I feel like I should track down all of the attendees of my early op. sessions and issue a formal apology for what I put them through. It’s a common mistake layout owners make when they get into the operations game and have their first several years of sessions. We feel obligated to […]
Category: Operations
Audio “Props”
When it comes to simulating the multitude of tasks an actual switch crew performs, each modeler has to decide for themselves which methods add to the experience, which are simply mind numbingly boring, and which just feel moronic. These tasks, which include things like setting brake wheels, throwing out fusee’s, three step procedures, opening industry gates, […]
A Little Time Study
In the past few years, when planning a layout for myself, I’ve taken a more time oriented approach. How long do I want it to take me to reach the fifty or sixty per cent completion point? How long do I want an op. session to last? Will I be operating primarily solo? What work […]
Fusee’s
I love this video by Snuffy’s Cat Productions on the Malabar Job. In particular, check out the use of fusee’s for the grade crossing at the 2:07 mark. LogicRail Technologies makes a nice fusee device that’s easy to install. Modeling this safety procedure adds time to an op. session, effectively “stretching” the size of your […]
From My Readers
Tom Klimoski keeps turning out great videos of his Georgia Northeastern Layout. His latest is an ops. related piece on his Elizabeth Yard Turn Job posted on YouTube. Two-dimensional drawings will only take you so far in terms of visualizing scene composition. Christian Summers got around this by building a 1/10th scale mock up […]