Does anyone have written operating guidelines (I hate to call them rules) for operating your layout? If you do, how detailed are they? I have just started writing some down mostly to guide operations when my club or a friend or two come over to run trains and I am not sure that overly detailed rules will do anything but make a session overly complicated and not so much fun.
I did some quick research on the internet and some layouts have rather detailed rules although I suspect that the larger ones need more detail than the smaller ones.
This was written as a two-sided trifold so that it fits easily in a pocket. Read it in this order for it make sense: Sheet 2 far right (title page), Sheet 1 panels left to right, Sheet 2 left then middle panels.
Pretty basic, but it does define direction, speed limits and such. There is also a bit of humor interspersed - this is supposed to be fun!
Fantastic, thanks Brunton. Still a little more complicated than I think I need since at most there will be three operators and the dispatcher, moi, would be standing there. However, I have downloaded the document and intend to freely plagerize.
And you will get no argument from me about the humor.
My operation rules is based on common sense railroading with safety rules.
I stop before coupling onto a car to ensure there is at least one knuckle “open” and after making the joint I allow the switchman to release the hand brakes. Time is allowed for unlocking and lining a switch and the derailer.
>GENERAL NOTICE<
Safety is the first importance in the discharge of duty. Obeying the rules is essential to safety.
>GENERAL RULES<
A) Employees whose duties are prescribed by these rules will be provided with a copy.
B) Employees must understand and obey the rules and special instructions. If in doubt as to their meaning, they must apply to the proper authority for an explanation.
C) Employees must pass the required throttle examination to operate on the railroad.
D) Employees must report promptly to the proper official any violation of the rules and instructions.
>DEFINITIONS<
REGULAR TRAIN – A train authorized by timetable schedule.
EXTRA TRAIN – A train not authorized by timetable schedule.
SCHEDULE – That part of a timetable, which prescribes class, direction, number and movement for a regular train.
TRAIN CLASS NUMBERING
1st Class – From 1 to 999
2nd Class – HB-2, BH-3, etc.
3rd Class – BM-1, LM-2, HM-4, etc.
4th Class – MX-3, JX-4, HX-7, etc.
Extras – Discretion of Dispatcher
TIMETABLE – The authority for the movement of trains subject to the rules. It may contain classified schedules with special instructions and other essential information relating to the movement of trains and equipment.
MAIN TRACK – A track extending through yards and between s
You are correct, Brunton, it is start. But for a small layout, with a maximum of 3 operators, I dont want to get all caught up with overkill on the rules of the road. I want to be able to hand out a sheet of paper with the basics and let an operating session flow from there. As you noted, this is supposed to be fun.
A club situation or a bigger layout is a different story.
We have had good luck with simple laminated job cards that spell out the function of each train – limiting the information increases the chance that a crew will read and remember. This can be as simple as “Train 46 runs from A to D. Stop at B and C to set out and pick up car blocks.”
This assumes some basic train handling knowledge that can be given separately. There’s nothing worse than showing up at an op session and getting a 40-minute briefing on “The Railroad, What it Is and What it Does” that covers every single detail of every job. Have had that happen more than once. Didn’t go back the third time.