Operating idea: 2 person crew

R

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Jun 18, 2002
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St. Paul, MN
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I suppose many people have thought of this but it occurred to me recently that not having walkaround control doesn't stop me from operating in a way that can seem more realistic. Many articles about layouts with walkaround control point out how the engineer gets to follow his train around the layout, making it seem more realistic. That's cool but I don't have walkaround, I have two powerpacks located on opposite sides of the layout. Running trains by myself I can use one pack to power a continuously running train while the other located near a switching area is for operating a local, spotting cars ar industries. I really can't follow a train around the layout, however.

The thing that I just thought of is how with a two person crew one of us could be "the engineer" manning the power pack while the other would be the "brakeman/conductor" who alligns switches, couples and uncouples cars,and otherwise instructs the engineer.

One of my packs is fitted inside a model of an EMD control stand I've made. I'm thinking it would be cool to sit there and run a local with all the pick ups and set outs being handled by my "crew". Now I just need to get a friend interested in model railroad operation.

Below is a pic of the control stand power pack which has all the bells and whistles....there is a bell, and a locomotive horn (pull the rope and get a recorded horn). The control stand throttle moves the powerpack knob to increase and decrease speed. Best seat in the house! :)
 

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Wow that is cool - although I'd need a steamer cab mock-up... Probably should put it in a sauna... ;)

Seriously though - this is how a lot of guys I know operate, even with DCC radio or infrared throttles. One is the engineer, and the other is the brakeman, with the tasks divided up as you describe.

Since I am in the steam age, I should probably issue a loco whistle and a caboose whistle, and communicate that way...! :D

Andrew
 
Nice Control stand!! I have a few friends that get together on each other's layouts - they all take different jobs each week. (Different house each week). They have an Enginneer - a conductor/brakeman - and a tower control - it's neat!!!
 
and if you are running DCC, the engineer doesn't need to be standing right on top the engine as it stops to switch. So congestion isn't as bad. Conductor works the train, engineer stands to the side. That is the way I do it if I have enough crew on an operating night.

Bob
 
Now theres a Money making idea for your hobby.
Make them up and sell them.Lots of folks out there would love a chance to own a control cockpit like that i would bet.especially if it were kept reasonable and perhaps in Kit form.
If nothing else, i bet you could sell instruction sheets on how to build one for 5 bucks or so.A video with materials sheet for even more :)
Just think of all the new Kato , Atlas and Misc items you could buy with all them profits ;)
 
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