05-24-2010, 07:34 AM
Greetings to all:
I am a new member looking for some input and advise from all of you. I am a former locomotive engineer (18 Years) and a lifelong (40 years) HO scale modeler. Over the past year, I have been trying to implement my experiences on the real railroad into the model railroad......here's why:
I have always been amazed at how detailed model train layouts have become. Modern technology has really changed what we can do with our layouts. To that end, operations can really be enhanced, realistically. I have been to many shows and club meets to watch the members "run" the trains. Many of which are done with a "car card" or "waybilling" technique. I wanted to try something else. So I took my experiences from the railroad and put some of these to paper to see if it could be done in the "model world". Trust me, I'm not trying to set the model railroad world upside down with these ideas. I'm just trying to put a new twist on already proven methods. So, I came up with some ideas that I would like to run by members of this forum. They are;
The Switch List:
Describes a prototypical day in the life of a shortline train crew (can be used for mainline too). It shows how, and what, work has to be done by the crew. It gives a simple description of how a switch list is generated and used by the "crew". The "switch list" will list all sidings, industries and tracks along the route as well as all cars on them. It can be created in a short amount of time and generated quickly for each op session. A switchlist can be made with a piece of paper or a computer. The computer, however, can save all your information for future use. All you need to do is "update" your information for each session (pulls, spots, respots, interchange etc..) just like the real railroads.
Situational Modeling:
These tips are actual real life situations that arise on the railroads daily. They can be implemented quickly into a operating session to put a real life twist on your day. They make you "operate" your trains, not just run them "around the loop". I showed this to a friend of mine who had a club layout and his response was "I have a member who thinks he's the pro. I'll give him a chance to prove it". The "pro" lost. He got too frustrated because he could'nt just "run the train".
I would love to pass these by you but I'm hot sure how to "attach" a file
. Any help would be great. Or, I know how to do this off my e-mail so if you want to drop me a line I can do it that way too. I can be reached at <!-- e --><a href="mailto
zabko@roadrunner.com">szabko@roadrunner.com</a><!-- e -->.
thanks again:
steve
I am a new member looking for some input and advise from all of you. I am a former locomotive engineer (18 Years) and a lifelong (40 years) HO scale modeler. Over the past year, I have been trying to implement my experiences on the real railroad into the model railroad......here's why:
I have always been amazed at how detailed model train layouts have become. Modern technology has really changed what we can do with our layouts. To that end, operations can really be enhanced, realistically. I have been to many shows and club meets to watch the members "run" the trains. Many of which are done with a "car card" or "waybilling" technique. I wanted to try something else. So I took my experiences from the railroad and put some of these to paper to see if it could be done in the "model world". Trust me, I'm not trying to set the model railroad world upside down with these ideas. I'm just trying to put a new twist on already proven methods. So, I came up with some ideas that I would like to run by members of this forum. They are;
The Switch List:
Describes a prototypical day in the life of a shortline train crew (can be used for mainline too). It shows how, and what, work has to be done by the crew. It gives a simple description of how a switch list is generated and used by the "crew". The "switch list" will list all sidings, industries and tracks along the route as well as all cars on them. It can be created in a short amount of time and generated quickly for each op session. A switchlist can be made with a piece of paper or a computer. The computer, however, can save all your information for future use. All you need to do is "update" your information for each session (pulls, spots, respots, interchange etc..) just like the real railroads.
Situational Modeling:
These tips are actual real life situations that arise on the railroads daily. They can be implemented quickly into a operating session to put a real life twist on your day. They make you "operate" your trains, not just run them "around the loop". I showed this to a friend of mine who had a club layout and his response was "I have a member who thinks he's the pro. I'll give him a chance to prove it". The "pro" lost. He got too frustrated because he could'nt just "run the train".
I would love to pass these by you but I'm hot sure how to "attach" a file
. Any help would be great. Or, I know how to do this off my e-mail so if you want to drop me a line I can do it that way too. I can be reached at <!-- e --><a href="mailtozabko@roadrunner.com">szabko@roadrunner.com</a><!-- e -->.thanks again:
steve
Doing my best to stay on track and to live each day to it's fullest, trying not to upset people along the way. I have no enemies.....just friends who don't understand my point of view.
Steve
Let's go Devils!
Steve
Let's go Devils!