at once either. It would be hard to imagine a real dispatcher keeping track of 25-30 trains under his area of responsibility. Split it up so it is more manageable. You, as the dispatcher, should behaving fun too. I can’t imagine your current situation is enjoyable at all.

Also, tell the crews that when they need to talk to the dispatcher, make one request then wait 3-5 minutes before making another. If the crews are being obnoxious, you can ignore them or answer them after everybody else.

The ultimate would an electronic queuing system but the cost such a system would prohibit a model railroader from being one.

3

I have dispatched that many trains in one night plus more. The most I have had in active operation is 4 mainlines and a few locals that were fouling the mainline so a total of 6. We only used 4 throttles the yards were by power packs. If we knew that there was going to be heavy traffic, we would only clear them so far and make them wait for intruction. We didn’t run on DCC though. Our layout was 120ft x 35ft approximately. We used cheap walky talky like radios from radioshack. All 3 yard masters, engineers, dispatcher and car control had one.

4

I have dispatch many times on the club’s layout…We do the following:
The engineer will call out his train number and block indication at each CP point.The DS doesn’t not reply.We are in contact with both yard masters,passenger terminal operators as well as the Newark SD DS.If one needs to call the DS it sounds like this…
Toledo YM to the Cincinnati dispatcher.
Cincinnati Dispatcher answering Toledo YM…
TYM: Yeah,I would like to cross over #1 main to the outbound yard.
CDS: Roger,Wait for # 5 then call me back.
TYM.Roger wait for #5.Call you back.
or it could go:
OK,permission to cross over #1 main to the OB yard.CDS
TYM: Roger…Clear to close over…TYM out.
CDS Out.
We can handle up to 12 trains on the main line and up to 6 on the Newark SD…We use DC on a single track with passing sidings point to point layout.We have a bottle neck at West Dayton(RR West) where the Newark SD joins the main…Plus at times a main line train may have to wait on a inbound track to clear up.This of course leads to a possible bottle necks or even a melt down.[:p] if the DS does not stay ahead of the game.[}:)]
Now mind you we have engineers calling out signals.locals wanting track time plus the YMs talking to inbound trains.What I do is listen for Cincinnati Dispatcher or Newark Sub dispatcher depending on what I am dispatching.
We have no set rules but we do request there is no idle chit chat on the radios.

5

Rich,
I, too, am a dispatcher on my club’s layout. And while my club’s layout isn’t capable of handling 25-30 trains at once, it will be once we fini***he 50’ x 135’ monster. We currently schedule 22 trains in two real hours on a 6 to 1 fast clock.

We have had several operations on what we’ve built so far, which allows for about 7-8 trains at the same time, plus a yard crew or two. We also use the FRS band radios.

In our first operations, we had one dispatcher, two yardmasters, and a bunch of engineers. Things did not go well, as this was new to everyone (we had moved from our old layout 5 years before). People didn’t know where to go or how to get there, and so they rightfully asked the dispatcher. Unfortunately, everyone was asking the dispatcher at the same time. While we do have rules governing communications, not all members follow them and frequently walk over each other, put the mic too close to their mouth, don’t identify themselves, nor wait a second after pushing the button before speaking.

The last operation we had was much better. We had an Assistant Dispatcher sitting next to the Dispatcher who was on a separate frequency. This separate frequency only had the Yardmasters and a new position called the Trainmaster.

The Trainmaster is sort of the “on the scene” boss of the operation. When people have problems or questions, they ask him, not the dispatcher. The Trainmaster also hands out our Train Orders, which are essentially a mini-schedule of the train, telling the engineer where to go and when, while also telling him which swtiches are needed. In addition, the DCC address of the train is hand written on the Train Order.

By having a separate frequency, the Trainmaster (and the Yardmasters) have a direct line to the Dispatcher through the Assistant. This allows for emergency calls, and allows for the Dispatcher to direct the Trainmaster to various confused club members.

Our Trainmaster roams the layout, pas

6

Paul…
Thanks for the information. We do have a person that takes care of the work of the Trainmaster. However, he is never in contact with the dispatcher. I am going to suggest that we try this.

Also I feel we need to practice more. We run every other thurs night. However, we only have a dispatcher the 5th sat of the month. Too much time goes by before we do this for “real” and we get new people on the railroad at this time. Our regulars are used to having no dispatcher and not talking on the radio. I feel that they need to have more training and pratice to learn how it is done…

Am I wrong in saying that we need to tell the owner of the layout that we need to pratice more and that the fellas need to know the layout better…?? After the dispatcher is to have fun too…

Thanks to all of you for your responceses…

7

The key to find a operating mode that requires less contact with the dispatcher. For example CTC would require virtually no communication with the dispatcher, unless there is a switching move. Rule 251 current of traffic similarly would require minimal contact. Timetable and train order operation could be done with absolutely no contact between the dispatchers and train crews.

It is the modern control systems like track warrants, Form D and DTC that require a lot of contact with the dispatcher (as well as the traditional “mother may I” on railroads).

Model railroaders tend to think its necessary to OS at every milepole. Pick the critical locations the dispatcher needs to know where the train is by, just OS at those and just announce the passing, no repeat required.

Dave H.

8

Dave…
I appreciate you response to my question. However, I don’t think that the owner of the layout will be willing to install ctc system
He has almost 3,000 feet of track on the layout…

9

Hi all,
Just a thought, maybe some of the members need to be operators to help the dispatcher control the train movement. With that many trains three to five operators would not be to many. The operators would talk to the dispatcher and the train crew would talk to the operator/operators. Then you would only have do deal with the operators and not the enginemen.

10

All…
First, I want to thank you fellas for all the input you have given me.
Second, The owner of the railroad told me to set up some rules and reg. for our application in operating his railroad.
I first turned to the prototype to answer some of the questions we had on his operation. Being a former employee for Sperry Rail Service, I have heard the train orders from real dispatchers…
So this helped me a lot to set something up for the model railroad.
The owner likes what I have come with and wants to have a clinic for his crews. Just like the “big boys”. I think when we get everyone on the same page, it will be a little easier for us.
I will keep you all posted…Thanks Again…

11

Operations can be so cool and fun!

On my layout, I doubt if I’ll be as sophisticated as the club above, but I will adopt some of the basics for dispatching trains that any of us can do.

(Obeying signals. Allow time for brake tests, start and stop trains at realistic speeds and motion (“momentum”), priority to north and east bound trains. Passenger trains having preference over freight movements. In the event of derailments, the line is temporarily closed, traffic is re-routed…)

No matter how simple or how small/large a layout is, modelers can have fun in giving operations a try.

It’s just a matter of having a model railroad resemble a working transportation system.

For me, that’s fun! [:)][:D][8D][;)][8)]