switchlist and "situational modeling"

[steinjr]

Well, I've read the switching article. It was interesting & well-written, but, as I got 2/3's or so through it I began to get a little confused & bogged down with the details. I'll keep rereading it though! Part of my problem is that I don't have too many sidings on my small layout, so I'd have to simplify these operations a fair bit. Rob

The basic idea is simple.

1) You take a sheet of paper.

2) Write down the name of the first industry you are going to serve on your next run on the sheet of paper

3) Write down (on a separate line for each car) each car already at that industry
Behind each car you make a note of whether you want to do anything with that car (pull it or re-spot it) when you start switching
Cars without notes are by default "leave it where it was, customer still isn't done with it".

4) Then add one line per car for new cars you will be bringing in from somewhere to spot at the industry
Behind each car you make a note of where you want to spot that car at the industry

5) Go on to the next industry you will service on that run, repeat steps 2-4.
For the purpose of a switchlist, any track where cars can be left or picked up is treated like an industry.
So you make a title (e.g "Interchange track") and list cars already there and what to do with them, plus cars to be left there

When done, sort your inbound cars, take your engine and go start switching, pulling cars, spotting cars, and re-spotting cars.

That's really all there is to it.

You don't need many sidings to use a switchlist. A mainline with one industry spur with a couple of sure spots and a storage spur is enough.

Here is an example from Jack Hill's blog page: http://oscalewcor.blogspot.com/2010/02/t...tions.html

Smile,
Stein