What, Why, Who, Where, When, and How of Operations

[jdcolombo]

That's a very, very nice scene!

John C.

[Pomperaugrr]

Thanks. 

The operational challenge in that Specialty Minerals scene is that the switching lead is rather short, just like on the prototype.  It will only accommodate two locomotives and 8 covered hoppers.  I have watched the actual plant getting switched out and can pretty well mimic the movements without compromising too much from an operational standpoint.  In this respect, the switching job is fairly prototypical, regardless of scale.  It is just easier to model the rail served portion of the plant in N scale with very little compression.  The far side of the plant, including road access is left to the imagination, as you can't see the tracks from there.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

This represents Specialty Minerals, in Canaan, CT.  It is located on the remnants of the old CNE line.  The Housatonic switches it out up to two times per day.  I think N scale provides an advantage for switching operations like this, as actual car capacity and scale siding length come into play. (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Sorry for some thread drift, but the model of that facility?

[JMaurer1]

Operations is just another part of the hobby of model railroading (personally, the part I like best). Even though we mostly do NTrak (although there are some personal layouts as well), and all too often, other NTrak groups have been known to spike switches to make sure they don't accidentally get thrown, we will incorporate switching into public shows. Sure, trains carry cargo from one place to another, but at some point that cargo has to have a destination, and having to have cars spotted at specific locations within a specific time makes running trains much more fun and enjoyable. NTrak isn't just about running trains in circles, but simulating how railroads are really run (in our case, in the 50's).

The most fun I have ever had was operating the PCR (Pacific Coast Region of the NMRA) John Allen (actually built by him) timesaver switching layout. It used a shay and really clunky strange, totally non-scale Baker couplers, but they worked PERFECTLY for this.

http://gdlines.org/GDLines/Timesaver.html

[Pomperaugrr]

Sorry for some thread drift, but the model of that facility?

Ed,
That is far from finished.  It still needs a lot of piping, and limestone dust and material piles everywhere.  It is a combination of kitbashed and very recognizable N and HO scale kits, as well as scratchbuilt structures, like the gray kiln building with the curved roof.

Going back to operations, that facility can take about 15 minutes to switch loads out and empties in, if running at scale speeds and allowing time for recharging air lines, chocking wheels, etc.  On the prototype, the wheeled CAT loaders act as a car mover for spotting covered hoppers for loading between switching jobs by the HRRC.  I still need to add a coupler to the back of one of the wheeled loaders.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

On the prototype, the wheeled CAT loaders act as a car mover for spotting covered hoppers for loading between switching jobs by the HRRC.  I still need to add a coupler to the back of one of the wheeled loaders.

You won't make it run...

[Pomperaugrr]

Maybe in my next life.   

[SAH]

Good lighting is important for successful operations with any scale but is especially important with N.  And REALLY especially important if you expect your operator to read car numbers.  Bringing the layout up to chest height or slightly less helps too.

Otherwise I 100% agree with John Colombo's observations.  It is entirely possible to successfully run loose cars ops in N scale.  A zero defects mindset goes a long way to making it a reality.

[Rivet Miscounter]

Anyone that thinks quality operations isn't possible in N simply isn't paying attention.

Dumb it down to passing siding ops in N?   No way!   While I'm basically doing that in Z, even then I feel like ops involving industry and yard switching is do-able to an extent.   But in N, you really have the "full menu" of operations methodologies to choose from.  Yes, reading numbers gets somewhat more difficult but there are plenty of ways to mitigate that.

I've operated on several N-scale layouts over the years and they are among the best.   I would put Dean Ferris' OJL up against any layout in any scale.   Rossford Yard has an impressive N-scale ops-focused layout too.    Ole Melhouse's Dakota Northern layout (featured in numerous magazines) has a simplified ops scheme that works VERY well and is a lot of fun to op.

Some of the responses here remind me of some tired topic floated in the late 90's.   Good gosh people, Kato et al squashed that stereotype 30 years ago.

[wazzou]

I’m fortunate to live in an area that has some regular and lively N Scale Op Sessions on very fine quality layouts.
Mud Bay & Southern and Tenino Western to name a couple and that’s to say nothing of some of the equally fine layouts in the Portland area that I’ve been lucky to frequently operate.

[ncbqguy]

I won't be responding to this thread constantly along the way but be assured I will be following it.

But one comment....

I have operated on layouts ranging  from a small 2x8 foot switching railroad in N Scale to a 17 acre live steam mountain railroad.   I have never had any difficulty operating on N Scale railroads but some operators from other scales might have difficulty identifying individual cars. 

But I have heard people from other scales worry about operating on an N Scale layout because they don't think they will be able to read the reporting marks.

Some systems of car forwarding can mitigate that problem....tab on car or car card pockets / switch lists with a photo  of the car can help operators identify what cars to pickup or delivery without having to read the road or number.

Good lighting in the layout room can also help everybody.

N Scale overall has better quality locomotives than most scales so has no inherent performance disadvantages for operations. 

Nobody should limit their choice of layouts to their own scale....you can enjoy operations on any railroad and pick up good ideas no matter the scale or size of railroad.  If you don't walk away from a session with a couple of good ideas to incorporate into your own railroad you need to pay more attention.  Even negative things that you experience or observe can be very instructive.

I appreciate all the thoughtful responses to my query and keep them coming...I will be honing my presentation right up to the N Scale Enthusiast convention and will post the PowerPoint show including my prepared comments here as an attachment and a pdf version as well.

Thanks,
Charlie Vlk

[jdcolombo]

Hi Charlie.

One thing I do to help with the "reading the reporting numbers" issue is to make sure that most of the switching moves are done within 1' of the layout edge (and I completely agree that good lighting is a necessity; I installed two dozen track lights in my layout room just to improve the lighting for this precise reason).  If the car you need to switch is only 12" away, you can get pretty darn close to it to read the number.  The other thing I do is avoid cars that have tiny reporting marks (at least, I avoid using them for switching moves; I use these cars to fill up mainline trains).  Most "standard size" reporting marks (e.g., numerals that are 9" or bigger on the prototype) aren't that hard to read in N scale, and should be easily doable from 12" away.  Plus, the car card will identify the road name, so that limits the number of cars you have to look at.  Obviously, I use multiple NKP cars in switching, but typically other roads are represented only by a single car at any one switching location.  So the Fostoria local might have 16 cars total; five of which might be NKP cars, and the other 11 are likely 10 different road names and maybe one duplicate (for example, there might be 2 NYC cars for the NYC interchange track at Fostoria, but everything else will be a single car per roadname).  Proper blocking of the cars helps, too.  The steel mill turn usually has 6-7 open hoppers and 6-7 70-ton closed hoppers for spotting on the high line, but if these are all blocked together, whoever is running the mill job knows that all the open hoppers and 70T covered hoppers go to the high line, so you don't have to read the individual numbers for switching purposes.  All you have to do is glance at the string of open hoppers and move 'em.

My yard operators have it the worst when reading car numbers, especially the west-bound yardmaster, who DOES have to read numbers from about 2' away.  But it's never been a problem.  I really think this is a case of fear overshadowing reality.

John C.

[nscalbitz]

All-

I am doing a clinic at the upcoming N Scale Enthusiast Convention being held June ...

I feel that "Operations" is a great way to establish and expand a network of Model Railroaders and a great way to get new people into the Hobby of Model Railroading.

Charlie Vlk
Mt. Juliet, TN

Good luck CV! Parade the flag!!!
 
dave

[SAH]

During recent ops testing on the AC&Y I've had two 70+ yr old gentlemen give it a go.  Both are experienced operators, mostly on HO layouts.  One is a retired railroader.  Neither had operated on an N scale layout before.  Both were concerned about two things going in:  Reading car numbers and uncoupling the cars. 

Car numbers turned out to be a non-issue.  To John's points:  No car is ever more than 15" away from the layout front edge and aside from heavy AC&Y and NKP reporting marks my trains mirror his regarding the mix of road names, purely by chance.  And did I mention there is PLENTY of lighting?

Uncoupling turned out to be a surprise.  I showed them best practices for manual uncoupling using a pick (on my layout anyway).  Neither had a bit of a problem throughout the session.  In fact the retired railroader stated that he wished HO couplers worked as well.

Both left their session believing N scale ops is not only possible, it can work pretty darn well. 

[jpwisc]

I operate my home layout and I had the pleasure of operating two other N Scale layouts in just the last week. N Scale is fantastic for ops.

To Charlie’s original post. I model trains. Modeling the physical train is only half the story to me. Trains do things… they move freight to customers. To me modeling that is the other half of the equation. Spotting cars at customers, picking them up, switching blocks in yards… it’s all part of the fun!
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