Dear Scott, Just so we are

Dear Scott,

Just so we are on the same page, are you asking for:

- a strategy to approach switching a given industry?
(If yes, a trackplan would be helpful...)

- a strategy to approach switching any industry?

or

- a strategy to handle doing paperwork during a operation session?

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

whether to pickup cars first or to set out out first.?

Well generally they have to pickup outgoing cars first to clear up the spot for incoming cars. A local would probably work the trailing point spurs in order as they came to them, removing the outgoing cars and setting out any incoming cars. If the local was a turn and would come back over the route later in the day it would work the facing point turnouts on the return trip. If it was a one way job in the old days it might drop the cars into a facing point turnout depending on the individual circumstances. I don't know if railroads today allow crews to drop cars, probably not since they won't let crews get on and off moving equipment? ...DaveB

Pick a winner

I'd guess the reason you won't find an answer in an ops book is because there isn't one.  Decide based on your own preference, and try different ways until you find one.  Forget about the different possibilities at first - think of one way to do it and try that.  Keep in mind that what really matters is serving the customer and getting the cars pulled and spotted correctly.  How you do that is up to you, and  there is no "best" way.

Your question isn't about car cards per se, but operation in general.  Any car forwarding system has the same basic goal when it comes to a local freight.  The process will depend on available tracks at each switching location - if you have a small yard at your disposal you can sort more quickly than at a town with only a passing siding or runaround.

The process IS repetitive.  Figure out what makes sense to you, then do it more or less that way every time.  That way you can drop into a new switching job and have a routine that will let you get the work done with confidence.  If possible, don't let the layout owner micromanage.  In most instances, a good host will care more about results than how you achieve them, unless he's trying to replicate a particular prototype idiosyncrasy.

I usually pull first and then spot, typically on a track-by-track basis (i.e. I try to work everything on a track all at once).  If I have more than one spur facing the same direction, I try to work those first, then proceed to working spurs facing the other way.  If you have a turnaround local job (heads out to do work, then returns), you can sometimes set up work to switch trailing point as much as possible to avoid run around moves, working some industries on the way out, the rest on the way back.  This isn't always practical, and again sometimes the host will want to duplicate a particular prototype sequence that requires a facing point move when you'd rather not do it if deciding on your own.

I sort my setouts in the order of the industry spots on a given track (assuming there's more than one spot).  If I have re-spots that go back in the track, I also get them sorted into place for the "grand shove" to get everything back into the track that belongs there.  Finally, I check the paperwork against what I pulled, spotted and re-spotted to ensure nothing's out of place.  If I have multiple spots based on doors, dock locations or whatever, I ensure the cars are spaced as necessary (e.g. to give the customer access with a fork truck).

One other step, if you have someplace to do it, is to block your setouts before you start actual industry work.  Get everything for each customer grouped together.  If you know how particular customers or spots are grouped, further sort to accommodate that.  When you get to town, you'll have everything ready to shove into each spur, save for the re-spots.

Laws of Physics says...

Dear Dave,

Entirely logical, you can't spot Inbounds on defined carspots which currently have Outbounds occupying them...
(One has to dig a whole before they can fill it...)

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

PS admittedly it's written with a modern-era slant,
(although switching physics haven't really changed thru decades of RR <> Industry interaction ),
but if you are looking for a book on "How to Switch a Model RR", Lance Mindheim's recent offering may be worth a look... http://www.lancemindheim.com/bookstore.htm 
http://www.lancemindheim.com/how_to_operate.htm

P/U or S/O

As others have said, generally you pick up/pull first and spot second.

Sorta.

I look at the overall work and organize it before I start.  So I might separate all the facing point an trailing point moves.  Or I might organize it one side of the main vs the other.  Whatever fits the situation.

Then i switch one track at a time.  Pull the track, set the pulls over and then cut in the spots.  Too many people try to switch the entire industrial area at once.  I work it methodically, one track at a time.  Doing it that way means you only have to worry about the CC for one track at a time, so you don't need to be shuffling 20 cards, just the 3 or 4 that concern the track you are  working on.

Good series of videos from MRH Theater!

This is a very good set of videos on just this sort of question.  I have watched it several times especially part 2 at it has some very good info on just how to work a train.  It deals with mainline switching but the methods can be used almost anywhere on the layout.

Basic operations question

Thanks to  all who replied.  It looks like I've been trying to do too much at one time.  I appreciate the help.