The new section is really coming along nicely. Enjoyed the video. Definitely would agree that there are as many ways to do model railroading as there are model railroaders. And as long as you're having fun, you're doing it right. As for motivation, you and your videos were actually a major motivator for me to get started on and continue on my layout. I've been modelling on and off for about 30 years, and you got me back "in". As for setting up car spots- have each "spur" broken down into car spot lengths. For instance if a track has 3 docks, have 3 "spur tracks" (say, Door A, Door B, Door C) each one being one car length long.
I love the commentary on enjoying TH-cam videos, I'm kinda the same way. I've always loved model trains, but I've been making TH-cam videos since long before I became a full-fledged "Model Railroader". And TH-cam was actually a big reason why I got into model railroading in the first place.
Hey Rick, this is probably one of my fav videos from you, as its exactly the reason for what Im doing. I have a large club layout that uses a physical card system and I got very frustrated with simple things like "is this set out or off spot?", "does this need switching or is it ready to go?", along with people actually taking some cards home as they left it in their pocket.... I didnt like a switch list and they dont really take into account that sometimes Id like to pick up a random abandoned car thats been dumped. So with the frustrations and the complexity of other systems, as a programmer, I decided to make my own that will work with a large club layout or a single location shelf layout. I think it exactly what you describing, something thats complicated enough to randomize freight and simple enough to concentrate on driving. Which is EXACTLY the ethos I used to build my own. I also make mine have the ability to have 6 turn waybills and "joker" waybills for surprize waybills that take you off guard.. You also mentioned the option of spotting cars at a door or a track, which is what you can do with mine. Anyway, if you are interested, which I think it will be exactly what you are requiring, Id love to chat to you about it and maybe have you beta test it or at least some feedback? I didn't want this to be an advert, and didnt know how to contact you, so Id rather chat privately with you.. What's the best way to contact you? Keep up the great videos, love the content and the layout.
Hello Rick and viewers, another great video, again. I also believe in the dice game. Only thing I'm benefiting by living in a skilled nursing facility is I can write down my list and keep upgrading my layout plans. Keep up with the great work.
Gotta agree with you on the headlights Rick. I use them to know which direction the locos are going to go, rather then having to switch them manually like the prototype.
I've setup JMRI for my layout as well, but I find lack of motivation to use it. I deal with computers all day as part of my day job, and when I have time to play with trains I just don't want to use a computer anymore lol. I've loved your dice rolling idea, I usually do that just to add some randomness to my operations. It is quick and easy.
Had a layout w/14+ ops using cc&wb I enjoyed the staging as could run trains, unlike when hosting. One trick to share. Don't need to make cc out and back. For example one boxcar could have 3 destinations on Rick's layout. Only one position needed to go off layout as all cars go to West Colton hump. Conversely on my layout I had multiple on and off layout destinations for loaded lumber cars, so I'd use three positions away, but just the one to return the car to the mill. Different thinking eh?
I appreciate when you and others ops videos. To me it don't matter of a long video operation. It's very enjoyable. Satisfying. I appreciate what you do .👍🏾
I have a smaller layout than yours (less than 10 industry spots). I use car cards and waybills, but I only filled out one part of each waybill. At the beginning of each session, I roll a 10-sided die to determine how many cars I’ll use. I then shuffle all of the waybills and deal out that number of them. Then I match each waybill with an appropriate car type in the staging yard before assembling the train and heading onto the layout to operate. The cars from the previous session are all picked up and brought back to the staging yard. At the end, all the waybills are collected and put back in the deck to be ready for the next session. I don’t know if that makes sense, but it gives a “game” feel to things while randomizing everything enough to make each session different. I’ve begun to play around a bit more with sometimes having more waybills in play for an industry than there are spots at it, so there’s a possibility that a car or two has to be left “off spot” until the next session. All told, start to finish, it usually takes about an hour or so to operate this way. Anyway, thanks for another fun video and insight into ops.
Layout is looking great man! I love making and editing videos, that's one thing that motivates me. After getting bored with my old video editing software, I gave the free version of DaVinci Resolve a try. When it went on sale, I grabbed the full version. It's made for the pros, which means setting up presets and tuning your workflow is a breeze. There's a ton to learn, but honestly, I think that's part of the fun!
I use JMRI and are very happy with it. While it takes a minute to set it up, but once things are loaded, it works great. I use car spots. Simple, Industry 1, door A, and Industry 1, door B. Really helps create more switching opportunities and challenges
Hey Rick! Really enjoy and look forward to seeing your videos. I have tried Jmri several times and get frustrated with it as to how much it takes to get set up. I keep an inventory of my cars and locomotives on it That is all I use it for currently Most of the time I just enjoy doing my own thing as to operations.
Hello Rick, probably a little late to the party. Just watched another one of your intriguing videos. So, I want to give a little input, since you asked for it. I tried JMRI, but hated it. I do use the car cards and waybills, mostly because it is simple and very easy to use. And is perpetual, meaning you never ever have to set it up. It's always ready to go. Now I have added a couple extra twists to it to make switching more interesting. What that Seaboard Central guy uses is too complicated to me. I have other operators come over so keeping it simple makes it more fun for us. Of course this is just all my opinion. On the other subject of what makes me want to work on the layout. Just have to be in the mood, and making the videos really makes it harder sometimes. I like making the videos, but it can slowdown the process of the work. I love all aspects of the hobby, love doing scenery, laying track, building roads, the electrical and wiring, working on locos and rolling stock, and weathering. My least favorite thing is building structures. Well from the length of my post I would say that is my 5 cents worth. Thanks for your videos.
Hi Rick & Benjamin & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks Rick & Friends Randy & Merry Christmas & Happy New Year's Rick & Family & Benjamin & Friends Randy
As far as I know, JMRI and other computer-based systems "emulate" car cards and waybills, which date from the 1950s and don't fully represent car prototype movements. On the prototype, empties are complicated and tend to be set up in advance of orders for bigger customers. How empties are routed is also often a seasonal question, routed to certain parts of the country depending on harvest times or other seasonal traffic. No product or system represents these parts of the "beyond the basement" concept. For car spots, though, you simply set up spots for Industry A Door 1, Industry A Door 2, etc.
or just Industry A 1, Industry A 2, etc - or perhaps if multiple cart types, Indust B tank, Indust B Box, Indust B gon to make it a bit easier to remember. Of course one must list them as separate industries using that method, but it should work
With car cards/waybilsl you can use 2, 3 or 4 positions if desired. When done with last position on waybill, you can flip it back to 1 or pull it and add another. They can be used anyway that works for you. Don't get locked into the number 4. Don't turn every bill every session. Make it work for you. i personally, for your layout size, the dice method works well and quickly. JMRI starts to get repetitive after a while and becomes a job to setup and maintain. I'd rather be operating trains than programming and running the computer. Final statement, use the scheme that works for your personal taste. Model Railroading should be fun, so make it fun for you.
Yes I agree with you on JMRI can be just as repetitive as the waybills. When we had it on the Club layout. Just like a typical computer problem. Many times it wouldn't allow us to move trains from staging. To many cars in the yard or some other snag. The club dumped the system after a year and went to car cards and waybills. JMRI was an aggravating system.
Hey Mr. Rick, you do what works for you. Car Cards may work well for a model railroad club, but it's only you, so it maybe over kill. That's my opinion!
My friend in the next town over is a member of some sort of OpSig Group, and he uses car cards. His place was the only place I had to run for a while, my layout is buried and suffered a tsunami a while back. The DCC is now croaked and must be replaced.
For the SP gp lighting problem...did you try a decoder reset? That would put the lights back to directional. Not sure what it will do for the beacon...I don't have that on my locos.
Most recent post from SoundTraxx was talking about headlight operation. th-cam.com/video/FmB0OOG3zdo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=DcuzVeU_x9-Y3e8V Speaking of which, are you sure the decoder CVs in that geep didn’t get set to have dim headlights in opposite direction of travel? That’s the way I have my Tsunami2’s configured.
The new section is really coming along nicely. Enjoyed the video. Definitely would agree that there are as many ways to do model railroading as there are model railroaders. And as long as you're having fun, you're doing it right.
As for motivation, you and your videos were actually a major motivator for me to get started on and continue on my layout. I've been modelling on and off for about 30 years, and you got me back "in".
As for setting up car spots- have each "spur" broken down into car spot lengths. For instance if a track has 3 docks, have 3 "spur tracks" (say, Door A, Door B, Door C) each one being one car length long.
I love the commentary on enjoying TH-cam videos, I'm kinda the same way. I've always loved model trains, but I've been making TH-cam videos since long before I became a full-fledged "Model Railroader". And TH-cam was actually a big reason why I got into model railroading in the first place.
Hey Rick, this is probably one of my fav videos from you, as its exactly the reason for what Im doing. I have a large club layout that uses a physical card system and I got very frustrated with simple things like "is this set out or off spot?", "does this need switching or is it ready to go?", along with people actually taking some cards home as they left it in their pocket....
I didnt like a switch list and they dont really take into account that sometimes Id like to pick up a random abandoned car thats been dumped.
So with the frustrations and the complexity of other systems, as a programmer, I decided to make my own that will work with a large club layout or a single location shelf layout. I think it exactly what you describing, something thats complicated enough to randomize freight and simple enough to concentrate on driving. Which is EXACTLY the ethos I used to build my own. I also make mine have the ability to have 6 turn waybills and "joker" waybills for surprize waybills that take you off guard..
You also mentioned the option of spotting cars at a door or a track, which is what you can do with mine.
Anyway, if you are interested, which I think it will be exactly what you are requiring, Id love to chat to you about it and maybe have you beta test it or at least some feedback?
I didn't want this to be an advert, and didnt know how to contact you, so Id rather chat privately with you.. What's the best way to contact you?
Keep up the great videos, love the content and the layout.
Hello Rick and viewers, another great video, again. I also believe in the dice game. Only thing I'm benefiting by living in a skilled nursing facility is I can write down my list and keep upgrading my layout plans.
Keep up with the great work.
Gotta agree with you on the headlights Rick. I use them to know which direction the locos are going to go, rather then having to switch them manually like the prototype.
I've setup JMRI for my layout as well, but I find lack of motivation to use it. I deal with computers all day as part of my day job, and when I have time to play with trains I just don't want to use a computer anymore lol. I've loved your dice rolling idea, I usually do that just to add some randomness to my operations. It is quick and easy.
Yeah, I get it - sometimes you just want to roll the dice and run the trains! 😄
Had a layout w/14+ ops using cc&wb I enjoyed the staging as could run trains, unlike when hosting. One trick to share. Don't need to make cc out and back. For example one boxcar could have 3 destinations on Rick's layout. Only one position needed to go off layout as all cars go to West Colton hump. Conversely on my layout I had multiple on and off layout destinations for loaded lumber cars, so I'd use three positions away, but just the one to return the car to the mill. Different thinking eh?
I appreciate when you and others ops videos. To me it don't matter of a long video operation. It's very enjoyable. Satisfying. I appreciate what you do .👍🏾
I'm glad you enjoy them!
I have a smaller layout than yours (less than 10 industry spots). I use car cards and waybills, but I only filled out one part of each waybill. At the beginning of each session, I roll a 10-sided die to determine how many cars I’ll use. I then shuffle all of the waybills and deal out that number of them. Then I match each waybill with an appropriate car type in the staging yard before assembling the train and heading onto the layout to operate. The cars from the previous session are all picked up and brought back to the staging yard. At the end, all the waybills are collected and put back in the deck to be ready for the next session. I don’t know if that makes sense, but it gives a “game” feel to things while randomizing everything enough to make each session different. I’ve begun to play around a bit more with sometimes having more waybills in play for an industry than there are spots at it, so there’s a possibility that a car or two has to be left “off spot” until the next session. All told, start to finish, it usually takes about an hour or so to operate this way. Anyway, thanks for another fun video and insight into ops.
Sound and lights are a part of model railroading for me.
Layout is looking great man! I love making and editing videos, that's one thing that motivates me. After getting bored with my old video editing software, I gave the free version of DaVinci Resolve a try. When it went on sale, I grabbed the full version. It's made for the pros, which means setting up presets and tuning your workflow is a breeze. There's a ton to learn, but honestly, I think that's part of the fun!
I use JMRI and are very happy with it. While it takes a minute to set it up, but once things are loaded, it works great. I use car spots. Simple, Industry 1, door A, and Industry 1, door B. Really helps create more switching opportunities and challenges
Hey Rick!
Really enjoy and look forward to seeing your videos. I have tried Jmri several times and get frustrated with it as to how much it takes to get set up. I keep an inventory of my cars and locomotives on it That is all I use it for currently
Most of the time I just enjoy doing my own thing as to operations.
Lol, that is all I use JMRI for is Loco, and rolling stock inventory.
Hello Rick, probably a little late to the party. Just watched another one of your intriguing videos. So, I want to give a little input, since you asked for it.
I tried JMRI, but hated it. I do use the car cards and waybills, mostly because it is simple and very easy to use. And is perpetual, meaning you never ever have to set it up. It's always ready to go. Now I have added a couple extra twists to it to make switching more interesting. What that Seaboard Central guy uses is too complicated to me. I have other operators come over so keeping it simple makes it more fun for us. Of course this is just all my opinion. On the other subject of what makes me want to work on the layout. Just have to be in the mood, and making the videos really makes it harder sometimes. I like making the videos, but it can slowdown the process of the work. I love all aspects of the hobby, love doing scenery, laying track, building roads, the electrical and wiring, working on locos and rolling stock, and weathering. My least favorite thing is building structures. Well from the length of my post I would say that is my 5 cents worth. Thanks for your videos.
Thanks for the feedback, it's always helpful to hear how others approach things!
Great video 👍
Thanks 👍
Hi Rick & Benjamin & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks Rick & Friends Randy & Merry Christmas & Happy New Year's Rick & Family & Benjamin & Friends Randy
As far as I know, JMRI and other computer-based systems "emulate" car cards and waybills, which date from the 1950s and don't fully represent car prototype movements. On the prototype, empties are complicated and tend to be set up in advance of orders for bigger customers. How empties are routed is also often a seasonal question, routed to certain parts of the country depending on harvest times or other seasonal traffic. No product or system represents these parts of the "beyond the basement" concept. For car spots, though, you simply set up spots for Industry A Door 1, Industry A Door 2, etc.
or just Industry A 1, Industry A 2, etc - or perhaps if multiple cart types, Indust B tank, Indust B Box, Indust B gon to make it a bit easier to remember. Of course one must list them as separate industries using that method, but it should work
Well done in car delivery. have you tried a engine on each end.
With car cards/waybilsl you can use 2, 3 or 4 positions if desired. When done with last position on waybill, you can flip it back to 1 or pull it and add another. They can be used anyway that works for you. Don't get locked into the number 4. Don't turn every bill every session. Make it work for you.
i personally, for your layout size, the dice method works well and quickly.
JMRI starts to get repetitive after a while and becomes a job to setup and maintain. I'd rather be operating trains than programming and running the computer.
Final statement, use the scheme that works for your personal taste. Model Railroading should be fun, so make it fun for you.
Yes I agree with you on JMRI can be just as repetitive as the waybills. When we had it on the Club layout. Just like a typical computer problem.
Many times it wouldn't allow us to move trains from staging. To many cars in the yard or some other snag. The club dumped the system after a year and went to car cards and waybills. JMRI was an aggravating system.
Thanks for sharing. At 25:50 I think. Your lights are setup for rule 13. It change able in the CVs.
Agree!
Car spots by making an extra siding with the same name and dock 1 or dock 2 etc
I use cars card but roll dice to place in industrial hey Rick I hope them fires aren't around your area great video
Hey Mr. Rick, you do what works for you. Car Cards may work well for a model railroad club, but it's only you, so it maybe over kill. That's my opinion!
For the guys have you considered using very small magnets and just place washers where you need them to be located?
My friend in the next town over is a member of some sort of OpSig Group, and he uses car cards. His place was the only place I had to run for a while, my layout is buried and suffered a tsunami a while back. The DCC is now croaked and must be replaced.
For the SP gp lighting problem...did you try a decoder reset? That would put the lights back to directional. Not sure what it will do for the beacon...I don't have that on my locos.
Might be something with Rule 17 turned on with the Lights
good vid, can I ask who ballast and color used in your yard area?
I use woodland scenic gray fine size ballast.
I’m still torn between JMRI and a Mac program called SwitchList. Lots of setup, just haven’t got either to do what I actually want yet
Most recent post from SoundTraxx was talking about headlight operation.
th-cam.com/video/FmB0OOG3zdo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=DcuzVeU_x9-Y3e8V
Speaking of which, are you sure the decoder CVs in that geep didn’t get set to have dim headlights in opposite direction of travel? That’s the way I have my Tsunami2’s configured.
Sadly I can't get JMRI to load and work properly on my computer. No reason why.