Hi
Does anyone know of any software for designing a Model Railway time table

Regards

John Moss

Hi John,
 
The simplest would be a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or one of the free ones and use a table format, where you can replicate the look and feel of pretty much any railway timetable in the style of the original.
 
If on the other hand, you want a system for model railway train movements, then there are numerous options, which can be linked to a fast clock. Cards in a ring binder giving details of the movement (train composition, time, start and finish point, etc) are popular and as each movement is completed, you turn over the next card or page to reveal the next operating procedure..
 
If you want a fully automated system on your computer and don't mind a degree of complication, then RR&Co is popular and others are available.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Good luck,
 
Bill

Thanks, Bill, for coming back so quickly.    I do use R.R.&Co software for timetables.

  I was, however, looking for something to try to synchronize the arrival and departure of the Locos rather than by trial and error.
  I have spent many hours trying to make sure for example that two trains arrive and depart at the same time only for that to cause problems later in the timetable.
  Perhaps an XL spreadsheet might solve the problem as a last resort.
  Best
  John

Hi John,
 
There are a few others here who use RR&Co who hopefully can provide particular insight into the issue and I think one of them has even penned something of a user guide on here.
 
However, as your query relates to RR&Co operation, I would suggest that you start another topic and include the words 'RR&Co' in the topic heading to attract the forum's experts and then outline your requirements.
 
That should do it!
 
Bill

Hi John
Welcome to YMR! I hope that you find it as useful and friendly as I have over the years.

It will be good to have another RR&Co user to chat to…..particularly about timetables. I keep making half hearted attempts to get mine set up and then get diverted to something else:oops:. I do agree that while the RR&Co timetable, in conjunction with the fast clock, is a useful tool…..its not enough to run complex operations on its own. I am trying to develop a series of spreadsheets as an aid to run in conjunction with TC

Could you expand a little more on the problem that you are having with synchronising the arrival and departure of locos?

I wrote the guide that Bill referred to. I am afraid It has never been updated and is not very useful. I assume you are aware of Rudy’s excellent videos on Youtube?

If you contact Matt (Barchester) he can amend the title of this thread for you. You may also wish to post a separate intro in the New Members section.

Best wishes

Thanks John
I have a series of TTs on different dates starting with 3 Locos and finishing with 6 Locos.
I can start with 3 Locos and when that finishes, I introduce another Loco and that then goes automatically to a prepared location and the others will move around automatically if necessary and so on until all 6 are loaded.
I am quite happy with these except for one problem I have raised unsuccessfully on the RR & Co Forum.
As each TT is on a different date, I have to remember to change that – I cannot get the program to do it automatically.     I don’t know if you can help with that.

What I am now trying to do is run another TT where two Locos start on opposite tracks then go onto one track before separating again.
I have timed all the routes and created an XL spreadsheet recording them, but it is taking hours to do, and I just wondered if anyone out there has sorted a better way.
Best
John

I use XL or equivalent entirely for my timetables to enable at least 3 trains on the move at the same time whilst the main station can have a lot of shunting going on. It does take time - I guess at least 4-6 hours of drawing a graph, then translating it onto a spreadsheet & seeing where trains may clash. All good fun… If you want a copy PM your e-mail address

I also think Operations Pro, part of JMRI Decoder Pro can do something as well

[user=2200]John Moss[/user] wrote:

Thanks John
I have a series of TTs on different dates starting with 3 Locos and finishing with 6 Locos.
I can start with 3 Locos and when that finishes, I introduce another Loco and that then goes automatically to a prepared location and the others will move around automatically if necessary and so on until all 6 are loaded.
I am quite happy with these except for one problem I have raised unsuccessfully on the RR & Co Forum.
As each TT is on a different date, I have to remember to change that – I cannot get the program to do it automatically.     I don’t know if you can help with that.
Best
John

Hi John

Sorry for the delay…..we are in mega gardening mode and I have been "encouraged" not to contemplate entering the train room this week.

Some general questions……can I assume you are operating TC Gold? V9 B2 or 3?

I will send a separate post re the Xover.

Regarding the timetable issue……..

[1] Do you run each daily timetable to the very last schedule before starting the next days schedule?

[2] Are the daily timetables always run in the same sequence?

[3] Are the dates of each timetable sequential or can they be?

If yes to the above I think I may be able to automatically adjust the date for you although you would have to manually enter the date for the Day 1 timetable

Would that be of use?

[user=2200]John Moss[/user] wrote:

Thanks John

What I am now trying to do is run another TT where two Locos start on opposite tracks then go onto one track before separating again.
I have timed all the routes and created an XL spreadsheet recording them, but it is taking hours to do, and I just wondered if anyone out there has sorted a better way.
Best
John

Hi John

Its difficult to visualise without seeing the block diagram.

Is the problem that a lock up results with two locos facing one another…….got the T shirt for that.

How many schedules are involved for each loco?

Do you start each schedule from the timetable or do you use successors or end of schedule operations?

Best wishes

Hi All
Decided to take a day off today and go play golf
Best
John

Hi Gents
I had a very pleasant game of golf with the lads but unfortunately as I am 85 it takes me a little time to recover after playing but it was worth it to be out in the fresh air.
Thanks Sol- I have never tried any JMRI software so I will have a look at it.
John -I am using RR&Co Gold V B3   Unfortunately, my TTs have been set up over some years and the dates are random. They are all started from a push button with Operations - Set Clock – Start Clock. What I was hoping for was a command Set Date, but I cannot find one.
Best
John

Hi Sol
Sorry I seem to have got something wrong on my posting following my game of golf last week.
I posted this to my posting ( as I would in RR& co ) and I think I should have replied to you


“Hi Gents I had a very pleasant game of golf with the lads but unfortunately as I am 85 it takes me a little time to recover after playing but it was worth it to be out in the fresh air. 
Thanks Sol- I have never tried any JMRI software so I will have a look at it.
John -I am using RR&Co Gold V B3   Unfortunately, my TTs have been set up over some years and the dates are random. They are all started from a push button with Operations - Set Clock – Start Clock. What I was hoping for was a command Set Date, but I cannot find one. 

Best John “

Hi John
Sorry I seem to have got something wrong on my posting following my game of golf last week.
I posted this to my posting ( as I would in RR& co ) and I think I should have replied to you
“Hi Gents 
I had a very pleasant game of golf with the lads but unfortunately as I am 85 it takes me a little time to recover after playing but it was worth it to be out in the fresh air. 

Thanks Sol- I have never tried any JMRI software so I will have a look at it. 

John -I am using RR&Co Gold V B3   Unfortunately, my TTs have been set up over some years and the dates are random. They are all started from a push button with Operations - Set Clock – Start Clock. What I was hoping for was a command Set Date, but I cannot find one. 

Best 

John “