Page 29 - NMRA Roundhouse September October 2020

stored. Later I will show how to use JMRI to move stock on and off the layout.
There are differences between the various other types of track. I will cover how I use these but for a more detailed explanation visit the JMRI website (www.jmri.org ), then look for OperationsPro on the left hand side and scroll down until you come to the relevant section. Briefly, Spurs are used for industries and cars arriving there will always have their load status changed, either load to empty or empty to load. Good industries to have are Interchange tracks and Team tracks as these are very flexible in terms of car usage. Don’t also forget an Engine Depot as somewhere to receive coal and sand and ship out ash.Yards are used for storage and cars there
will not have their load status changed. Classification tracks are used to sort cars either for trains or destinations, load status does not change.
To enter a classification track, select the C/I button and then enter the appropriate details. The name should ideally re- flect the eventual destination of the cars thereon. Select Normal, Any and Any as above and then save- Photo 4.
Staging tracks are used to represent other destinations off the layout, once a train
has entered a staging track
its consist will not change so when the train leaves staging the cars are the same as those that entered. Staging tracks can be complex. For a train
to leave staging the program needs to find new locations for all the cars as none can be left behind.Therefore initially it would be best to have at least two staging locations
so that you can run a train leaving A, doing work at B and then terminating in C. My own staging yards are single ended. If you have a double ended staging yard merely give each end a separate location.
Photo 3
How all this works may be best explained by referring to my own layout. I have 2 4 track staging yards, designated Seat- tle and St Paul. In between is the main station, Spokane, with a 4 track classification yard and an industrial area.There are two other locations with industries and passing loops designated Yakima and Butte, plus two further locations designated Tacoma and Index with no passing loop but have a single industry spur.There is an additional branch to a coal mine at Mullan. I do not use a yard.
Through freights run from Se- attle to St Paul (and vice versa) calling only at Spokane to drop off/collect cars going to/from the other 5 locations. Pas- senger trains run in the same fashion. Local turns then run East and West from Spokane, each turn serving two of the other locations. Separate trains service Spokane industries and the mine- Photo 5.
The first 4 tracks listed are virtual tracks to fit in with my operating plan.You will see however that there are in fact 4 trains waiting to leave in the next operating session (used column) and 4 tracks free to receive trains.The situation at Seattle will be a mirror image. Obviously the Dispatcher
will need to know how the arrangement works so that he/she does not think there are 8 physical tracks! The lines marked Hinkle and Union Station are used by passenger trains, the others are freight only.
If you do not have room for staging, remember that this does not need to physically exist on your layout, lateral thinking is useful. It could, for instance, exist as a shelf, tray or carfloat with the cars thereon. These are then placed on the layout using the 0-5-0 switcher.
In the next part we will start to draw up the routes for our trains to follow.
Photo 4
Photo 5
ROUNDHOUSE - September/October 2020 - 75th Anniversary Issue
29