Joe,

You're right, operation is the next level up. Many people relates to Model railroading to just goes around in circles and that is it. But once they see that you can actual operate it and that you operate it like the proto-types they get enlighten. That happen in our club at a show while I was making up trains in the yard. I did not realize it until I moved my head and saw a whole bunch of people just looking over my shoulders how I was setting up trains for my fellow member to take his train to somewhere else on the layout.

The same thing when I introduce ops to my daughter's boyfriend, he was fascinated that I would run my railroad with a purpose.

"This kind of operation has become so dang fun for me it's the reason I do everything else in the hobby" and the same for me !!!! You have a reason to run trains.  

This kind of operation has become so dang fun for me it's the reason I do everything else in the hobby. It's all to make the realistic ops part into the ultimate experience. And let me tell you, when the guys come over and bring the layout to life in this way, it's a total blast!

I am waiting patiently for the "How-To - Realistic Ops" video series from Model Trains Video!

Any idea when a series like this might be available?

This kind of operation has become so dang fun for me it's the reason I do everything else in the hobby. It's all to make the realistic ops part into the ultimate experience. And let me tell you, when the guys come over and bring the layout to life in this way, it's a total blast!

Joe Fugate

This applies to me as well. Heck my layout can't even run trains in a loop (well not yet). Having a room full of train loonies brings the layout to life. In some ways it's a bit like dungeons and dragons (my wife refers to the train room as the train dungeon) except instead of swords and magic we have throttles and DCC and the time frame is a bit more recent.

Charlie

My wife calls my room "My Mistress Room"

Awesome video and layout can't wait to see more of that layout and ops session.

Mom's family is from Eastern Ky. Knott county(Mousie, Hindman area).

I am waiting patiently for the "How-To - Realistic Ops" video series from Model Trains Video!

Any idea when a series like this might be available?

--BlueHillsCPR

Blue:

The Ops Live series give some examples of prototype ops, but not a lot of "how to".

Plans are to do some how-to op articles with video content in MRH, and that way the content will be free. By being free, a lot more modelers will benefit from the information.

We've sold a few hundred copies of our Ops Live videos, but if we post the how-to info as articles with a video supplement in MRH, tens of thousands of modelers will see it.

Joe thanks for bringing the hobby up to date with the Free magazine concept online, hope to learn a lot from the mag and the forums and maybe have something worthy of an article sometime in the near future.

The Ops Live series give some examples of prototype ops, but not a lot of "how to".

Plans are to do some how-to op articles with video content in MRH, and that way the content will be free. By being free, a lot more modelers will benefit from the information.

Joe,

Naturally I have the current OP's live series and enjoyed being "a fly on the wall" at Siskiyou and Bear Creek Op sessions.  I am looking forward to the release fo OP's Live 4!

Articles on how to operate with video supplements sounds like a great idea!  I'm sure lots of modelers will be pleased to be able to benefit from the articles free of charge in MRH!

Wow, talk about giving back to the hobby!  MRH ROCKS!

I'm really a visual learner, and I've read John Armstrong and Tony Koester and many of the threads where Charlie explains operations, and quite frankly, I still don't get it entirely.  I understand many of the concepts, but I don't fully grasp it from words on a (web) page.  A series of video articles with accompanying explanations would probably be the kick start for me to go "Ah HA!"  That is the way it was with Joe's video series on a number of things.  I've read them before, but they just never sunk in until I saw the stuff being done.  Now I'm trying a lot of stuff I've never really tried before and I get it, or at least am learning from my mistakes.  Can't wait for those articles.

Well at keast you can't bring any mystery deseases home with you after visiting that room.

And she knows where you are and what you are doing so she really shouldn't get to bent out of shape.

Irv