running to a timetable

[guest311]

for my two pennyworth, I am planning on running a timetable on Inverknockie, it just seems to give a purpose to the trains, but it really is down to individual choice.

[Rheneas N Gauge]

that is the best timetable i have ever seen

[darren.c]

iv'e used timetables on mine and friends layouts and both end to end and continuous run layouts .
if not doing a prototypical location look at what you want to run for example
fast express passengers
semi fasts passengers
local train freight
fast freight
etc etc

then work how many fast trains to local services and the add freights in afterwards
with the freights i have used the card system which works very well

with prototypical location its much easier to find out timetables and even the freight movements  up and down lines and also what wagons were used

kind regards daz

[MacRat]

Hi Will

For a modular meeting I compiled a rather busy working timetable and produced a lot of paper with train graph, workbook for each station (containing all the scheduled moves) and a workbook for each train (containing all the stops and shunts for the specific train). We had fast and stopping passenger trains and trough and stopping freight trains, too.

I think, a timetable for a home layout is sensible and it gives you a new insight into logistics. It can became a tricky puzzle to achive what you want, thou. Sorry this has become a lenghty post, but you asked how I did it.

There a two different levels of planning that I considered. As a note, we had a fast clock of 1:5. With this, 1 minute real time was 5 minutes model time or 12 minutes real time were a full hour model time.

a) Top level of my planning was freight and passenger movements, i.e what is going from where to which location. This does not include any timings just amount, source and destination. At your station many local industries and merchandisers are receiving goods and sending out other goods. Think about which goods and how many are loaded and unloaded at your sidings. Also think about which siding can load which goods. The capacity, i.e. length of the sidings should be considered too as well as which movements are needed to shunt wagons to the loading spots, store wagons and so on. Difficult shunting on the main line reduces the number of trains that can run or aproach your station. If you have designed your station for complicated shunting you probably will have fewer trains than with a "boring" yard that is simple and quickly to shunt.

b) Then I pathed the trains. I approched this by running trains at a sensible speed over a lenght of track and measered the time. From this I could calculate all running times in all section just by knowing the length of the section. For a scheduled stopp I added 2 minutes for braking and for a starting train a further minute for acceleration. The shunting movements at your location must also be timed too. How long does a loco need to run round a train, how long are running lines blocked by wagons standing around or the loco sawing back and forth to spot a wagon at  an arkward location. By doing this, I learned that, with a fast clock you can compress time for running trains with great effect, but shunting is always done in real time. You always need to uncouple, you need to set points, the loco is reversed several times. As an example for running round you have to uncouple, loco changes direction two times, loco passes whole train and points have to be set at least three times. When I had an idea of the times needed, I started to draw the fast trains into a train graph. Then adding the slower trains. I wrote a small Java app doing this for me because many adjustments had to be made in this process. From the train graph I then inherited the station sequence plans.

I needed several iterations between a) and b) to compile a timetable that was dense, interesting and served all stations and industries.

Currently I don't have access to the plans to post them. (I forgot the power plug for my laptop and the accu is down). But I would try to source and post them to give you an idea, if you are interested.

Cheers
Mac

[MJKERR]

There a two different levels of planning that I considered. As a note, we had a fast clock of 1:5. With this, 1 minute real time was 5 minutes model time or 12 minutes real time were a full hour model time

A faster clock isn't really appropriate, as your trains would then need to operate at higher speeds!
I can understand why you would apply it, as this can remove the many periods where little or nothing happens

Hence why movement based, card, etc work the best
Equally, if you have to leave the layout you can pickup where you left off

Mine also include times, which are quite generic over a 24 hour period
The overnight period is mainly freight, light locos, departmental, and passenger trains to/from depot

The final issue is dealing with natural delays or even worse an early running train
I use a notepad for this and this can be a challenge as the card system can not easily accomodate this
When you are running any trains you like then there is relatively no challenge in order to resolve the problem

[EtchedPixels]

A faster clock isn't really appropriate, as your trains would then need to operate at higher speeds!

Only if you insist on modelling time accurately - in which case you might want to correct gravity on your layout too.

Lots of layouts run on a fast clock system. It means the operators need to be paying attention and keeping things moving, plus doing some proper juggling of trains to deal with delays and mishaps.

Time can be quite elastic if you want - and indeed quite a few of the variable clock systems support truly variable clocks. Running to cards is just a variable clock system without the urgency and need for co-ordination.

Alan

[moogle]

Never bothered myself.
Most of my layouts have been ones I exhibit and I found that if trains keep moving, the public keep watching.
Noticed this on other layouts too.
I run a sort of sequence, freight, passenger, passenger, freight, another passenger then repeat with the odd light engine/mixed train thrown in.
Mind you, my last layout was a simple shunting affair!

Its the first few photos here:
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=582.0

So goods only! 

[MacRat]

Hi, a friend send me the files of the WTT I did.
We did run to timetable but for frreight we use car cards and waybills, too. What's in the freight trains varies as industries are responsible to "order" goods and empty wagons.

- First picture is the layout with track length and purpose of the sidings

- Second picture is the train graph. Conventionally the Germans draw them from top down, so did I. Each block is a seperate branch.

- Third picture is an example for a through freight train from the main to the branch. See the layout to find where it runs.

Sorry, as I see flickr shrunk the images. But I hope they give an idea.


Great-britN Arrangement2a von MacRat2009 auf Flickr


Great-britN Lohr 2011 von MacRat2009 auf Flickr


2011-06_Great-britN_Lohr_WorkingTimeTable_v1.1_4N43 von MacRat2009 auf Flickr

[brbluewill]

thanks macrat much appreciated

[Portpatrick]

For Grasmere, Morfa Nevyn and Abersoch I never got round to timetables.

however for Portpatrick Town, when out at exhibitions I did produce a sequence after its first 2 showings.  It is actually based on the Passenger and Mail Summer TT for Stranraer - I had access to these in a number of books which gave partial information cvering 1920s to  closure of the Port Road.  .  And I have put a couple fo daily freight workings in as well.  Probably not enough but I lack the information.  It is then run as a sequence, with the movements following directly on from each other.  This does seem to give a purpose at shows , especially as I now have index cards on display to the public outlining the moves.

We find the daily sequence takes 40 to 60 mins depending on how energetic we feel!

[Southernboy]

When I have sufficient stock I would like to run a timetable:
Morning Mail and Milk Trains, Up rush hour commuters, Ocean Liner Expresses (etc - and later in the day the reverse) ...

But I'm way off being in a position to do so, and don't know much about the correct way of planning it ...

MacRat:
I'm very interested in your diagrammes, and years ago saw similar plus an explanation on how to draw them up (but don't know where that was now) -  do you have any pointers to where I could read-up and learn to design my own timetables?

Like I say, it's some time off before I do it, but I'd quite like to start researching

[michael]

Im hopeing to add a reverse loop to my layout so that I can run a departures timetable then when a train returns I will have to deal with the arrival as well so some carful planning will be required!

[McRuss]

Matthias did a great job with the timetable for our Great-britN meeting last July.
It was enjoyable to drive the trains according to his timetable.

Markus