05-30-2013, 08:47 PM
Operations on the Kings Port Division have been much more interesting this year after carefully analyzing my existing layout for opportunities to stage and developing a sequence of trains. I run two "through freights", two locals, a transfer run, a couple of Extras, and commuter service with an RDC. What's less satisfying is that I'm tending to run the same locals over and over, having set them up and then being lazy about changing them out to make the operations more varied. The cars are already on the layout and it's easy to simply reassemble the same train for the next session. I'm feeling the need for variety and want some "external" source to determine what sort of work my railroad needs to do.
So, I'm trying an experiment with scenario cards, an operations approach I first saw described by Jim Kelly in the November 1992 issue of Model Railroader. The article is titled "How to run a small layout realistically", with the subtitle, "Scenario cards for a different train every time". For those unfamiliar with the concept, scenario cards simulate the customers' requests for rail service in a randomized but sensible manner. Like computerized switch list generators and other more modern systems for model ops, the modeler is give specified tasks to perform and the puzzle of how to get them done.
Following Jim Kelly's recommendations, I first made a list of all of my rail-served businesses. These include:
Actual industries on the layout: Empire Grain, Sal's auto salvage, GERN, Boom's Ready Mix, the Team Track, KOSCO, Hedberg Aggregates, KP Steel,
"Off-layout industries": Peerless Appliance (on the Mayfield Branch), as well as Ulster Cement and Acme Auto Parts (located north of my layout in Penvan...Thank you Mike Kieran!)
Yard destinations: Mayfield and Selkirk (off-layout), Kings Port's Williams Yard, and West Mill's Car Float Yard
This is a blank Scenario Card. Mine are a variation from those in the article. They can be whatever you'd like them to be as long as they provide information regarding your rail-served industry needs.
![[Image: 006-9_zps61a46bd8.jpg]](http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/Ralph59/006-9_zps61a46bd8.jpg)
My cards allow for multiple set outs and pick ups, determine where cars to be set out come from, and where cars to be picked up will be taken.
So, I'm trying an experiment with scenario cards, an operations approach I first saw described by Jim Kelly in the November 1992 issue of Model Railroader. The article is titled "How to run a small layout realistically", with the subtitle, "Scenario cards for a different train every time". For those unfamiliar with the concept, scenario cards simulate the customers' requests for rail service in a randomized but sensible manner. Like computerized switch list generators and other more modern systems for model ops, the modeler is give specified tasks to perform and the puzzle of how to get them done.
Following Jim Kelly's recommendations, I first made a list of all of my rail-served businesses. These include:
Actual industries on the layout: Empire Grain, Sal's auto salvage, GERN, Boom's Ready Mix, the Team Track, KOSCO, Hedberg Aggregates, KP Steel,
"Off-layout industries": Peerless Appliance (on the Mayfield Branch), as well as Ulster Cement and Acme Auto Parts (located north of my layout in Penvan...Thank you Mike Kieran!)
Yard destinations: Mayfield and Selkirk (off-layout), Kings Port's Williams Yard, and West Mill's Car Float Yard
This is a blank Scenario Card. Mine are a variation from those in the article. They can be whatever you'd like them to be as long as they provide information regarding your rail-served industry needs.
![[Image: 006-9_zps61a46bd8.jpg]](http://s197.photobucket.com/user/Ralph59/media/006-9_zps61a46bd8.jpg.html)
My cards allow for multiple set outs and pick ups, determine where cars to be set out come from, and where cars to be picked up will be taken.