Switching Operations for Small Layouts

Discussion in 'General' started by Boomer John, Aug 12, 2016.

  1. Boomer John

    Boomer John Member

    I will never have the space, time or money to run crack passenger trains or long freights. In fact, with my first layout I have found I enjoy the sense of doing work, but at a relaxed pace. I like many have followed the blog and articles written by Lance Mindheim regarding industrial switching layouts (ISL's). I have taken some of his concepts and added to it using props, work for the brakemen to do. I have attached some pictures to show my props.

    1) Crew-three figures from a Preiser set that work well. One just standing, one thin enough to drop of the porch of a locomotive and one to hang on to a grab, I added a small piece of wire on his hand. There are two brakemen I will use one of these figures to represent them. The figure I use for say the front brakeman could change depending on what I want him to do. The important thing is you can not uncouple a car or throw a switch without a brakeman in position.
    2) Ground Throw-an industrial ground throw I bought from a company called Kimes. Before I can throw a turnout on the layout I have to throw the real ground throw.
    3) Air hoses-I made with hose connectors and garden hose. When coupling, uncoupling I have to pick one of these up and connect/disconnect.
    4) Coupler-comes from the miniature steam folks. Before I couple/uncouple I have to move the lift bar on the coupler.
    5) Brake wheels, control stand- the brake wheels are used on cars dropped at sidings. The control stand is just a dummy box and three DPDT switches (Radio Shack), one for the brake, reverser and generator. Before a brakeman enters the "red zone" he calls for a "three check" where the they are turned left position.After the work is done in the zone (couplers, brake wheels) the three check is cleared and the switches moved back to the right.
    6) I also use luggage locks on each switch and do a brake check when the train is put back together.

    So if a locomotive pulls up to a siding to pick up a car and drop another one ( first next to loco) in place it would look like this.
    1) Locomotive stops short of turnout, brakeman dismounts. Calls three check.
    2) Brakeman set the brake wheel on cars left on main. Then uncouples first/second car and disconnects hoses. Clears three check. Remounts the locomotive.
    3) Loco and first car pull ahead of switch.
    4) Brakeman dismounts. Unlocks the switch, and throws it. Remounts the loco.
    5) Loco backs up to about two car lengths from car to be picked up. Brakeman dismounts walks to car and gives instructions on backing up.
    6) Brakeman calls three check, couples on to pick up and connects hose. Then releases brakes on pick up.
    Clears three check. Remounts loco.
    7) Loco pulls ahead of switch.
    8) Brakeman dismounts and throws the switch to the main, remounts the locomotive.
    9) Loco backs up to two lengths from train, brakeman dismounts.
    10) Brakeman calls instructions to couple to train. Calls three check then couples picked up car to train.
    Connects hoses and clears three check, remounts loco.
    11) Loco pulls forward with car to be dropped past the switch.
    12) Brakeman dismounts loco and throws the switch to the siding. Remounts loco.
    13) Train backs up to area for car to be dropped.
    14) Brakeman dismounts positions car. Calls three check, sets brake wheel, uncouples and disconnects hose. Clears three check and remounts loco.
    15) Loco pulls forward onto main. Brakeman dismounts, throw switch to main and locks the switch, remounts loco.
    16) Loco backs up to area of the train, brakeman dismounts. Instructs on back up. Calls three check couples loco to train and connects hoses. Brake wheels released on cars on main, clears three check.
    17) Brakeman perform brake check on train.
    18) Remount train and pull out.

    To some, this is nuts I know. But I really enjoy this kind of stuff and trying to do things in the right order can be challenging. As you can see, it can take some time just to switch a one car siding. If I carry this into an industrial park setting with multiple spots it could take some time. I tested in Sunday on an 8 door warehouse with 5 spots occupied, pick up 3 drop 2. Two long sections of track with one turnout It took about 75 minutes.

    John

    Brakemen.jpg Coupler.jpg Control Stand, Brake Wheels.jpg Ground Throw, Hoses.jpg
     
  2. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    Do your brake, reverser, and field generator switch perform any real function, or are they a mock-up"? Very nice props!
     
  3. Boomer John

    Boomer John Member

    No functionality, just three switches in a box containing nothing. However if you follow Model Railroad Hobbyist website there is a guy from Iowa Engineering working on a throttle that looks like a control stand. Could be interesting.
     
  4. Coonskin

    Coonskin Member

    Your approach: Fun is where you find it! Glad your operational concept is giving you the giggles! :)

    Having to deal with such on a day to day basis, trying to replicate same during my relaxation/play time would not be appealing to me. Instead I want to replicate the enjoyable parts (to me) of railroading, and skip the mundane.
     
    Joe Lovett and gjslsffan like this.
  5. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Local modeler John Breau has a control stand that was originally built by Larry Keeler (of Keeler Rail Systems and CTC-80 fame). Larry had two of them on his layout for switch engines used in his working hump yard complete with operating retarders and bar code reader for routing. It had Reverser, Throttle and Independent Brake levers. John asked me if I could convert it to work with his Digitrax DCC system. The Reverser Lever operated a multiple pole triple throw rotary switch, the Throttle Lever operated a potentiometer, and the Brake Lever operated a micro switch. With very little re-engineering electronically, I used a Digitrax UT-4 throttle as the guts to make the thing work with a SoundTraxx Tsunami equipped SW7 with the braking function active. I added switches for Headlights, Bell, and Horn. John recently got around to operating it himself at his Great Falls GN yard, and told me he was very impressed at how well it worked. I will have to get pictures....
     
    Ozarktraveler likes this.
  6. I love it! This would certainly help those who have never seen operations like this get a visual and some idea of what's going on.
     
    Ozarktraveler likes this.
  7. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    John, I somehow overlooked this one back in August - outstanding! Was the 75 minutes for switching out 5 cars "real time" or fast clock? I think these types of pacing devices are a must for a small, switching-oriented layout. Right now I'm tinkering with including a smallish waybill box for our version of Olathe - I have some small luggage locks that can be used for the conductor to unlock and retrieve any waybills that might be left therein.

    Best Regards,
     
    fireball_magee likes this.
  8. Boomer John

    Boomer John Member

    Chris,

    It took 75 minutes in real time. I didn't turn this into a race, took my time, sip of Coke, etc.

    John
     
    fireball_magee likes this.
  9. I have worked jobs where it took us a couple hours to move a few cars. We may have been on overtime....

    I agree with the take a sip of beverage and perform a job briefing or grab a bag of chips out of the lunch box;)
     
  10. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Thanks, John - I'm tinkering with the idea of doing our sea trials for our HO-Scale Olathe module in a 1:1 time; your description helps me think that it's doable, especially if we pause for setting brakes, coupling air hoses, etc.

    Best Regards,
     
    fireball_magee likes this.

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