Context?

Dear William,

Any chance of at least a trackplan of the railroad, specifically the parts you're considering adding/deleting tracks or adjusting ops on? Would love to help, but without context it's a little difficult...

Biggest question: I see a lot of reflection and proposals for changes,
so it must be asked, are You "Satisfied" with where the layout's heading?

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

PS if no-one's electing to fill certain "Ops Role" positions, either:
- they don't understand how "fun" the position is (educate, show them "the vision")
- they don't understand how much fun/important the role is to you as the Layout Owner/Builder (discuss/compromise)
- they understand how much "fun" the role could be, but would rather do something else (consult Re "how to improve")
- they understand how painful/"fuuunnnn" the role would be, and would rather do anything else (re-consider/redesign/replace)

Pls NB that it is always possible that what appears "outrageously fun" in the minds-eye of the Layout Owner/Builder, is simply of no-interest to the Ops Crew members...
(role not filled, no volunteers,... a clear sign of "something not right",

or at least "mis-aligned Ops Role desires/expectations"
aka "I'm only here cause I wanna run a train..." :-(    )

...and if the layout is effectively a "club by informal proxy",
then the need to "design by committee" as per most clubs will become "a thing"...

Alternatively, if you just can't find an "Ops Crew" who "shares your vision" for the layout,
the "story" it tells, and thus the Roles that need to be filled to tell that "Story",
then maybe, just maybe, the desire for a "social round-robin group" is in conflict with "the modeller just being interested in something that locally no-one else cares one-jot about"...
(IE need to "find your people", not try to "force" ppl to "see your vision"?)

A quick example. I tend to build exhibition/show/touring layouts. I often integrate various levels of scale animation and effects to keep the General Public amused, engaged, and educated.

Every time I consider a layout-design which includes "keynote" animation,
I ask my regular "show ops teammembers" whether they are OK with it being:
- fully manual (requires operator with functioning Mk1 eyeballs, brain engaged, and suitable training to run)
- Auto + manual over-ride (can "shuttle" reasonably to scale, but needs manual for "100% scale operation" and/or recovery)
- Fully Auto (hands-off, fully fail-safe, just "let it run")

In every instance, over many years, the answer comes back the same:
"...if it requires Manual Ops or "baby-ing" along, then it will Only Operate when YOU 
(Prof K, the Layout Owner/Builder) are here to operate it..."

Boy am I confused

William,

Not sure what you are describing, contemplating, asking, etc.  I agree with Prof- help us to help you by providing more info, diagrams, actual questions, etc.

Regards, Craig

Drawings

There are copious drawings in his blog.  I find them hard to read so really can’t comment on the proposed changes or problems other than to second Prof K’s comments on finding out why jobs aren’t being done. 

An alternate way to do things is not to let the operators pick jobs, assign them.  Tell operators where they are going to work.

Wow....lots to

Wow....lots to consider.

Thank you

Caution

Dear William,

Lots to think about for sure, but it has to be said, without context (I just checked over the blog, and didn't find what I needed to confidently interpret your OP musings),

we (the MRH Peanut Gallery   ) are literally just "mumbling in the dark", and most everything said, with the best of intentions, could be conceptual gold, or could be irrelevant mental manure...

Proceed appropriately...

Happy Modelling,

Aim to consider in context,

Prof Klyzlr

There is a sense of wanting

There is a sense of wanting to return to the St Johnsbury and Lamoile Valley RR using the expanded mainline arrangement.  The image of a short train...2 70 Tonners with 6 cars and a caboose...running on the long mainline remains in the back of my mind....and your comments have helped me to clarify such thoughts.  Won't be going for that RR anytime soon....but the thought is there.

When guys run their equipment on the nights we are here...they tend to run short trains with small power.  The longer trains I set up are often not chosen.  Maybe they are trying to encourage consideration of such an arrangement.

Then again....sometimes I think too much.

Wanting....

So I went and spent some time getting Three 70 Tonners done up for the St J and LV running pretty well.  The rate 700 Tons west bound and 600 Tons east over the big hill.  Hills out of St J west bound came up much quicker than downstairs....but there are limits.  The CV came in at Cambridge Jct and Sheldon Jct so that power would work.  The St J once was owned by the B&M...and sits on the Conn River line represented by exiting WR Jct behind the station...and the whole yard in that scene is really the Conn River line yard with CV around the corner.  Bridge north of WR Jct is more representative of the Conn River line.

Just through of a way that the Laundry room might better represent St J....maybe....but the hills just got a lot closer.

Multiple small towns with locals running between.....Need to devise a loop to loop for WR Jct.

Depending how Sheldon Jct gets worked in determines what era would be running....Fonda Jct or Swanton.

Something to consider.