Hello everyone, im intrested in useing a switch list to operate my layout. Does anyone know where i could find any information about how to incorporate this into my layout? Thanks in advance.
steve
steve
Switch list question?
- Thread starter trainsteve2435
- Start date
Here's what I do when I feel like doing operations on the layout...
http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=8526
http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=8526
Ralph, thanks for the link, i really found it intresting. Greg, i would welcome any and all information you could provide me, and many thanks to both of you guys!
steve
steve
Ok, I'll grab some at work, since I can't seem to find the ones at the house. 
Anyway there are a couple different types of lists. I'm thinking you are interested in the ones we use to actually switch with. Basically the list tells you what's in the track and the order they are. Usually the lists we work with start with car #1 being the west car in the track. The yard master can flip the list and have it start with the east car. The list also tells you the reporting marks, number, load or empty and destination. The destination can be an industry or next yard it's scheduled to go to.
I guess another question I have is how your layout is designed. Do you have staging yard/s that you store trains in? Or do you move cars from one industry to another in a closed circle so to speak? Some fine layouts simulate coal from the mine to the power plant and empties back to the mine. Other layouts have off layout destinations for the cars to go to. Those usually are simulated with staging yards. Interchange with other railroads can be simulated the same way.
Do you want to work with lists on paper? Or use car cards and carry a bundle of them as you run your train serving the industries on your layout? Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Cheers,
Greg
Anyway there are a couple different types of lists. I'm thinking you are interested in the ones we use to actually switch with. Basically the list tells you what's in the track and the order they are. Usually the lists we work with start with car #1 being the west car in the track. The yard master can flip the list and have it start with the east car. The list also tells you the reporting marks, number, load or empty and destination. The destination can be an industry or next yard it's scheduled to go to. I guess another question I have is how your layout is designed. Do you have staging yard/s that you store trains in? Or do you move cars from one industry to another in a closed circle so to speak? Some fine layouts simulate coal from the mine to the power plant and empties back to the mine. Other layouts have off layout destinations for the cars to go to. Those usually are simulated with staging yards. Interchange with other railroads can be simulated the same way.
Do you want to work with lists on paper? Or use car cards and carry a bundle of them as you run your train serving the industries on your layout? Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Cheers,
Greg