# How do you make up a train?



## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

With a switch engine or your right hand (assuming you are right handed)?

Bill


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

It sure is more fun to use a switch engine to build a train. Might be easier too what with
the peskiness of getting 8 (or more) wheels aligned on the track for each
car.

There is added fun when you use either the car card system or a train manifest
to build the train. I have the card system. One card for each car on the 
layout. I shuffle the cards and 'deal a train'. Then use the switcher to
bring it all together. After the road engines take the train out and back
they switchers again go on duty to break it.

With a manifest, you make a printed list of the cars to make up the train. It
also shows where they are to be spotted when the train is to be broken. More
trouble to create but fun to do. Works especially well with a buddy to
do the switcher or operating duties.

Don


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

Mister Bill said:


> With a switch engine or your right hand (assuming you are right handed)?
> 
> Bill


You're talking about 0-5-0 * hand* -ling all the cars all the time. It would be OK if they are all Athearn blue box types because they are built like brick s--t houses. But even those can end up w/ broken stirrups & missing brake wheels, etc. w/ too much 0-5-0. Easiest thing to do is make up a hand written switchlist for each ops session. All that is is a list of all the cars to be switched.
Have attached front & back sides of an ATSF switchlist. It's been shortened from 100 cars to 42 cars for home layout use. If you won't switch that many cars just use front side. If you can, make copies on card stock vs paper. If on paper use a clipboard. They were made the same size as ETTs to fit inside & to have a hard surface to write on. It doesn't have a "From" column but if you have problems keeping track of that use the column to left.


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

My entire layout is a switching layout. It is a point to point layout with a yard and engine facilities at each end. I also have hidden staging tracks to bring trains onto and of the layout bring freight to or from the yards. The hidden staging tracks also can allow continuous running, but I very seldom do this. Any inbound trains from the hidden staging tracks are run into a yard, and made into a local train to service industries along the main line, dropping off and picking up cars from the various industries. 

I don't use an 0-5-0, but instead actually use a switching engine. I am a lone operator and this layout works very well for me. Bringing a train in from staging and breaking it down can take about 20 to 30 minutes. Taking a local freight out to service industries along the main line can take up to 2 hours to complete as each town was purposely built with a switching problem so as not to make things easy. 

Keeps me out of the bars.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Chet

The manifest system I brought up does exactly as you describe your
local freight delivering specified cars to specified industries while
also picking up loaded cars or empties which will eventually be
shunted to yards or other destinations per the manifest.

It does take a good enjoyable hour or so to do some of the
complicated switching brought about by the necessity to have
a run around so the loco can push some cars to their destination
while backing others in.

Don


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

I have never used a card system at home. Train lengths are limited to a max of 14 cars due to the length of passing sidings (although I never have more than one train running at a time). With so few cars I just make mental notes of which cars are needed at whatever industry needs cars and work from there. I guess a card system would be interesting, but that sounds like WORK. 

I have used a car system while attending operating sessions on large home layouts and club layouts and will agree that it is interesting. These were all out of state layouts that I have visited while traveling and don't have the opportunity to do it on a regular basis.


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

For an operating session, waybill cards and the yard master has to put the trains together. For just running trains while I'm working on the scenery, I'll just pull a cut of cars and lash up a few locos then put them in motion.


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

I do it pretty much the same way Don does, card system and switcher. Although I have cheated at times and used the five finger switcher.  

I have two mainlines upper and lower. The upper one is used as through freight and the lower for entering and leaving the yard's two entrances. Also all industries are on the lower lever, so that is used for spotting cars. 

I have one train on the upper level at all times and must pull it onto or across the lower level to reach the yard. Can get pretty challenging at times. 

I now know why the RRs wanted to get rid of cabooses, they can be a real pain. 

Magic


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Magic

That Caboose problem came up last week in our operating session.

We eventually just ignored the direction the caboose was headed.

From memory of seeing them on proto trains,
the cupola is toward the rear when the caboose is
headed right, tho it seems wrong since it's reason for being is
so the conductor can view the train ahead. That logic would
put the cupola toward the front.

Don


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Since I'm primarily a collector now, I just pull them out of the box as desired with my Armstrong Model 1, then set them on the track with Bill and Ben, my 0-5-0 shunt engines.


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*making up a train.*

Although, I have yet to attempt weathering, it really adds character to the train line up
on the rusty rails. Not having a turn table. I rely on the wright hand method frequently.
That is a typical operating session. I'm thinking about using gloves. That may be cumbersome. I'll just wash my hands frequently or use those medical type gloves.
decisions,decissions.
Regards,tr1


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*Model railroading has interesting projects*

The card system sounds .........Very interesting. I'll have to make some card holders
(3"x5") most likely. Place it on front of the fascia board. Another cool project. Thanks.
Regards, tr1


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

You can buy a card system from Micro Mark, or just make them
yourself. They're quite simple.

Each one has one it:

Type of Car: (Box, Reefer, Open Hopper, Covered Hopper
Gondola, Tank, Cattle, Flat, Bulkhead flat.

Road name and #:

Description: (color, unusual markings)

Return Empty to: (Yard track #, Owning user, etc.)


There is a pocket to insert manifest instructions such as
where to spot the car when it arrives,

I like the card system for it's easy to use simplicity
but the manifest system is more complete
tho it requires a bit of work creating it for each train.

In addition to the card system info, it has drop and
pickup instructions for each industry served.

Don


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

DonR said:


> Magic
> 
> That Caboose problem came up last week in our operating session.
> 
> ...


The orientation of the caboose DOES NOT matter. You can find photos of them facing every which way, and the RR does not turn them to run a specific direction. It's no problem.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Magic said:


> I now know why the RRs wanted to get rid of cabooses, they can be a real pain.
> 
> Magic


I usually end up working the yard during operating sessions at my club, and we model the 1970s when every train still ran with cabooses. I haven't found dealing with them to be too onerous, it's basically just an extra car to move.

The biggest reason that real RRs got rid of cabooses was getting rid of the salaries of the two guys that rode back there (conductor & rear brakeman) and trim crew sizes down from 4 to 2.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

A very good reason for running the cupola forward is so anyone in the cupola isn't choking on the smoke from the stove stack. And back in the day the conductor made sure his caboose was running in the right direction!


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Smokestacks for the stoves were taller than the cupola roof.

Also, you'll note that on later modern centre-cupola vans that they sometimes had two stove stacks, one at each end.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

cv_acr said:


> Smokestacks for the stoves were taller than the cupola roof.
> 
> Also, you'll note that on later modern centre-cupola vans that they sometimes had two stove stacks, one at each end.


Was relating the reason for cupola forward from old head conductors - tall stack or not they ere run forward because conductors always run the train not RR management.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

There is a great program for printing car cards, Easy Model Railroad Inventory.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

Just make sure you have plenty of "tables" around your layout so you can w/ the play cards. LOL


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

Sometimes the switcher, sometimes my hands. As fun as it is to use a switcher, holding onto the rolling stock and putting it into position is satisfying.

-J.


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## flyerrich (Feb 17, 2014)

*Uncoupling*

How do you guys uncouple your cars when you are doing all the switching?


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## flyerrich (Feb 17, 2014)

How do you do your uncoupling, do you have uncouplers strategically placed?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Most of my cars have Kadee knuckle couplers, some have other brands
as do my locos.

I have the high powered magnets under my yard and spur tracks for
uncoupling. The dependability of them is 'iffy'. Sometimes they
uncouple on cue, other times not. Your couplers must be totally
free to swing for them to work. Most of the time I resort to the
tried and true 'hand of God' method of uncoupling: A long shaft with
a flattend end that fits into the Kadee knuckle and opens it. It is
also necessary when you want to uncouple on a track with no magnets.

I had a couple hour session of switching operations yesterday. By far,
most of the uncoupling was by 'HOG'.

Don


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## higgsbosonman (Nov 17, 2014)

Our clubs yards are currently unpowered due to magic smoke escaping something, so the hand of god usually shoves cars and locomotives around, and drags them to the yard mouth. There used to be uncoupling magnets on the layout, but someone before me pried them all up and I have no idea where they went. we also had (had being the keyword) a waybill system for operations, but all the cards were thrown out except for a few. Currently we just run trains, we don't operate them.


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