How to Get Started in Model Railroad Switching Operations

[@dkaustin98]

Never say never! There were isolated railroads whose tracks did not join with the outside railroad lines. Take for example the narrow gauge Morenci Southern Railway. Famous for its five loops to gain elevation going up the mountain. The Morenci's tracks never joined with the standard gauge. Instead interchange was done with a loading dock and a berm between the two. The berm on the narrow gauge side made sure that the narrow gauge was level to the standard gauge. Man power was cheap at the turn of the century. Loads were transferred across the dock, which also had the passenger station on one end. Exchange between flatcars or gondolas was done where the rails came close enough to shovel between the cars. For extra heavy loads, like machinery, there was a steam powered self propelled Pony Crane. Remember, be careful with the term never. Somewhere there is a prototype that has it or did it. The fictitious Fiddletown & Copperopolis, a book I own, made fun of a railroad that twisted and turned so that the engineer could shake hands with the conductor as the engine and caboose passed. The Morenci was the real life example nicknamed The Corkscrew to America.

[@DeathByFishing]

I randomly put together trains for my layout. I only have 4 industries and a passing siding that doubles as a team track. Only 1 industry is a dedicated one for a specific car (covered hoppers)and that's my concrete facility. The other 3 can take all manner of cars.

[@tdraiss7129]

I have loop on a door with 2 trailing and 1 facing industry. To switch out all 3 at the same time I need 7 cars. And I've been using your train game, I found a site that simulates die throws that I run on my phone. I follow DJ - he has great info. Bonus - my coworker used to work for the railroad in the control room. One of his jobs was building the trains. I asked him about designating freight depending on the order of industries being served. He said most of the time they didn't organize the freight to first up first served. So the first industry served might have its freight in the middle.

[@marke.saunders4803]

I enjoy watching your videos because they are short and full of interesting Thoughts on how you can operate a railroad and have so much fun doing it. Longer videos are good as well, but I sometimes get to the point where I loose my concentration and don't get all the knowledge that is being put out. I'm still a novice when it comes to building a layout and only have two days a week that I can work on it due to my work schedule so it is important to try and learn things as I go. Thanks again for the videos you are putting out.

[@jhoodfysh]

Very good material Jimmy, it helps people understand that you don't need to be overly complex to operate a layout.

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

good vid jimmy on channel thanks lee

[@bunkytony]

This is great! I have drawn out a small vegatable oil refinery. Soy bean trucks come in and deliver their loads of soybeans and then the refinery presses out the oil. Some will be kit bashed the rest from scratch

[@TheTrainFreak]

If you do not have the space for a spur to go off the layout or a staging area, incorporating an interchange yard that goes to the edge of your layout will accomplish the same thing. Each Ops session take cars off that track and put new cars there to be picked up. As for as a Switchlist, I recently did a tutorial series on JMRI Ops Pro, which doesn't need a connection to the layout to be able to use it. It keeps track of what space is used on each track and completely randomizes everything based on your setup for each build. I've also done the car cards method as well. Both will accomplish the same thing. Great info Jimmy! - Jason

[@txag007]

Wow you have a lot of content! Time to make my way through it!

[@alanschultz3858]

thanks jimmy I am just trying to get into this style of running so will be watching all the others cheers alan

[@kylewalker2160]

Very succinct explanation of planning and conducting switching ops, thanks Jimmy. Agree that DJ's Trains is an amazing reference point since he works on the railroad and sees this stuff every day.

[@Stormbergrail]

I love your videos, your content and presentation style is spot on!

[@chowhoundlifeonabudget2907]

I have at least 5 industries to start and trying to add a few more in my 12x13 ft size

[@RayBoebel]

Spot on again Jimmy! To be honest, operations has opened a whole new can of worms for me! Having 2 staging yards (1 North, 1 South) and a storage system (because no layout is big enough), has helped me move into this phase. One thing I want to work on is a better system for the on/off part and how the rolling stock moves from 1 end of the system to the other. My layout is a bridge line. One of the neat things is, ya never know what locomotive is going to be heading down the line!

[@eliabraham6918]

Very interesting video. I always liked switching operations

[@scottericcatalano596]

Also in planning your layout do this: place industries on your layout and then do what the real world does....run your tracks to them....too many of us put tracks down then move industries around to accommodate the tracks.

[@ryans413]

But if your doing a small layout you kinda have no choice but to figure out the track first.

[@wazza33racer]

Derailments, lots of derailments, that is what adds realism.

[@tczephyr3665]

Did you really say “real world railroad”on the first take? Very impressive 😊

[@loispadgett6306]

Great video on switching thanks for sharing info. GOD BLESS 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖

[@jonimendes4826]

I'm thinking of building an L shaped switching layout, that has some industries on the right side and in the middle, to load and pick up cars from, and the left side is a small port with river barges. I then would proceed to load ho scale gravel/coal onto hoppers at the gravel company, load flat cars with ho scale pipe, steel,containers and lumber loads at the materials storage yard, and load box cars at the warehouse. I would then switch the several industries until i have the entire train consist formed. Finally i drive it to the port where i unload all the loads onto the barges, and i go back and do it again until all of the river barges are full and loaded with gravel/coal, pipe, steel, lumber loads and containers for maritime shipping. I really like the idea of loading ho scale loads onto trains and delivering and unloading them to some industry. River barges seem like a cool idea and it makes sense to me, because the river barges can receive all the different materials, of all the different industries on the layout.

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

Walthers has an Iron ore barge loading kit.

[@kaybaun2713]

Interesting. Thought you might enjoy.

[@What_If_We_Tried]

Excellent content, and suggestions. * subscribed *

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

Enjoyed the video hope there more to come thanks for sharing DD.

[@ryans413]

I just run the trains around the layout lol but it’s good to know this if you wanna be more realistic

[@4everdc302]

A good intro to operations Jimmy👍I can do some operations but most come to see trains run. How many&how long🚂🇨🇦🇺🇲🙋

[@txag007]

Jimmy, what were those VERY yellow CSX hoppers seen at 2:03? Very cool and different paint scheme! T-minus 11 weeks until I have my office area available to begin my first layout! If you are modeling transition era, think about a small siding in a yard area where you can park 1 or 2 cabooses. Nice little addition to a yard an make it more realistic for operations.

[@elleryparsons5766]

Very Interesting I have quite A Layout my Problems is this Getting switches for my Layouts.

[@Bamaboy35653]

Is their ANYTHING that will throw the switch after the train comes by or right before?

[@mr.shadestrains6033]

Awesomeness ❤️😎👍🚂

[@SFCRambo60]

You need to think of how to do all of this printing of paper differently, one recycling and cost of print paper, ink cartridges and printer maintenance. There should be a way to set up and either laminate or document protectors and use either grease pencil or erasable markers to reuse. Why, you ask? I am on a fixed income and printing off all these moves cost money.

[@TheTrainFreak]

@Johnstown & Maryville Model Railroad JMRI also has a way you can connect your tablet and check off cars as you switch them out. I personally haven't done this yet but I know someone who has.

[@TheTrainFreak]

@Johnstown & Maryville Model Railroad something I am trying to figure out myself with an Ipad.

[@KING-LEO]

I been building my collection of N scale for a few years and its quite large.i been wanting to do a lay out but trying to figure out where to start.

[@elleryparsons5766]

Every Building I have on my layout I Do have Switches And 2 Yards.

[@geoffreyfaltot1006]

Holy moly this guy looks like he could be Louis CK brother.

[@randypeddycoart5786]

I am new to DCC and I have a Question about converting a DC Locomotive to DCC. can the Chattanooga with one Tyco Engine in the coal car be upgraded to DCC? And if so does anyone have any Videos on the conversion process of this train model ?

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

So theoretically, any DC locomotive can be converted to DCC, the older locomotives are more difficult to convert and do involve wire cutting. I have considered making a video on this, but I would need to practice doing it before I would be comfortable with it