Capacity Planning

Last week I decided I needed to determine the car capacity for each siding on my layout so I know how many cars would fit as I make up my trains and get my operations set up. I started to walk around the layout with a tape measure but then I came up with a stellar idea.

I created a train of 8 40' boxcars - the typical car on my layout and ran this train around the layout measuring the siding length. Of course, many of the sidings, as well as several tracks in the Irwin, East and West staging yards already had cars on them. So I had other engines pull those trains out of the way for the priority 1 CLC-1* train do it's job.

In a sense, I had my first operating session!

* Car Length Capacity

LogoNet

This weekend, I had mixed success. I have been struggling with wanting to be completed to a certain point but so much needed to be done! For example, I want to have an operating session with a couple of friends and I finally have a DT-400 and DT-402 so we can run 2-4 trains. But I really need the UP-5 panels to plug the throttles into. Yes, they are IR capable so we can walk around a little but you need to plug in to select a loco to run. And to attach the UP-5 panels, I need to put up the masonite fascia. Besides buying and cutting that, I need to paint it ... you get the idea.

Saturday it occurred to me that I could go ahead and temporarily put up the panels - so I did. I installed one at each of the offline staging yards and one in Hermanie. Brilliant! I got some phone cable and tried to make the 6 conductor connectors and that was an exercise in frustration. I only had to make 3 cables but it required crimping 2 connectors on each cable and I could not get them to pass the tester plug.

Finally, I used a pair of always closed tweezers to hold the wires and then I could fasten the plugs. I was able to build 2 of the 3 but finally gave up on the third - I will come back to it later. In the meantime, I have 4 plugs left from a package of 25!

Operations, Part 3

I found an article on the NMRA Operations SIG website, "Guide to Using Carcards and Waybills" by David Doiron. I have not yet read it, but wanted to pass it along to those interested.

Operations, Part 2

I've been reading through my collection of books and articles on model railroad operations to figure out how to get operations started on the PRR Irwin District. I actually hit on a potential idea. I already have trains scattered around the layout, I can just start with the 3 or 4 I have on the Staging tracks, call those through freights and locals and start there. Maybe ....


Below is a list of my reference materials.
Books
How To Operate Your Model Railroad, Bruce Chubb, Kalmbach Books, 1977
Operation Handbook fo Model Railroads, Paul Mallery, Carstens Publishing, 1991
Realistic Model Railroad Operations, How To Run Your Trains Like The Real Thing, Tony Koester, Kalmbach Publishing, 2003
The V&O Story, Allen McClelland, Carstens Publishing, 1984

Magazine Articles
Car Cards and Waybills, Railroad Model Craftsman, Feb 1978
The Train and Industry Blocking System, Dan Holbrook, Model Railroader, July 1987

Miscellaneous
Model Railroading Operations series of articles, NMRA Gateway Division, http://www.gatewaynmra.org/operate.htm
Card Card Operation, Steve King, date unknown
How To Develop A Card Order System Of Operation For A Model Railroad, Merv hardman, date unknown
DVD: Running Trainings, Paul Scoles, http://www.micromark.com/RUNNING-TRAINS-DVD-BY-PAUL-SCOLES,9129.html
Op Session Design - Freelance and Prototype, Byron Henderson, http://home.earthlink.net/~bhender730/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/ops_dsgn.pdf
Operations SIG Operations PRIMER, NMRA Operations Special Interest Group (SIG), http://www.opsig.org/reso/primer/

Operations, Part 1

I am really trying to spend sometime running trains instead of just moving the engines and a couple of cars back and forth. I know I need to spend some time getting my Digitrax DCC a little further along. I finally have a second controller (a DT402 to go with my DT400) and I should install a couple more plugs. Of course, for that I really should have the fascia installed first, so then I can install the panels. To do that, I need to make a final decision on 8" fascia vs. 10" ... Ok, the stall tactics continue.

Meanwhile, I want to get some trains running. I have car cards made up for all the cars on the layout and I have some temporarily car holders for all the tracks. I wrestle with creating the necessary waybills - do I understand things enough to make a decent first shot? I have every book and article imaginable but still struggle getting started. Last night, I had to move some cars around so I could rust the rails on the P&LE staging (done) and ballast the engine track in the Irwin yard (done). Doing those projects got me to thinking about getting some temporary scenery down to help the layout look a little more finished, then come back with building and details, even if I need to remove some grass and minor scenery to make changes.

More to come....

Track Plan

I finally got CADRail reinstalled on my machine so I can grab an image of my track plan. It's an L-shaped plan that is basically 13' x 24'. The primary features are an East (Greensburg) and West (Monongehela) with an on-line staging in Irwin. The peninsula is the Westmoreland Coal Company, No. 4 Mine in Hermanie. East McKeesport is the entire left side of the layout between Irwin yard (in the center of the layout) and the West Staging. 

Pennsy Cabin Cars

Got a chance this past weekend to double the cabin cars (cabooses) on the layout. I have a drawer of unassembled kits I've purchased from train shows and hobby shops. Sometimes, they are more detailed than I expect so they sit in the drawer for a while. These were Bowser kits and they are actually pretty detailed, even down to brass wire for brake lines. I choose not to go that route but I really like the tiny plastic hand rails. I also built a Bowser 40' gondola that has been sitting around for a while.

A very productive weekend!