WM Western Lines Engineering Report

[cec209]

But the most noticeable damage from the disaster took place out on the Connellsville Sub:

Looks like a dangerous spot. Isn't that where the girl fell down the enbankment onto the river bank the several months ago?

Charlie

[wm3798]

Okay, so I've got a mid October ops session brewing, so it's time to get back to work.  I'm going to try to get the roundhouse wired up and functioning, or at least enough of it to make it a little more manageable to handle all the visiting power that usually shows up.

I've also got to get the east throat switches wired and set up with slide switches to enable both ends of the yard to be worked.

A couple of other odds and ends will also be on the menu...  We'll see.
Lee

[wm3798]

Okay, so in MC's Summer Shunting thread I mentioned that I was kicking around the idea of simplifying my layout to better suit my space. 

The crux of the matter is that after running some ops sessions at Eric's Nickel Plate, I'm realizing that I really am trying to stuff 10 pounds of railroad into a 5 pound bag.  The track plan is good, staging is adequate, and I'm happy with the overall effect of the scenery:track ratio, but there's simply not enough "air" between elements to run the volume of trains I had hoped... at least with the size of crew I need to run a full schedule.

At Eric's, there's plenty of room for a large crew, he usually runs with about 10.  My room can only handle 5, maybe 6 comfortably, but I'm trying to run the same volume of trains.

My first (and most logical) solution is to trim the train schedule.  I'll be experimenting with that over the next few sessions.  If that doesn't work to my satisfaction, I may start with a clean sheet of paper.

Of course, the other option opens up in a couple of years when I no longer have to domicile a teenager upstairs... Opening up some more real estate for a larger layout with longer runs.  We shall see...

Lee

[seusscaboose]

yeah, i feel the same pull... as if i am running too many trains...   there IS also the feeling of "needing to keep people busy"... instead of "letting them sit around"...  after all, they are here to run trains right???   anyway...  i can tell you that the Op's tend to take longer and dont run as smooth if trains arent blocked...    for short trains.. no biggie...   8 cars or less...   for over 8 cars, we are trying to master blocking...

here is an example

[Philip H]

Well, if we do one of John Allen's Givens and Druthers analyses, we find:
Givens

• A set foot-print for two more years
• layout design elements really close together, causing consternation and slow-downs during operating sessions
• a recent and major reconstruction
• an ambitious but prototypically based operations schedule
• a finite capacity in the on-stage yard for both cars and switching work
• a well-liked scenery to track ratio

Druthers

• more capacity for human operators
• ability to run the full schedule as planned, not just s shortened version
• the ability to maintain scenery to track ratio
• beneficino from the most recent set of investments - i.e. not making wholesale changes that require massive amounts of new track, etc
• a DCC system up to the operating task

That's all I can think of for the moment, but you probably get the idea.  Seems that trimming the schedule (or breaking it up into tricks so that you do 24 hours of operating in 3 sessions or something) might be the shortest distance between two points here.

[conrail98]

Lee, what about splitting the session in half? Run half the trains one month, the other half the next? I know many layouts do that to keep things moving and not so cluttered by in people and cars,

Phil

[seusscaboose]

you're using switchlists right?

i remember seeing car cards, but i konw you can do switch lists and leave the car cards to the clerk...

[MichaelWinicki]

A couple questions Lee...

How many times per year do you anticipate operating sessions where more than say 3 or 4 show up?

Do you enjoy running the layout on your own? 

[wm3798]

I'd like to settle into a groove where we're doing a regular ops session at least once a quarter.  I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but there are now at least three of us in the area with "actual size" layouts set up for operations, and we sort of round robin. There are potentially a few more that will be joining the group in the next year or so.  Also, I'm about 2 hours away from most of my crew, so I don't want to become an economic liability asking people for a half tank of gas once a month...

I do enjoy running the layout myself, and I'll run the "clean up" jobs between sessions, or just pick a train and work it through its part of the schedule.  I do see the value in breaking up the 24 hour schedule into three distinct cycles.  I've found that I do have adequate staging to handle the volume of trains scheduled, so it's not a big problem waiting for the clock to tick down a few.

Last weekend I ran for the first time with a fast clock at Eric's, and that really seemed to help the flow.  Although, the relative length of his main line run helps with the illusion of time passing.  I'm not sure how well that would translate to my more compact track plan.  I'll definitely look at Master Blocking, too, Dr. Seuss...  We'll get Ed trained yet!!

If I get really fancy with the three trick schedule, and I invest a few bucks in some more LEDs, I'd love to have a night running session where we're working in the dark...


Lee

[seusscaboose]

yeah, the night running thing is something i wanna explore a little....  after sunnyside and the engine facility and the west end expansion...

when i put it that way, it is time for a work session!
lol

[rswinnerton]

Lee & Eric- Don't worry about Ed. I'll handle his work while he pontificates. I had a great time at the ops session a couple weeks ago Eric. Thank you. I wouldn't mind becoming a regular if you'd have me.
Russ

[Ed Kapuscinski]

See, Lee's yard has the right amount of tracks (cause I yelled and hollered about it for so long), so it's quite possible to block cars there... just sayin...

Lee, I think if you're gonna do something different, wait till you'll have the second room. Enjoy what you've built for a little bit. But then...

Conrail on the Shore in June of 76?

[Philip H]

Well Ed, when you are there, it does have the right amount of track.  When Carhart and I are there . . . well we need a tad more room.  Just sayin . . .

And Lee- Ed's right - let's bask in the glory of what we have done for a time . . . .

[MichaelWinicki]

I dunno.

If Lee's not happy with the flow, he's not happy with the flow.

I know with my layout if I get a thought about something not being right... It about wears me out until I fix it. 

[seusscaboose]

i agree... there is the "this is good enough" flow... which, for me, means running freight only... and then there is the this is how it should run... which adds passenger service into the mix....

for me, the flow won't be complete until i do some more expansion, to lengthen things out a little and get the final west end established...  until then, it is a work in progress and won't "feel right"...

flow also has to do with the operators...  i am very fortunate to have a solid core of people willing to put up with me...   i always tell them thank you ...