A Day of Switching Part 1

[ChuckF]

Hi! I'm enjoying this scenario, and am thankful that people like Robert Meek take the time to make them. However, my concern is that less experienced players do not learn proper train handling techniques and switching solutions. The author probably wanted to give the player more to do, but that method is certainly not how an experienced crew would handle such a situation. I hope that people don't feel that I'm being too critical here, and hope that not all scenarios will be built for the least experienced. Cheers; Chuck F.

[robbit]

Yes you are right I just wrote it that way to give the player some time playing the game. It is in no way intended to portray real life experience. Or gaming experience, just to have some fun and have some switching to do instead of just long hauls. Sometimes I get bored just driving this route and wanted to do more switching on the route. So it was written for me as well so I had something to create. I spend a lot of time in this game and have done all the scenarios I had. There has been a lull in the scenarios being created because of the upgrade coming I guess and chose to do this for me as well as all who enjoy them. I hope you enjoy running them as much as I enjoy creating them. Thank you for your comments and please keep them coming as you play through the series. If you have any tips or Ideas for Scenario situations and solutions I will be glad to try to accommodate you in future scenarios.

Robert Meek

[Dan]

It is a shame that there is nothing like the old Switchlist generator program.

Chuck - to help scenario makers perhaps you could describe how a 'day of switching' would/ought to take place? The information would certainly be useful and interesting.

[TrainMaster1]

This is a very broad question, Dan. You could have a scenario featuring lots of yard and local industry work. This would also include depending on the route used making up and breaking down blocks of cars coming from and going to passing road freights. The yard itself may originate traffic in which case a crew would make up need to assemble and entire train before departing a yard.

To really do a scenario like this justice you would need to have some serious skills as correctly blocking trains and working yards and industries is not as simple as it seems. What type of cars go where is a perfect example. Many industries have have "spots", "slots, "doors" or whatever local custom calls them. A car meant to go to Factory X spot 4 has to be placed correctly on that siding so that the consignee (if loaded ) or shipper (if empty) can do their work.

In our operating sessions, we give local crews switch lists to work complete with car numbers and reporting marks showing where their cars are now and where they need to end up. Same thing goes for road freights making pickups and set outs at yards along the route. Just need a good yardmaster (live in our case or part of the scenario in RW) to keep track of it all. We recreate an major part of an actual day on class one railroads all over North America each session. Best part is we can do it on any simulator since our system just requires a good prototype route to base the session upon.

I personally loved switching and yard as an engineer and conductor. The beauty is that you can design some simple moves for beginners and create some real head scratchers for the more advanced.

The most difficult part is knowing what industries are on the route locally and across it so that the cars used make sense. For example, if you have lots of work at a local refinery, tankers make sense rather than center beam flats. Create a good story...who does what, when they do it and in what order and have fun. Just make sure not to violate the hours of service laws.

Nick

[ChuckF]

It is a shame that there is nothing like the old Switchlist generator program.

Chuck - to help scenario makers perhaps you could describe how a 'day of switching' would/ought to take place? The information would certainly be useful and interesting.

Hi! This is the method that I've been taught. Firstly, use the switchers to couple all the required cars. Then pull forward to a point where the last car of the first block is just short of the switch to yard 7. Uncouple and pull forward so that the last car is clear of the switch to yard 7, throw the switch and reverse into yard 7, only going far enough in to let the car closest to the engine clear the switch. Uncouple and go back to the main string of cars. Again, pull forward until the last car of the next block is just short of the switch to yard 7, uncouple and pull forward until last car clears the switch, then reverse to couple to first block the push back to where the car closest to the engine clears the switch. Uncouple, pull forward and repeat. This is the most efficient method, saving time and fuel.

As far as RW IS concerned, this would be done as a FreeRoam Scenario without using the F1 Task List. I would prefer a printable switch list with sufficient info to describe what cars need to be picked up or set out, the locations and time required for the whole operation, but no specific instructions. Miscellaneous cars that need to be moved to complete the switch list must be returned to there original locations. The F1 Task List would be reserved to create paths through automatic switches and set major destinations. Pop-up messages are reserved for clearances and necessary directions from conductor to train crew. This method was used in MSTS with good results, and complicated switching problems can be duplicated, but I don't possess this kind of info.

I'm sure there is more to this then I have described, but this is the general layout for advanced switching scenarios. Cheers; Chuck F.

Edited for typos