What is "sequential running"?

NT

sequential ops

there was a thread a few years ago that discussed sequential train ops, if this is what you are referring to.

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/sequential-trains-ops-need-a-walk-through-please-12186865

cheers

tim

I did check out the thread.

I did check out the thread.  I was hoping some one had standardized a form they were using a club or something like that could be downloaded for use.

 "I was hoping some one had

If you are modeling a prototype railroad you could use an employee's timetable  as a template for the graphics and type ,etc. than put in your own stations and  trains in sequence. If you stipulate that everything runs "on time" and throw out the clock you won't need anything more than the sequence and some specific instructions for each train pertaining to meets,scope of work,etc........DaveB

Hmm, I'll check that out,

Hmm, I'll check that out, thanks DaveB.  Any other suggestions?

Sequence TT

Hmm, DaveB's sounds like a good suggestion.

Additionally to make things clear and simple, since you're not really running to the clock, the specific times don't matter too much except to keep things in sequence, so you could probably number everything up in even hour increments to really highlight the order of things, and like in a real timetable, bold the meeting points/times.

E.g. train No. 1 heads through towns A,B,C,D with respective times 0100, 0200, 0300 and 0400.

No. 2 leaves D at 0200, meeting No. 1 at C at 0300 and kept counting likewise, arriving at A at 0500. If the next train you want to run is another A-D train, and you want to do it after No. 2, you could "schedule" it to run at 0600.

But the "times" aren't really meaningful, it's just the instruction to meet the other train in this form of operation.

In this way, running a simple sequence is a bit like timetable; you still have to develop the proper scheduling sequence of events, but you simplify it by throwing out all the subtleties of actually running according to time and "fix" all the meeting points, throw out all rules regarding superiority of trains and train orders.

edit - actually you might want to keep the superiority by class/direction part so you identify who takes the siding without too much additional instructions. But at least things like "right" (modifications to superiority given by train order) and extra trains aren't an issue, as with a sequence timetable everything is listed and set in stone.

Additional Thought

Alternatively, to keep things easier for crews,

use the actual sequence timetable purely as your master planning document, and work up little train instruction cards for each job, which would read a bit like modified train orders (which are actually designed to be pretty self-explanatory in isolation), and the train crews don't need to follow the timetable at all.

Eg.

Train No. 1
Run A to D
Meet No. 2 at C

Train No. 2
Run D to A
Meet No. 1 at C, take siding

Train No. 3
After No. 2 arrives at A, Run A to D
Set off, pick up at B

and so on. Each train just gets their written order(s). Just use the planned sequence to have all the orders written out at the beginning of the session (indeed, reuse the same orders every session) so you don't need a dispatcher, and since each meeting point is specified, no need to use the clock.

Then provide a sign up/call board with the departures listed in sequence, but that's something you'd want anyways, regardless of the finer points of the system of actually moving your trains across the layout.