For the operation of our Rail Empire

Timetables is something developed that life revolves around and to which we adapt.

In this hobby, we have many choices on how we run our trains and the following is three methods that I know of–
1. Ad Hoc - whatever the User wants to do
2. Some order by following a sequence such as a DMU, then a local goods followed by a block coal/stone/oil train
3. Timetables to determine what train & when.

I am fortunate to be able to say that I operate on layouts that follow variations & adaptions of both points 2 & 3 and based on experiences gained, I have developed such a system for the D&S.

 

More to come, so stay with me.

The D&S normally uses 4 operators plus a Fat Controller/Dispatcher/Train manager, etc & the philosophy is that trains are normally passed from one station to another  using multiple operators with the exception of passenger. yes I have DCC which ideally allows the operator to follow his/her train around the layout but lack of room, prevents that.

I work on a real running time of 2 hours and use a PC clock - visible to all -  that runs 3 times faster so my Session time runs for 6 hours so I set up some trains in times as this example shows



this is for the Train Controller and I think it is self explanatory - if not please ask.

This allows the Train Controller to set all points for trains leaving or arriving through Junctions & in/out of storage tracks in time for teh movement of trains

Now as each of the three main operating points do not need to know all details, I provide an abridged version for their location - Charde as the example


bit more to come.

Blinky heck - because I had a invalid extension of an attachment, I lost the lot of the post. I will follow that up.

Now where was I?

I think ………………

the only timed trains are 5 passenger, 3 gravel, one tanker & one cattle and they are different for each sequence in starting times & the direction they travel;  all other 7 goods fit in as time allows & if a train is not completed in one Op Session, it will be finished the next time.

I am working on 6 sequences which normally take 6 real months to go through before we start again.

 

The colours are so each station is identified & in the case of Tawnton, they are aware of passenger trains being driven in by the Charde operator & so need to set appropriate tracks for the platforms.

 

Was that understood? questions?

and attached is a basic plan of the D&S

An interesting project Ron and something I was keen to do with my layout. In fact I did do a timetable (more running order really) for my layout, but had to scrap it when I changed the track configuration. I will be doing it again once the track is completed. The trick is to make sure everything finishes up where it started before you run the sequence over again - you seem to have done that. Have you tried running it yet?

Bob

Yes Bob, the 4th sequence gets used in about two weeks & it has been an evolving project as we find out small problems. If I am by myself, then I just use non-timed goods or even finish off goods from a previous session.

Since I wrote this thread years ago, I have spent quite a lot of time since involved with Timetables, Sequences & Train Orders as part of the NMRA AP certificate regarding Dispatching Dispatcher | National Model Railroad Association

To this end, I have done many spreadsheets and the crew on the D&S use these in our 3 operating sessions each month .

One such session is attached  and one Train Order from that is session follows



each session takes about 2 real hours & with  fast clocks of 5:1, the D&S is run 10 hours per session. As with anything like this, it is continually evolving with tweeks happening each time - some minor & others not so minor

The names of Charde, Tawnton & Marabost on the Order are those of the actual Operator as they cannot follow the train around due to lack of physical room but hand the train & order onto the next station. DCC does make this easier than DC .

and this is the schematic of the D&S




and this photo shows half of the operating space looking from the doorway

Great Stuff Ron!!!
It would take me a while to get my head around that.!!!
:thumbs Gormo

One day... One day... This looks great. What did you use to start all of this? Any real-world timetables, or did you just make it up as you went along?

[user=1560]emmess[/user] wrote:

One day… One day… This looks great. What did you use to start all of this? Any real-world timetables, or did you just make it up as you went along?

No real timetables, just  worked out what I wanted to run in a session and it developed from that with comments from the crew.
I now have 14 such spreadsheet files - one for each session AM & PM of the 7 days in a week.
The attached has all the goods services & when they get run.
Passenger - DMU's x 2 of and a main line service also run to time in each AM & PM timeslot.

G`day Ron,

I`m getting my head around it and I like that.

I have read about and heard about various systems over the years and yours seems to be as good as or better than any I`ve seen.

:cheers  Gormo

Thanks Gormo

Mine is a mix of the many systems around.

I was "lucky" enough to be involved with a local NMRA member who uses waybills, etc and it was progression from the fixed format I was shown back in 2001 when I joined a local round-robin group of like-minded modellers.

My early days of this fixed format  was as per the attached file, made up of two Train Orders TJ 11 & TJ 12  in which TJ 12 reversed what TJ 11 did.
It got to the stage that the crew knew exactly what to do each time they saw the loco come out of storage and they did not need to really read the Order so that is why I started on waybill/wagon  cards so the train was completely different each time. A lot of work for me but it does mean variation !

Ron,
Do you have to have the exact number of operators to run the railway, or if too few are available can you, say, not run the mineral train?

Do you have a pool of operators all capable of running any of the planned  services or a team with differing levels of competence?

Forgive me if these seem rather facile questions in a technical  discussion  but I am interested in the 'human logistics' too.



Doug

[user=312]Chubber[/user] wrote:

Ron,
Do you have to have the exact number of operators to run the railway, or if too few are available can you, say, not run the mineral train? Yes, I do have the right number but can call on others if some drop out for any reason but if the numbers go too low, then I can drop the passenger services followed by the stone train.

Do you have a pool of operators all capable of running any of the planned  services or a team with differing levels of competence?
As Max would be aware, all can operate on my layout - some are more familiar with the concepts than others.     I was rotating the crew around the 5 locations every 3 months but are doing it now every two months. The reason is that Tawnton, the main station is more full on than the 3 terminal stations so every one gets some busy & easy sessions.

 Forgive me if these seem rather facile questions in a technical  discussion  but I am interested in the 'human logistics' too.

The Op sessions currently on the D&S are 3 times a month - 2 Wed nights  & one Fri night

Doug

It's all a great concept Sol - one I've had the pleasure of examining from details you've sent me in the past. :thumbs

It certainly adds another dimension to our modelling and is yet another stride away from "playing trains".  I wonder if it would work with the likes of RR & Co and how complex it would be to get everything slotted in.  I can imagine the schedules would be akin to the formula for an atomic bomb ………………..but it would be a very interesting, and challenging, exercise  :hmm

Thanks  for that, Ron,

Doug

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

It certainly adds another dimension to our modelling and is yet another stride away from "playing trains".  I wonder if it would work with the likes of RR & Co and how complex it would be to get everything slotted in.  I can imagine the schedules would be akin to the formula for an atomic bomb ………………..but it would be a very interesting, and challenging, exercise  :hmm

RR&Co has a "fast clock"  and a timetable option…….you can write 24 hour timetable for a selected calendar date. So by varying the date you have the ability to produce an almost infinite number of unique timetables.

The timetable can operate both schedules and operation commands…….you can specify a time for dusk or dawn and the lights will come on (if you have them)……if you have sound you could trigger a cock crowing at dawn…..personally that would drive me bonkers but I can visualise it working in certain circumstances

The system works very effectively but I find you still have to produce some parallell documentation in spreadsheet form to keep track of all the associated schedules and sub commands……you are right it is amazingly complex and after eight years I am still only scratching the surface…….

The big disadvantage compared with Ron and his 4 operators is the absence of human intervention………if something goes wrong unless I hit the emergency stop button real quick its a bit like Willie Wonkies chocolate factory going awry…….it would make a hilarious video

Some great stuff here.

I prefer a sequence myself as I operate on my own and do not want  to feel under pressure from a clock.  Actually its 4 sequences covering Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday where Thursday is market day on the branch but early closing in the main town.  I have 3 Sunday sequences, 5 for Tuesday, 7 for Thursday and 11 for Saturday.  It becomes clear that the sequence will run 1155 times (3x5x7x11) before the days repeat themselves.

The idea is that, whichever Tuesday sequence is run, the trains end up in the right place to start any Thursday sequence and so on.  This may require some empty stock workings but that's fine because that's how it was on the real railway and that is what I am striving to achieve.

Making variations is done by running or not running optional trains, running A rather than B (especially if A and B are PW options), running A and B and so on.  Also, extra vans can be attached to trains, strengthener coaches put on or relief services run.  Note that the variations on train type refer to passenger trains only.  Its actually easier to have 11 variations you think.

Freight trains run in fixed rakes and so the variations are train A or  train B.  The stopping freight trains are opersated as per my YouTube video "Stopping Freight On Yarlsow" - link below.

Stopping Freight on Yarslow

Hope some people find this useful.  Its not the best system but it works for me and I guess that's what it's all about  :)

My future layout is of a real place and timetables from various periods are available.
However at most a dozen trains each way each day doesn't make for huge interest.
So I chose war time, and in particular 29th May 1940. When the timetables were thrown out of the window. You had evacuation trains and ambulance trains coming through from the south coast with men from Dunkirk. Meanwhile ammunition trains which had been pre ordered were still on their way south. If the locals were lucky a normal passenger  train might just get a path through.

 For the Exhibition section of the layout it will be very simplified 4 trains ready for each way in the fiddle yard, taking turns, with just the occasional local  / freight / horse box from a passenger train being dropped off.
 For Me going over complicated at a show with a strict timetable is too prone to points failure / loco failure, you need to keep things happening for 99% of punters…