Personality
Creating unique operator job roles and train
consists helps tell the story of your layout and op session. Rather than mixed freight after mixed freight passing relentlessly
in front of the viewer, a hotshot eastbound train of reefers blasts pass the idling drag freight of beets. Or imagine "clocker"
passenger movements weaving around maximum tonnage coal trains. Developing varied roles and schedules better reflects the
atmosphere of your real or imagined prototype and creates a model of a railroad from your collection of railroad models.
Interaction
Interplay between operators and trains increases
op session interest and enjoyment. Instead of different independent trains sharing one layout, the relationship between crews
becomes important. Interaction also makes the various operator roles (dispatcher, yard crew, conductors, agents, etc.) more
realistic and rewarding.
Balance
One of the challenges in developing a successful
operating scheme is balancing workloads between road and yard, local and through trains, dispatcher and train crews, etc.
There are also trade-offs to be made between staging and siding capacities, ops session intensity and enjoyment, and rules
vs. op crew initiative. I can help you identify the key competing areas, manage the compromises, and insure a rewarding balance
for your sessions on an existing or planned layout.
