Large Scale Central

Manual Train Manifest / Swith Lists

Operations
#1

In Connecticut, I used JMRI to create train orders / switch lists. The layout was large enough, both indoors and outdoors, that I could run 7-10 car trains which resulted in a large number of moves. JMRI, when it was working well, served this purpose well.

Here, on my very small indoor switching layout, 3-4 cars is about the maximum train length and there are only 4 industry sidings. I could start fresh with JMRI, but it hardly seems worth the effort.

I do like the way JMRI laid out the Train Manifest, but typing that in by hand for every train, even with a template, might get old fast.

So it’s decision time. Do I A) spend a few days setting up JMRI from scratch, or B) spend a similar amount of time creating a template to fill in manually, or C) just keep writing them out by hand on blank paper.

I’ve spent some time on thee web looking at blank forms, but so far nothing has appealed to me.

Part of a Train Manifest from the old layout for those not familiar with JMRI reports…

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#2

Perhaps the 60’s are taking their toll on my memory. It seems I did something similar just before we decided to move in the early spring of 2025: Simple Indoor Ops on the Candlewood Valley Scenic Railway

#3

I’ve been curious for a while. Why is it called Candlewood?

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#4

In Connecticut, we lived on Candlewood Lake. The lake was named for Candlewood Mountain (really a hill) when it was flooded as a power project in 1920. The mountain was named for a slow burning wood used by native Americans as a light source, or candle. On the East side of Candlewood Mountain is a valley that some refer to as Candlewood Valley. We were on the west side of the mountain and lake, but I liked the name and it stuck.

Webster says:

candlewood

noun

can·​dle·​wood [ˈkan-dᵊl-ˌwu̇d ]

1 : any of several trees or shrubs (such as ocotillo) chiefly of resinous character

2 : slivers of resinous wood burned for light

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#5

Jon;

Not sure whether this suggestion may help, but try searching Inglenook Sidings on one of the small layout sites. I built my version about 40 years ago (in British OO), and remember the other builders had some creative ways for wagon (freight car) assignments.

Yours, David Meashey

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