# OpSession on the MM&G in Northern.Ohio



## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

We just completed our second operating session for 2012 with 8 people attending. 

Talk about nice weather. It was in the mid 70's with a nice breeze making for excellent train running. See the following link for pictures. 

*http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/apps/...d=13884010* 

Thanks,
Mark
*http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/*


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Mark- Nice pictures. Great looking railroad. 


-Kevin.


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## Fred (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice pictures. What method of "operation" do you use ?


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## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

Thanks for the comments Kevin.

Fred,
Not sure what you mean by type of operation, but I'll take a stab at it. 

I run strictly diesel power. The control is the Aristo Craft Revolution. I have a fixed 24 volts on the track and run the bigger SD-45's, SD-40's, E-8's using track power and the smaller engines, RS-3's, GP-40, SW-4, NW4 on battery power. There is approximate 1600 feet of track with a bit less than 50 switches.

If you go to my web page, you can see more details. *http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/*

Thanks,
Mark


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## pete (Jan 2, 2008)

Mark has a good setup going for his op sessions. It's a lot of fun and for most of us that do not have a lot of sidings, we get to do a lot of switching of cars. Plus any time you get to play trains it's all good.


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## Fred (Jan 2, 2008)

I was referring to how you decide where each car goes - do you use cards, computers, color-coded tacks, or random choices? 
"Operation" is my favorite part of model railroading.


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## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

We use Waybill for each car. Not the most ideal thing when the wind is blowing, but it's what we use. 
Mark
http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/

*http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/*


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## Fred (Jan 2, 2008)

I use the color-coded index cards for waybills. To keep them from blowing away all the bill racks have metal rings instead of open hooks to hold them. These rings are like those found in school binders. The rings can be bought at Office Max, etc in a box for a few bucks. When a crew gets his waybills at the initial terminal he also gets a ring to hold the bills.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

We use Engineer/Brakeman "Instruction Sheets" that tell them what movements to make and when. We run three Engineers/Brakemen, and one or two Tower Operators, for blocks and turnouts, on a 2-hour fast clock. Basically, we simulate "A Day in the Life" of Tortoise Town.

This shows the first page of the Tower Operator's schedule. The three Engineers/Brakemen also have similar schedules except that their instructions are in black and the other engineers instructions are in color so everybody knows what everybody is doing, especially when it comes time to inferface, but without drawing attention away from their own jobs.


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## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

Fred,
I have a pouch for each siding and a pouch for each train. The intent was that they would stick the weigh bill in the pouch after they handled the car. Maybe keeping the pouch in their pockets until the car was delivered to it's destination. For what ever reason, the crews find it easier to put the cards on each car. So when the train leaves the yard, they often fall off on the trip to it's next destination. 

Bending over each time to put the card on the car, pick the card up from the car or ground would kill my back bending over so many times. I'm usually the dispatcher, so I don't have the cards to worry about. 

It's been suggested maybe using colored plastic tacks, drilling a small hole on the top of each car, might work better. I'm resisting drilling holes. 

It's still a "Work in Progress". 
Mark

*http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/*


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## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

Toddalin,

Can I assume the P or D in front of the car type means either to (P) pickup or (D) deliver? I would see a need for another column with the car number. How many cars do you typically have moving around the RR? 

Typically on my layout we have maybe 50 cars either moving or waiting to be moved sitting in 1 of two yards. Each of the 2-3 road freights might be pulling 10-15 cars around and dropping them off at one of the two staging yards, where they are routed to their final destinations by the two yard switchers, one for each yard. 

So with 50 cars making say 3-4 moves in an operating session, I'm assuming that means there would be 150-200 lines on the instruction sheet to handle these moves. I would see a need for another column with the car number since that's the only way to keep them separate. I'll digest all of this and see if we can test it out before the end of the year shuts us down. 

Thanks,
Mark

*http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/*


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By mgilger on 11 Sep 2012 08:06 AM 
Toddalin,

Can I assume the P or D in front of the car type means either to (P) pickup or (D) deliver? I would see a need for another column with the car number. How many cars do you typically have moving around the RR? 

Typically on my layout we have maybe 50 cars either moving or waiting to be moved sitting in 1 of two yards. Each of the 2-3 road freights might be pulling 10-15 cars around and dropping them off at one of the two staging yards, where they are routed to their final destinations by the two yard switchers, one for each yard. 

So with 50 cars making say 3-4 moves in an operating session, I'm assuming that means there would be 150-200 lines on the instruction sheet to handle these moves. I would see a need for another column with the car number since that's the only way to keep them separate. I'll digest all of this and see if we can test it out before the end of the year shuts us down. 

Thanks,
Mark

*http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/* 


Yes, P = Pick-up and D = Drop


We keep the trains short and there are really no more that about a dozen or so different cars to be P/D. But these same cars are moved about several times during the day, just as you would expect in real life.

When it is designated to "P-REEFER" that would be the only car there of that type on that track, so there is no confusion or need for car numbers.

In the case of a car being replaced in a consist such as the beer train, we really don't care which of the cars is cut out of the herd so long as everyone is having fun. But, in some cases where operators must coordinate their efforts, it may specify to "CUT DINER BEHIND ENGINE" or such just to make the movement a bit easier.

BTW, we are currently scheduled to be running operations here Wednesday, Sept. 19 beginning at 3:00 PM. We are located in the hills of Orange County above North Tustin, CA. If anyone would like to join us, you are more than welcome. Just e-mail me for an address/directions.


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## Fred (Jan 2, 2008)

I used the color-coded tacks in the beginning but I like to "know" if car is a load of...... or an empty. Also origin & routing so I changed over to the color-coded cards like I had used on my HO layout for 25 years. I use the color to indicate the town to ease in switching then when the car reaches that town I then read what industry the car is to be spotted at. I use the paperclip method to attach the waybill to the car card. Has worked out well for me.


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

I love operating sessions. I used to have one a month. It became easier when I made the yard switcher battery powered. It eliminated the dispatcher having to route power for the yard work, especially when the switcher crossed either main line. You have a great layout for switching. Glad to see you have a good crew that enjoys it.


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