Operations: What makes it fun for you?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
21

Well I must be a switcher type as running the main seems to get little done in the way of making the railroad produce revenue, but to each there own.

I am not putting anyone down but running the main seems (to me anyway) is similar to the old Lionel roundy round layout under the Christmas tree.

I have operated on many layouts large and small and I have a fairly large layout of my own. During my regular OPs sessions I cannot get my operators to run the through traffic (main line runs), everyone wants to do local switching or run the yards.

Maybe is has something to do with the area you are modeling (western PA) and all we had were locals that ran 15mph if that. We never saw mainline running except in ERIE and Altoona/Horseshow Curve!

I have operated on a large layout in the Erie area and it is set up for mainline running. The owner sets up the trains and there is a schedule to keep. After having run my trains on my home layout trying to run a train flat out seems strange and dangerous!!!

And when this Erie based layout owner comes to visit my layout he cannot get the hang of slowing down, so has earned the nickname “LEAD FOOT LOU”.

To each his own but if you come to operate on my layout be prepared to run slow coal drags and do a lot of local switching!

BOB H Clarion, PA

22

I like to operate my passenger trains according to thier prototype’s schedules. What I will like to eventually do is to use computer interface to keep track of the number of circuits my train makes so that I can keep track of scale milage and add a new challenge to operations by trying to keep my trains on time. This is of course long range planning.

What also makes it fun for me is kitbashing my own models and it’s even more fun when you see it take shape in front of your eyes!

I am still on my first layout but it’s hardly what I call a layout due to space confines and its location (the floor). The advantage I have is seeing mistakes others have made and learn from those mistakes, apply ideas that I have gained from forums like these as well as friends who are more fortunate than I am in this hobby so that when I’m ready to build my layout, there should be little trouble. I also have time to draft up different plans and options which can be modified at later dates.