Operating Part Two – Operating a Model Railway, Actions & Events

Syd 125. Operating a model railway. Prairie with horse box behind passes inner home signal and brings a local passenger train past Sheepcroft Yard into Hintock Redux. The horse box is destined for the Bay

Syd 125. Prairie with horse box behind passes inner home signal and brings a local passenger train past Sheepcroft Yard into Hintock Redux. The horse box is destined for the Bay

Operating a model railway is what I most enjoy. That is the actions that take place and the events leading to them. Most are straightforward and prototypical, nonetheless they still need to be done, as in the real world of railways, effectively, efficiently and in a timely manner. And there is quite an art in achieving that.  It is also most importantly fun. [Continue Reading…]

Operating Part Three – Random and Systematic Train Make Up and Shunting

JF 171 Shunting a model railway, John Hampton's coal siding

JF-171 Shunting John Hampton’s coal siding

Operating or shunting a model railway is the best part of building and owning one. My shunting is random and systematic, not as you please.

For it I use order and method applied in a random and systematic manner. No, it’s not a contradiction in terms. (My methods are featured in a comprehensive article in RM 9/2013.)

The number of wagons in a train is random and whilst the Staging Yard roads will accommodate more than Loco+8 wagons and brake van I restrict them to that. Anymore seem out of keeping with the general theme of the layout. [Continue Reading…]