Can anyone point me toward some articales about basic operations? It’s kind of hard to choose a layout without having an idea how the trains will operate.
Eventually I’m looking to build an N scale layout on a door.
John Armstrong’s book https://www.amazon.com/Track-Planning-Realistic-Operation-Railroader/dp/0890242275
An excellent article written by Joel Morse discussing things to consider when planning operations was just published in the April 2021 issue of “The Dispatcher’s Office” which is the “Official Journal of the Operations Special Interest Group.” Joel is an avid operator and regularly hosts operating sessions on his N scale New York, Ontario & Western (NYO&W or “Old and Weary”) around-the-walls layout. The article not only discusses different ways to conduct operations but also discusses designing a layout so that your planned operations make sense to those running the layout. Joel has constantly worked to create more realistic operations on his layout and continues to add improvements and procedures. His most recent (pre-COVID) operating sessions ran around 24 trains in about 3 hours using a sequential schedule and mainly verbal warrants. Joel’s layout is centered around the town of Walton with trains arriving and departing Walton from three different directions. Lots of through trains, locals and interchange traffic to keep people entertained. One of my favorite sessions on Joel’s layout occurred when Joel scheduled an Open House viewing. However, instead of just letting people come in to look at the trains, Joel also scheduled a full operating session so guests could see just what we do with our trains. Most guests were offered train orders and a throttle and those that accepted had a blast! Lots of good ideas in Joel’s article so check it out.
Another article written by Marty Bradley regarding how to set up a layout for operations appeared in the October, 2012 issue of Model Railroader. This article focuses more on the nuts and bolts of setting up car card operations on an HO scale layout built by Bob Grech and featured in the same issue. Lots of good information here, too. Marty hosts regular operating sessions on his double-deck HO scale logging layout (see the July, 2016 iss
Back in the 70s… 1972 I think… Model Railroader had an article by Bruce Chubb called “Brakeman on the Yellow Extra.”
I highly recommend it.
Bruce Chubb’s book “How to Operate Your Model Railroad” is still a great resource, as are the books Tony Koester has written in recent years. Our friends at MR / Kalmbach have produced a number of books, articles and even DVDs on model railroad operations.
I agree on Bruce and Tony’s books on operation. They’re both great resources for the different ways to add operations to your layout. The great thing about operation is that you can get as simple and as complex as you want. The main thing is to look at the options and do what’s right for you and your layout.
Kevin
That approach is quite sound with operations and layouts, too. Why over-complicate things?