Simple Card Tricks for Operations

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

A fellow list member asked for some pics that help illustrate the way my card system works.

First, I use a sequential operating system. Trains have to run in a rough order, but because I have multiple branch lines and staging, even that isn’t set in stone. I like to be able to step into the layout and run something that suits my fancy. On the other hand, I like to keep up with things so it’s still simple to set things up if people are coming over for an ops session. My goal was to have an ops system in place that suits the lone operator, ops sessions, or both. I’m going to talk more about the actual “paperwork” than the ops system. The point is that these simple methods are readily adaptable to whatever system you’e using when you feel the need for creating a visual order out of your ops scheme.

For the car cards and waybills, I use the standard format one with 4-turn waybills available from a number of vendors. MicroMark has decent card boxes, but I also use a few homemade ones. This one is in staging and holds loads to be assigned to standard gauge cars moving onto the layout. I rarely keep a waybill on the same car card through all 4 turns, instead pulling them, rotating the waybill to the next load, and mixing it back into the waiting load boxes, usually by placing at the back of the stack of waybills.This randomizes loads pretty well for me and I don’t always take the front card. Sometimes you want to send a tank car, and the next waybill is grain, just dig until you find a suitable load.

Because I have quite a bit of dual-gauge track, I have to be careful not to get too many SG cars in the mix or I tend to plug up the line. I’ll look at what’s in the way at various places in the layout before making up trains in staging with loads going to various industries. The three switching locations

2

Fantastic Mike! A lot of help here, keep it going.

Maybe run a local and show us how and what you do.

Why doesn’t the Model Railroader Forum have a forum dedicated to operation? Discussing it here in The General Discussion topics pushes these good/important threads down, off the first page so quickly with all the “How do I”, “What’s the best”, “Where can I find”, “My P2K loco squeals” and “Eating at the Diner” type of posts!

I’m going to make this suggestion to the “Powers that be”.

3

Car cards, waybills, suitable loads !!!

Yikes, it is all Greek to me.

I don’t believe that I am alone when I express interest in “operations” but confess total ignorance as to how to begin.

Over the last 8 year period, I have built and expanded a fairly large layout, double main line, large passenger station, coach yard, freight yard, engine service facility, sidings, spurs, whatever.

I have a decent number of freight cars, passenger cars, steamers and diesels.

I am a lone wolf operator with the only exception being a 2-day visit by a fellow member of this forum where we attempted operations based upon a predetermined “work order” sheet. it kinda worked, although neither of us had any idea how to set it up.

As a lone wolf, I go down to my layout and start running trains.

Operations? I am clueless. Where to begin? What to do?

Rich

4

Rich, I think the best thing that you could do as a lone operator is to get an Operations Program for your computer. The one by JMRI is free and supposed to be good. (I use Rail Op which is very similar to JMRI Ops.) There is a learning curve to it just as there is for any program.

The advantage for a lone operator is that once you have it set up and have a daily trains list, you let the computer build the trains. Then you just run them according to the printed manifest that results. It is sort of like a switch list. So you take that and switch out the cars according to what the list tells you to do.

There is a more random type operation that way, as you don’t know before hand where the cars in the train are going.

5

NP,

Gonna do my best here to emphasize singleton operation, while leaving the door open for those who do have crews available.

Rich,

I’ll be describing my system specifically, but will do my best to note all the places where you can plug your info into the methods I use.

Elmer,

I understand the attraction of computers and they work great for many operators. But they can be intimidating to new operators, who are still trying to figure out an ops scheme and would just as soon worry about computers and ops later. In this sense, my system is pre-computer. But I don’t reject computer assistance, in fact doing some of this stuff is helped along by using Word and/or Excel to keep and manage lists.A good example is my Industry File.

The first thing to do is to figure out where stuff comes from and goes to: what your sources and destinations of traffic are, along with keeping track of hidden staging and on-layout staging. My Industry File is on paper cards, in a box, because that works better for me.

The cards are organized by station/town. Each industry served, as well as company material locations (coal, ballast, etc) has a card. I have a coded system to simplify things that is peculiar to my dual-gauge system, so I won’t put it up right now. The important thing is to have your own system, so you’re comfortable with it. I mark down the following info on each industry card: station name, industry name, number of car spots (with each track noted separately if more than one track at the location), different commodities shipped in and out, and AAR type designation of cars typically used. I also included a code for frequency of loads in/out to help keep track of busy industries vs low traffic ones.

I use the industry cards to help write waybills. I try to fill out all four stops on a waybill, but I rare

6

OK, going to try to post a few docs I use. First is my most recent train sequence:

NG Consolidated Train Sequence, January 12, 2013/1956

← EASTBOUND #216 The San Juan – Passenger, Silverton to Alamosa

→ WESTBOUND #461 Passenger, Durango to Silverton (meet #216 @ Rockwood)

ß EASTBOUND #2, Morn Passenger, Red Mountain to Silverton (swap RPO w/ #461)

à WESTBOUND #1, Morn Pass, Silverton to Red Mountain

à WESTBOUND #313, Freight, Silverton to Red Mountain

à WESTBOUND #325, Mixed, Silverton to Animas Forks

à WESTBOUND #469 Freight, Durango to Silverton (meet #461 @ Rockwood)

ß EASTBOUND #462 Passenger, Silverton to Durango (meet #469 at Rockwood)

Silverton Yard Switcher

Durango yard switcher

à WESTBOUND #219 Freight, Chama to Durango

ß EASTBOUND Extra, Logs, Cascade Branch/Tefft to Rockwood

à WESTBOUND Extra, Pass. San Juan Zephyr, Chama to Gladstone

ß EASTBOUND #470 Freight, Silverton to Durango

ß EASTBOUND #4 Pass, Red Mountain to Silverton

à WESTBOUND #115 Pass, New Mexico Express, Alamosa to Silverton

à WESTBOUND #3 Passenger, Silverton to Red Mountain

ß EASTBOUND

7

This item is what I call PUDLE. On most lines, it’s the locals that do the work of most interest in basic operations. In real life, there are often complex rules about what train does which work. On my layout – and I’m suggesting on most layouts – PUDLE is what saves a lot of trouble sorting out which train picks up which cars.

A critical part of PUDLE is the need to determine tonnage limits for you locos. It’s this maximum number of cars the loco is able to handle that governs the limits of PUDLE for any train. There are also limits on train length, because sidings will only allow meets up to a certain bnumber of cars. This is more a factor for trains moving downgrade, as tonnage limits usually kick in before train length limits. Here it is:

PUDLE

What does it mean on your train order?

P ick

U p [and]

D rop

L oads [and]

E mpties

In short, PUDLE is a reminder to check your train’s car cards and the cards in the car card boxes at each location to determine if there are loads or empties that must be picked up or dropped. Unless specifically instructed otherwise, on the narrowgauge each freight train is a local and should work each station along the way. There may also be instructions on spotting or re-spotting individual cars in notes attached to the car cards. In general, return empties EAST towards the location specified on each car card’s “Empty Car Return To” field. While paying attention to tonnage ratings and maximum train length restrictions, always pick up empty cars at all locations up to the capacity of your train.

<<<

The basic concept can be applied several different ways. When it’s just me, I know my way around the layout and am likely familiar with how the car got there, where it’s going when MT, and the priorities of operating. When a number of visitors are operating, I’ll write up switch lists, making it clear wh

8

Thanks Mike! Your explanations are very in-depth and detailed and much appreciated! I noticed that where you are describing East and West trains, you also use an Alpha and Bravo sign before the train number. What does this mean?

I sent an email to Steven Otte about creating a forum just for operation, here is what he had to say:

Steven,

With all the focus on Operations and the dedication that Model Railroader Magazine has to the subject of Operations, with monthly articles from authors like Tony Koester and Andy Sperandeo why isn’t there a forum topic dedicated to Operations?

Mark DeSchane

NP2626
Sat, Jan 26 2013 6:20 AM

It’s been a while since we’ve revised the topics of the Forums, but that’s a good idea we’ll keep in mind for next time, thanks.

Steven Otte

Mon, Jan 28 2013 8:48 AM

At all of the Radio Control for

9

I have been a member of these forums for nearly ten years, and I cannot recall that the forum topics have ever been revised, although several have been suggested over time.

While Operations is a noble topic for consideration, I could think of a few topics that ought to take precedence over Operations.

But, if I were a betting man, I would lay down a few bucks that this will all go nowhere.

Rich

10

Yes, I was actually a member of this forum back in 1996-97 and I think it has pretty much been the same since even back then.

It might be that they are more likely to consider closing it down, than expanding it! I’ve seen that happen on a couple of occasions. Running a commercial venture along with a forum that can cause strife and ill will for/by it’s customers, I would think twice about that!

11

NP,

The funny symbols were just what the Cut and Paste in Word button converted the East and West arrows to that were in my original. Alphas should all be East arrows and Betas are all West arrows. I was just too lazy to go back and correct all by hand after doing the first two as examples.[:$]

I appreciate the comments and agree that Operations might make a good addition to the topical forums here.

Not sure if I’ll get it done today or not, but I’m working on an illustrated local run as my next step here in this thread, which should bring a lot of concepts I’ve laid out already together in a semi-coherent fashion.

12

I’m lost.

I went back to re-read this entire thread, and I immediately got hung up on 4-turn waybills. I still cannot figure out what they are.

But, that aside, I wonder if we could get back to - - - LOL - - -basics. And, I do mean basics.

I have never run an ops session in my life.

Let me describe my layout. It is pretty good size, and a significant portion of it is devoted to passenger operations including a 10-track passenger station, a 9-track coach yard, an engine servicing facility with turntable, round house, coaling tower, etc. Both steamers and diesels are on the layout.

I have a 9-track freight yard with 100 freight cars of all types.

The layout is large but, essentially, a continuous loop with four significant sidings - - - a farm, an electric gas works, an oil terminal, and a manufaxcturing district. The layout is flat, no grades, and no towns or villages so no names of destin

13

Rich,

No problem, this is an entry level ops scheme, so it’s to be expected people have basic questions.

The standard 4-turn waybill is a standard item in Ops speak, although many people use other means to achieve it. It has places to mark the reporting marks, road number, length, and a short description, along with a “Return to” designation.

The waybill itself is a card that is inserted into the car card. The car card provides info on the car, while the waybill tells about what the load is and how it gets where it’s going. In real life, waybills are usually one-way documents to a single destination (although there are cases where a split load would be spotted at successive locations to unload.) For model ops purposes, there are 4 spots on the waybill, marked 1, 2, 3, and 4. At each stop, the card is turned, 180 degrees first to pick up destination 2, then card flipped over for 3, then turned 180 again to get Number 4.

For model railroad ops, the 4-turn waybill was originally filled out completely and the same waybill stayed with the same car card in most ops schemes, being changed out infrequently, if not at all. The 4 stops sent a car to four different spots. Often, the stops were set-up in successive order, so the car made the same 4 movements every time it appeared. Not really a big deal with large layouts, this repetition was supposed to represent random car movements, but on smaller layouts often became obvious it wasn’t random movement.

Plus, it was an intimidating prospect to set-up a layout. Imagine having 250 cars (not huge, but a lot of people have that many or more) and having to write up 1,000 movements just so you had a completed 4-turn waybill in each car card. Yep, that’s where a lot of folks figure things going roundy round is just fine with them and the hecks with all the work involved in ops.

In my scheme, there is no requirement for the waybill to stay with the card. Instead, the waybill can have just a single destination,

14

Mike,

This is a great explanation on your part, and I get it.

Let me throw this one your way in the best laymen’s terms that I can use. I have 12 covered hoppers on my farm siding. They are loaded with grain and ready to be shipped somewhere. So I need a loco (yard loco - ???) to go get the hoppers, bring them somewhere, my yard or a main line siding, to be picked up by a main line loco and taken to market.

Is this a valid operation?

Do I put waybills in each of the 12 car cards for the 12 covered hoppers?

How do I indicate which loco retrieves the hoppers?

How do I direct the loco where to take the cars?

How do I direct a main line loco to get them from wherever they are being moved to from the farm siding?

Hope this all makes sense.

Rich

15

OK, we’ll work on your example while I’m working up the local walk-through. We’ll take it step by step.

Don’t sweat where things start from in the scheme of sequential operation. You should be able to jump in anywhere and pick up the next train. In fact, if you worry too much about the begnning or end, you’ll end up a little batty. Obviously, your train will show up to pick up the hoppers from somewhere. Sounds like the siding is out in the country, but you’ve got to get it from the shipper to a yard to send it somewhere else (ignoring the cases where you might stick one of the cars just loaded in a siding at the elevator in the next town.) Let’s give that train a reason other than showing up to get the hoppers out of that siding.

Where does this train originate? Does it return there, drop the cars to be forwarded for later pickup by another train? Or does the train that will pick up the hoppers then take them further down the line to another destination, possibly to staging or otherwise off the visible layout?

We’'ll do one more in this round…You don’t NEED 12 waybills in the cards for 12 cars. You probably do need the 12 individual car cards, though. It depends. Are the 12 hoppers all going to one destination? You could use one waybill in the front car, noting it’s a unit train, and use a small binder clip to hold the packet of car cards together. Simple. Or you could ship a few here and there, but a six-car string could also be part of a unit train.

Unit trains. Keep them in mind if you model anything after 1970 or you can ignore them mostly if before that date. But they are another opportunity to condense the paperwork by writing one waybill for a bunch of cars

The critical thing, wherever, however, is what are the destinations of these cars going to be? Some or all could stay online if you have customers for them. Others may need to go to the coast for export or to the South in a place where there are lots of chic

16

Yes.

They would probably be at an elevator rather than a farm. But that’s bside the point. Normally a local pulls and spots cars from industries.

Through freights move blocks or groups of cars between yards or interchanges.

Locals pull and spot cars at indistries.

Yard engines switch cars in yards.

Some switch engines can perform local work, but switch engines generally only run 25 miles or less from the yard at which they are based. Locals can run over an entire subdivision. Through freights ran run over one or more subdivisions.

Generally yes, especially if they are all going to different places.

You don’t do that on the car card. You assign a TRAIN to switch the industries. All the industries at Anna, Bess and Cloy are switched by Local #741 and all the industries at Dora, Eve and Fay are switched by local #745. The loco is just whatever engine is assigned to that TRAIN that day. Today #741 might have the ABC 1234 and tomorrow it might have the ABC 2345.

All the waybill does is say where the car goes.

Each train has a schedule. Local #741 runs from the yard at Anna to Bess to Cloy, then turns and comes back through Bess to the yar

17

Not quite true about 10 years, Rich. I and others suggested a number of times to split out DCC since it’s popularity was increasing tremendously and so many people had questions on how tos, etc. I think it was around 2008, maybe even earlier that the Electronics & DCC forum was created to split off those topics from this forum.

As busy as this forum is today, can you imagine the congestion if we still had to do with the electronics and DCC topics?

Ken

18

Ken, is that right?

You may be correct, but it seems like the Electronics and DCC forum has been around as long as I have.

Can anyone tell us when the Electronics and DCC forum was created?

Rich

19

Well Rich, I am geting up there in years and my memory isn’t as sharp as it used to be, so of course I could be wrong. However, I didn’t get my DCC system until 2005 and I just don’t recall the DCC forum being there for some time afterwards.

Hopefully, someone knows for sure or within a year or two.

Ken

20

First post looks like 30 January 2008:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/117346.aspx