05-04-2010, 02:56 PM
Galen;
Glad you like the plan. I'm in the process right now of seeing how the track components actually fit the benchwork compared to the drawing and it's working out better than expected. I'm using the trial version of AnyRail http://www.anyrail.com/ to lay out the track and it's working out just fine - provided you don't need more than 50 track sections on your plan LOL. I'm not too great with this track planning software - I'm an old-time draftsman and prefer to sketch things out then draw it up to scale, but this IS much faster and all the track components are right on the money.
As for adding the building locations, roads, etc. I had to copy the plan from AnyRail and use Adobe Fireworks to add those details - just enough to get the feel for where things will be located. Didn't attempt anything like trees or terrain (it's all flat anyway). Am going to change the interchange track/elevator track switch to a curved turnout and have shortened the run-around just a tad. Would like to include the track crossing a small stream on a low trestle, but will have to see how that works out.
Regarding traffic balance: Just as with a prototype short line such as this, the number of inbound/outbound cars will vary from day to day (session to session). Some times you might receive 1 car; other times 4 cars (or more). Out bound cars will vary in the same manner. So some sessions you won't switch every industry. Of course a small customer oriented operation like this would operate on an as needed/as requested basis - so you might make two or three runs in the same day, depending on how often the connecting road might set out cars for you or a shipper has a car that needs to be moved pronto! Go switch an industry or two, then head for the shack; get out the cards, pour a cup of coffee and wait for the phone to ring!
I initially plan on using car cards and will draw a random number for in bound cars (1-4) and let the out bound cars move based on the typical railroad Per Diem times: 24 hrs free time to load / 48 hrs free time to unload. I also have the ShipIt! http://www.albionsoftware.com/ computer program that I might use, provided I can get it to work right. I've had a time trying to get it work in the manner I've described - seems to take a lot of playing around with to get it to work just right - or maybe I'm just not holding my mouth right
Hope this makes sense to you.
Larry;
When I was railroading for real - my favorite pastime was blocking road crossings. Block it for as long as the law allowed - watch the motorists turn red and cuss under their breath (or out loud at me), then clear the crossing just long enough to let that batch get over the track and then do it all over again. However, I never was too fond of trying to get them to stop in the first place - people will run over you - red flag/fusee be darned!
Ed
Glad you like the plan. I'm in the process right now of seeing how the track components actually fit the benchwork compared to the drawing and it's working out better than expected. I'm using the trial version of AnyRail http://www.anyrail.com/ to lay out the track and it's working out just fine - provided you don't need more than 50 track sections on your plan LOL. I'm not too great with this track planning software - I'm an old-time draftsman and prefer to sketch things out then draw it up to scale, but this IS much faster and all the track components are right on the money.
As for adding the building locations, roads, etc. I had to copy the plan from AnyRail and use Adobe Fireworks to add those details - just enough to get the feel for where things will be located. Didn't attempt anything like trees or terrain (it's all flat anyway). Am going to change the interchange track/elevator track switch to a curved turnout and have shortened the run-around just a tad. Would like to include the track crossing a small stream on a low trestle, but will have to see how that works out.
Regarding traffic balance: Just as with a prototype short line such as this, the number of inbound/outbound cars will vary from day to day (session to session). Some times you might receive 1 car; other times 4 cars (or more). Out bound cars will vary in the same manner. So some sessions you won't switch every industry. Of course a small customer oriented operation like this would operate on an as needed/as requested basis - so you might make two or three runs in the same day, depending on how often the connecting road might set out cars for you or a shipper has a car that needs to be moved pronto! Go switch an industry or two, then head for the shack; get out the cards, pour a cup of coffee and wait for the phone to ring!
I initially plan on using car cards and will draw a random number for in bound cars (1-4) and let the out bound cars move based on the typical railroad Per Diem times: 24 hrs free time to load / 48 hrs free time to unload. I also have the ShipIt! http://www.albionsoftware.com/ computer program that I might use, provided I can get it to work right. I've had a time trying to get it work in the manner I've described - seems to take a lot of playing around with to get it to work just right - or maybe I'm just not holding my mouth right
Hope this makes sense to you.Larry;
When I was railroading for real - my favorite pastime was blocking road crossings. Block it for as long as the law allowed - watch the motorists turn red and cuss under their breath (or out loud at me), then clear the crossing just long enough to let that batch get over the track and then do it all over again. However, I never was too fond of trying to get them to stop in the first place - people will run over you - red flag/fusee be darned!
Ed
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"