Large Scale Central

Too many cars !

Operations Train Operations Software
#81

On the IPP&W we have “Offline sidings” representing connections, or interchange trackage with other railroads. These sidings are fitted in wherever we can find space.

We also are always looking for a space to “Plant” another on-line industry. A new industry is a new customer for the railroad, and may only hold a car or two, but those cars add up fast, and the sidings add to the operational opportunities.

We use car trays, each holding 5 or six cars, and the trays are stored on racks in three sheds. We are also using tote boxes at various locations to save having to carry the trays too far.

We don’t have to worry too much about damage to rolling stock. By limiting our cars to Bachmann, LGB, and Aristo equipment, we avoid the delicate, beautiful, more modern rolling stock, which seems to leave a trail of falling off parts wherever it goes. One of the reasons, I gave up on the much desired 1:20.3 cars I once had…or the wonderful modern equipment that USTrains, and others have produced.

Our railroad is not, and never will be finished. It can’t get any longer, but a siding can be added in the most unlikely spot, just for a new customer, which can bring in additional revenue for the railroad. …and use those new cars that seem to appear monthly !!!

Yes we are still using RailOps…successfully

Fred Mills

#82

I understand the too many cars and engine thing, I have cut my fleet down to 25 cars and six engines and still have too many for my liking. I sold on eBay and was pleased with the prices I got on all my other cars and engines and will not overload myself again on too much stuff. Since my modeling consist of a 22x3 shelf layout I can’t even get what I have on the layout and most of it is on display in a glass cabinet that I rotate in and out to the layout. As far as running on the club layout, I pretty much don’t do that anymore as transporting it is just not worth the effort and I can set back an watch other run with a beer and totally enjoy it. All being said, modeling railroading for 65 years is starting to take it’s toll on this old guy, but still enjoy the hobby.

#83

I’m trying to thin the herd. Sold a few things, have more to go, once I get around to it.

#84

Always had too few once I got to operating.

So, hard to imagine.

#85

I think in 14 months the original context of that statement “too many cars” has been lost to thread drift and multiple pages (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

I had “too many cars” for the available sidings when outdoors was off-line was causing my ops program to choke. No room to build any additional sidings/yards lead me to building some “off-line” storage that ops software thinks is track in a yard.

In reality, I think I have just about the right number now (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#86

Dragging this old thread back up because the problem has resurfaced. JMRI Operations has no place to put cars, so things won’t move.

The expanded storage / fiddle yard solved the problem until two recent events. Three coaches and a box car migrated from Ken’s last spring, and recently I changed one of my industry spurs to engine storage to free up my arrival/departure track. That industry was storing 4 cars, so the shelves are full once more.

I located a small spot where I could add a shelf to hold the J&B passenger train and caboose. Today, during some down time at work, I cut up a shelf kit.

This evening I laid out the runner spacing and tested the clearances before attaching the runners permanently…

The spacing is too tight for Fn3 rolling stock, but that’s OK. It will be the permanent home of the J&B train; 3 coaches and a caboose.

#87

Sitting on the washing machine like that it looks a lot like a MIK project. :laughing:

#88

John…
I did the same thing for storing “Fallen Flag Equipment” on shelves.
But…I used strips of 1/8th" Masonite, cut to the width between flanges. I simply glued it down the center of the 1" x 8" pine shelving.
Tapering the corners of the strips like you did, makes putting the cars in place easier…and the thinness of the Masonite helps too.
FJM

#89

As far as having too many cars in the operating fleet; here in Ottawa, to avoid “Gridlock” using the RailOps program, we just lengthen sidings in the yards using tote boxes for the excess cars. Some excess cars can be programmed to be offline, and in tote boxes for determined lengths of time.
Of course, there does come the time, to just give a few cars away, to friends when they just aren’t needed. This helps new friends get started in the hobby, when they might not be able to afford it.
It also feels good to give something away to a new friend, or even an old one that needs a bit of cheering up…
FJM

#90

Thanks Fred.

The strips are made from off-cuts at work. We use PVC 2x4’s to make some of our signs. They need wood cores, but are a bit too small inside for a standard 2x4 to fit. I take pressure treated 2x4’s and rip off about .25" from the 3.5" side. These “strips” are the result.

My “fiddle yard” shelves are similar to your lengthening of sidings and use of trays. The Ops program sees them as separate tracks in a yard. This shelf will be Tyrone Track 6. All of the fiddle shelves are accessed via Tyrone Track 0 which is my arrival/departure track and has a railer on the end for putting cars from shelves on the track. I’ll post pictures once Track 6 is installed.

#91

I was hoping to wrap this up this afternoon, but it proved a little more challenging than I expected. For starters I need to sit on the floor in an area that has just enough space to get up and down. I managed to overcome the physical challenge and got the framing installed…

The section with the fence around it is the tail end of my Tyrone Yard. You can just barely see the re-railer on the track in front of #345. The balance of the fiddle yard tracks are in the shadows of the pic above at top right.

The SNAFU was a piece of PVC that I tried to attach to the back edge, but my glue choice was a failure. In the end, I’ll get back on the floor and glue it to the wall. I leave that for tomorrow.

The shelf before I broke the PVC off…

Edit to add a comment for Rick: The washer is one of the best lit areas in my basement. It’s a favorite photo spot with a nod to Alan Bupp.

#92

Decided to finish up late last night. This frees up enough space that things are moving again. With this addition, Tyrone Yard now has tracks on 4 levels!

Still have clean up to do. I think I’ll extend the framing across the front to make it look a little more finished. I also need to install a shelf to the left now. Marilyn wants the bedside table that has been parked there for 25 years, so I need a place for the contents.

#93

Nice work, Jon. And great parking for Bruce’s coaches.

#94

And on the far right, his J&B caboose that traveled eastern Canada and most of the New England states for nearly a year to get to me after I forgot it at Fred’s.