Level Up! How To Add Real Railroad Operations To O27 Trains

Our model trains have the capacity to do more than chase their tails- even on small layouts. With on-board sounds, reliable operating couplers, a deep flanges to reduce derailments, our model trains can easily become components of a model RAILROAD - replicating, to some extent, the operations of a real railroad - past, present, or imaginary.
So, let’s take a look at part of an operating session on my mythical Queen City Lines - officially the Ohio, Indiana, and Northern Kentucky Railway.
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[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Realistic Model Railroad Operation: How to Run Your Trains Like the Real Thing [Affiliate Link] Make your railroad more true to life and interesting, by adopting realistic operation principles. Covers the history, practice, terminology, and benefits of operating realistically. Guides you through the steps leading to realistic operation, and includes pictorial examples of working model railroads and realistic operating sessions. amzn.to/3qV2NAU

[@293awesome]

It just goes to show that you can do a lot with very little. Great video

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

You don't have to spend a fortune to have fun!

[@chasesrailwaylinesrr6447]

This is what I'm always trying to do with my HO scale trains I've bought many operating accessories to actually make the trains do work And it is very very cool

[@rogermetzger7335]

I really do appreciate the "realistic detail" of "model" trains (as compared to my 1950 vintage tinplate Marx train) but railroad OPERATIONS are much more interesting to me.This is probably the best "switching" video I've ever seeen. Which is why this is also the first time i've ever "subscribed" to a KZbin channel.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thank you very much!

[@georgebenson6036]

Great video as always. I think I understood you to say that Stradivarius made trumpets. I did not know that. I thought he was all about violins. I have done operation on my layout in the past, but it was a lot of work for one person operating solo, so I am all about "goldfish" train running now. I find it very relaxing. Just this afternoon I ran my layout for 1 hour and 49 minutes that way. Many times it lulls me to sleep, like it did today. Thanks for sharing.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Stradivarius is a model name for trumpets under the Bach/Selmer label.

[@slagcat]

It is nice to find another fellow Cincinnatian O gauge or scale channel. 👍

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Welcome aboard!

[@chicagolandrailroader]

Great ideas, I might consider while doing operations

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Go for it!

[@chrisresor1893]

That was great Mike! Enjoyable and informative

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thank you!

[@jamesnear3911]

Yep. That is what I like operations. You always do a great job. Thanks.

[@markmccummins8049]

Excellent video! This has the potential to keep younger operators in the hobby. Make it make sense.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks!

[@angeloavanti2538]

Lots of fun.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

👍

[@markattardo]

Good stuff!!👍👍

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thank you!!!

[@Engine1988]

There is something rather interesting (at least to me) about the name you picked for your railroad. Dickinson ND, which happens to have quite an impressive yard that I enjoy watching the yard engine work at, is occasionally referred to as the "Queen City". There isn't really any connection aside from the name, but it's just kind of interesting. Dickinson was actually started because the railroad went through there and every now and then the Northern Pacific would construct depots where there were no towns so that farmers would have some place to get to the trains. Generally, these depot's locations became the home of a small town, with the all-important NP depot as the focal point. Of course, as these towns gradually got larger, the depot became less important, but Dickinson was originally called Pleasant Valley Siding at one point! Now the depot and the yard are simply a part of town, no more important to the average traveler than any other yard or depot. There used to be a grand engine terminal, too!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Allegedly, Abraham Lincoln called Cincinnati the "Queen City Of The West" in a speech and the nickname stuck. The "OINK" is a poke at the city's unofficial nickname -porkopolis - due to the many meat processing plants that used to be in town.

[@Engine1988]

@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Interesting...

[@mypugsdad5366]

Keep up your videos you have inspired me. I am rebuilding my 4ft X 8ft layout.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Great!!!!

[@johnknippenberg-LandmarkYards]

Great vid, thanks!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for watching!

[@muir8009]

What an excellent video, and really pleased you're advocating railroad operations using tinplate. Interesting you mention Frank Ellison' Delta Lines, many of his operations articles appearing in prewar model builder magazines. I was recently reading a 1912 model railway magazine and there was a gauge 1 layout (pre WW1 gauge 1 and 2 were the popular sizes). A double oval affair with a mass of turnouts and a plethora of stations everywhere. Superficially to modern eyes it was a toy like mass of track, sparse scenery etc. What is easy to overlook is that the owner could get the actual working GWR timetable, run the correct paddington to Bath or Bristol passenger trains, run them to timetable with an all correctly and fully signalled journey. They had a lot more enthusiasm about replicating correct railway operations than what we often give them credit for, mainly I think due to modern perceptions of early modelers, and unfashionable layout designs. The prewar model builder magazines often gave simple operations for simple layouts. Really good narrative too: it's great you're being so thorough with the maneuvers and reasons behind each shunt. Tbh, I'm more than happy to just listen to your narration and tinplate trains without the music ;)

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for the wonderful feedback!

[@joesattler2773]

As usual Mike, a great video! Nice to see incorporating all those railroad maneuvers. A++

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks! The trains ran fine. The cameras didn't want to cooperate!

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Marx guy here, how about "James Town" as in Harry James. Like their motors, Marx turnouts are bullet proof. On a 6'X12' table, I`m trying to figure out a over and under bridge layout. Still tinkering and watching "Highway Patrol", that`s a BIG 10--4 fellow railroader.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

James is an excellent choice!

[@huntercoleman460]

Nice Mark. Enjoyed the video.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks!

[@paulbervid1610]

Great video

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thank you!

[@johnjohnston9661]

Excellent video! Great job of explaining and demonstrating operations on an O-27 layout. Do you have a video (or photos) or your current track plan? From what I can see, it would work well for operations and continuous running.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

The current track plan is Phase 1 of the eventual 3 phase plan. The key to Phase 1 is the ability to get trains running quickly while work progresses on the remaining sections. The Phase 1 track plan is essentially an oval with a double-crossing, allowing either outside of figure 8 continuous running. When complete, each side of the oval will be part of a larger double track main, with the oval ends functioning as connector tracks between the two lines.

[@danshobbies13]

I’m ok with goldfish mode. After a long day at work, I don’t need another job at home.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Understood!!! :-)

[@Engine1988]

Collecting trains is fun, and so is building layouts, but both of those require money, often significant amounts of it. At a certain point, however, so long as the layout is built in a certain way and there are enough compatible cars and a locomotive with two operating couplers, it can be used for realistic operations without costing any more than building the aforementioned layout and collecting the aforementioned trains. This is why I like realistic operations: my funds are low. Plus, I kind of get bored just watching the train go in circles. It's probably because I like novelties, and so to keep from getting bored I have to expand the layout (expensive), collect more trains (very expensive), and/or operate trains realistically (virtually free). Given my situation, which option am I focusing on more?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Well said.

[@Engine1988]

@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Thanks!

[@MattTheLizard]

Great video! How did you do the uncoupling?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Strategically placed Lionel magnetic uncoupling sections - mostly Postwar 6019s.

[@MattTheLizard]

@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks I need to find those! Thanks.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

@@MattTheLizard What kind of track do you use?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

@@MattTheLizard kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3THkH6knMSAr7Msi=tteVa_umHkkQyKgt

[@MattTheLizard]

@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks 2000s O-27 and just unearthed some 1950s stuff my Dad had. I am going to mismatch everything and have a blast.