JMRI Operation Part II More Fun with Operation NMRA National Convention Cleveland, OH July 14, 2014

More Fun with Operation JMRI Operation Part II Getting more out of JMRI More than Random Moves More than “Loads” and “Empties”

Today’s Agenda Explore more JMRI features Example RR Operations Tie to Part I Moving cars with a purpose “Custom loads” “Schedules” Multi-step material flows Other JMRI track types Yards Interchange/classification Staging Different types of trains Example RR Operations Birmingham Southern MRR Birmingham District MRR Graphic: MR, June, 1962

Wonder why they’s going? Wonder where they’s going? Wonder what’s in them cars? Charlie Getzdemderteryieu Graphic: MR, June, 1962

Begin with the end in mind… Today’s Goal: Moving Cars and Loads with a Purpose Begin with the end in mind… Graphic: MR, June, 1962

Things to Think About Running a railroad can be very complex Operations can reflect all of this But it doesn’t have to You can have fun And keep it simple… Or make it more complex… Run a train Switch cars One at a time And More…

What is JMRI? JMRI (Java Model RR Interface) Today’s focus is on “Operations” module Not about “dispatching”; does create trains Develops “manifests” to move cars/do work JMRI Ops has multiple layers of complexity May be your “random” car mover Can be your “supply chain logistics” car forwarder Another dimension for your model railroading fun(?)

Key Things to Do in JMRI Ops Build database of your RR Settings Locations Routes Cars Trains Locomotives This can generate lots of moves and fun Adding “relationships” can make more fun

Typical JMRI Manifest There’s more to model railroading operations… End Train Route Begin Build train at origin There’s more to model railroading operations… Do “work” at interim locations Than plain old “loads & empties” Un-build (“terminate”) train at Destination

How/why do RR’s move cars? The Basic Work of the Railroad is Moving Freight How/why do RR’s move cars?

Can JMRI Operations do this for us? So, trains move cars with specific loads for a specific purpose… Can JMRI Operations do this for us? Graphic: MR, July, 1961; Nov. 1975

Yup! Graphic: MR, June, 1962

All Locations are NOT the Same Types of locations

Fundamental Stuff In JMRI a “location” is a place with track 4 types of “locations” in JMRI Spur tracks Yard tracks Interchange tracks Staging tracks We can put “conditions” on locations Loads Cars Sequences and numbers of cars Trains Routes Store cars, “swap” loads Store cars (only) Store cars for forwarding Store trains (only)

Remember “Name Every Place” on the Railroad Set up Locations

NB SB “Locations” Amhurst “Yard” Community Lumber 4L Jct. Passing Siding Twenty Five Jct. Evergreen Dagget Electrical Evergreen Furniture Indy Getty Oil Iron Works Hegert Whsl Forman Foundry Wm’s Hardware SB NB

It’s All About Relationships… “Locations” Forman Foundry Iron Works Wm’s Hardware “Products” (aka “loads”) Receives: billets (?) Ships: bars Receives: bars Ships: crow bars Receives: crow bars Ships: empties Business -- It’s All About Relationships… Car Move Car Move Car Move Car Move

Now we have: JMRI can do this! Let’s see how to do it… Set of three locations Foundry Iron Works Hardware Set of three loads Billets Bars Crow Bars A reason to move cars! A sequence to follow JMRI can do this! Let’s see how to do it…

What do we have to do next? Edit CARS Create “custom loads” Tell JMRI about loads Select a car type Define a load for that car Use with “schedules” Next step Edit LOCATIONS Create a “schedule” Pick a location Edit the spur track Add a schedule to spur Name the car type What is received? What is shipped?

Create Custom loads for cars Let’s review some… You may need to create “custom loads” Create Custom loads for cars

Cars Needed for Work to be Done Make a list of locations Assume car types for locations Yards should serve all car types Some locations are “Placeholders” for routing Don’t need cars There is no “right” answer Just select some cars to start You may fine tune/adjust later

Create Custom Load for Boxcars

Create a schedule for a spur Modify a location’s spur track to create a schedule Create a schedule for a spur

Locations

Edit Locations

Edit Spur Track

Add Schedule

Schedule Created! Will it Work…?

Build the Train…

It Worked! Let’s review… Created a load What about billets? Steel Bars To be shipped Where to??? What about billets? We didn’t ship them… They weren’t rec’d… OK, came yesterday… Start somewhere!

Things to Think About Spur tracks swap loads May start with “Empty” “Empty’s” become “loads” at your plant OR… You could define the prior product as a “custom load” Spur track Receives prior product Ships “new” custom load But remember… Process must: Start somewhere End somewhere How long is your “supply chain”? Is the “prior product” on the layout? You could have an “imaginary plant” located off the layout Generate prior products Consume newly made products How would you do this? It’s all up to your Industrial Development Department’s creativity Hmmmm…. Real factories Imaginary factories…

Create a schedule for a spur Ain’t got no crow bars… Modify a location’s spur track to create a schedule Create a schedule for a spur

Create a schedule for a spur Gotta’ move them crow bars somewhere… Modify a location’s spur track to create a schedule Create a schedule for a spur

What are they going to do with the crow bars at the Foundry? Let’s review Forman Foundry Ships steel bars Iron Works Ships crow bars Wm’s Hardware Receives crow bars What are they going to do with the crow bars at the Foundry? Melt them and start over?

Lessons Learned All efforts to make things more specific will increase the chance of something going wrong! Each time you try a new step, run the train and see what happens It may take multiple iterations for the desired effect to occur Murphy’s Law at work Check as you go! Your custom loads are competing with random movements

Lessons Learned Custom loads & schedules are powerful tools Use for special cases – can become complex Building blocks for great operations scenarios Good uses are multi-step mfg. process Works well with offsite (imaginary) producers/consumers Good uses are “open top” loads May “schedule” #’s of cars Schedule car sequence by type of car Don’t necessarily have to use “custom loads” Let the “random” moves take care of other traffic You can mix the two methods Process oriented industries with specific materials/products Background warehouse or interchange traffic is not specific

Other JMRI Track Types Yards Do not swap loads May divide yards into parts Inbound Outbound May restrict tracks for car types, e.g., hoppers only Simplify switching (class by car type) May restrict load type May restrict railroad that serves yard

Other JMRI Track Types Classification/Interchange Special type of “yard track” Do not swap loads May restrict for: Load types Car types, e.g., hoppers only Trains/routes that setout vs. pickup Railroad that serves track

Other JMRI Track Types Staging Tracks (handle “trains”) Assign trains to tracks Create “phantom” tracks w/ “# dash #” technique Departing track (#4-1) Return track (#4-2) Remember: train hasn’t moved till terminated Need “space” for the destination May swap loads Train to staging is “rest of the world” “Other” consuming industries are implied Some custom loads “leave” layout Empties “return” to layout AND – you may need to have “custom empties” too! Consider “continuous” staging; blocking but not “fiddling” What comes into staging goes back out next time We do block cars as required for “next run” when it is known

Putting JMRI to Work Birmingham Southern MRR Industrial theme Prototype industries Moving finished products Recent era - diesels No passenger Utilizes JMRI custom loads & empties JMRI Schedules Onsite industries “Relationships” Onsite & Offsite Offsite industries Produce items needed Consume items produced Interchange traffic (JMRI) Local origin/destination Traffic to wide world Classification(JMRI) in Yards Car types for convenience Offsite industries by tracks Birmingham District MRR Industrial “district” operations Steel mill theme Raw material to finished products Steam to early transition era Freight and passenger Utilizes Staging “Open” staging w/ engine terminal “Continuous” staging Staging swaps loads “Mine to mill” logistics Custom loads & empties Schedules Intermediate yards Interchange traffic w/ 8 trunk lines Single track “yards” Traffic to wide world Classification Car types for convenience Operators “sort by car type”

Birmingham Southern MRR Craig Gardner’s short line Birmingham industrial area Prototype 76 miles in county Grew out of US Steel plant RR Onsite industries Doesn’t use “staging”! Uses lower level “offsite” Has two helixes (EB & WB) Parallel main lines BS & “Class I” Two interchange locations BS RR Captive industries Central “home” yard & engines Yard-to-point operation Class I RR (NS RR) Through trains from “offsite” Lower level engine terminal Local switching Oak Grove Coal Loader

Birmingham Southern MRR HO Scale 30’ x 15’ Digitrax DCC

Birmingham Southern MRR

Birmingham Southern MRR Typical train order for Ops Sessions Note “groups” How many trains should be built at a time? “Relationships” Trains depend on prior builds for cars or loads Complexity builds dependency… Prototypical…

Birmingham Southern RR Fairfield Yard to B’port turn Moves hoppers Inbound coal by barge Low sulphur in Outbound coal as well High sulphur out S/O empty tanks for asphalt terminal Bulk asphalt in by barge Distribute by tank car

Birmingham Southern RR USS Pipe Mill Switch Starts “light” at FY Picks up at Steel Mill Mill is “offsite” P/U Coils P/U Pipe blanks Switches Pipe Mill “onsite” Local related industries Returns to FY

Birmingham Southern RR Class I Interchange Picks up “offsite” ind’s Works 2 interchanges Sets out for BS P/U’s from BS May do local switching Returns P/U’s to “offsite”

Birmingham Southern RR

Let’s lookit uh difr’nt RR…

Birmingham District MRR John Stewart’s Steam Era Industrial RR Birmingham Steel “District” Iron & Steel Industries 8 Trunk Line RR’s + Industrials L&N is home road Others by “trackage rights” Six interchange locations Yards Main “staging” Downtown pocket yard Steel Works yard Steel theme – “mine to mill” Iron ore Coal to coke Limestone Related industries Scrap and iron pipe Cement Downtown industrial district 18 Miles

Birmingham District MRR HO Scale Digitrax Control & JMRI Ops 33’x12+’ plus 10’x14’ = 550 sf Folded dog-bone 5 branch lines

Birmingham District Trains Basic train “types” Passenger trains Grade Separation project Staging to L&N Depot Head end cars Interchange trains Staging to Interchange area L&N includes Downtown Yard Connects local industry to world Raw Materials Trains More about this in Part III Created via JMRI tools

Passenger Trains- from staging Utilizes the “Grade Separation” feature B Passenger Trains- from staging Utilizes the “Grade Separation” feature 1928-1933 project Impacted L&N/ACL depot and platforms Only running L&N trains at present Terminal Area Switcher required Utilizes separate JMRI Switchlists

B Interchange trains - Background traffic from staging L&N Local to Interchanges Cars to Downtown Yard & foreign roads Foreign road cars to staging 18 train cycle, alternate NB & SB L&N Local (p/u from L&N, s/o to foreign) Foreign road (p/u “own”, s/o to L&N) Terminal Area Switcher assists Downtown switcher to DT Industries Local Industry to/from “world” via interchange

Raw material trains Mine to mill Downtown & Fairfield Yards B Raw material trains Mine to mill Downtown & Fairfield Yards Includes processing plants Iron ore Coal to coke Limestone Serves steel mill Affiliated industries

How d’ya run all them trains? Graphic: MR, June, 1962

Birmingham District MRR Interchange Trains Passenger Trains For Ops Session Sequence of material trains varies depending on need for materials at time of ops session Material Trains

Birmingham District Operations TRAINS CARS MAIN LINE TURNOUTS LOCATIONS

Let’s move them cars! Graphic: MR, June, 1962

Come See JMRI Part III - Steel Mill Ops Thanks! Operating RR’s/Owners OPSIG Model Railroader DVD NMRA Division websites Gateway Division Nicho Young – 25 Years! “Operations Storyteller” Craig Gardner Help with Construction Digitrax JMRI Our Ops Crews BS MRR BDMRR Come See JMRI Part III - Steel Mill Ops Tues 10:30 – 11:30 Rm 19

JMRI Operations Part III So… You Want to Have a Steel Mill on Your Layout… JMRI Operations Part III

Thanks! Questions? www.bhamrails.info