Operations

On the Monongah Division, we run regular operating sessions using Digitrax DCC. In addition to the requisite coal traffic, there are local freights, traffic between Charleston and Grafton, an interchange with the Western Maryland, and rudimentary passenger service. All operations are by car card and sequential timetable. Between yard duties, the local freights, and the through trains, I can keep about three crews running.

The layout is arranged as a folded dogbone. One leg of the dogbone is the main yard, at Buckhannon, but there is also a parallel line through staging that bypasses the yard. With multiple crews on a fairly small layout, having a means of keeping the trains running while not overwhelming the yard crew has been useful.

Charleston, Grafton, and the Western Maryland interchange at Elkins are all in hidden trackage. (In the interest of reliability, all of the turnouts for the hidden trackage were designed to be easily accessible.) When the layout made its last move, I added some much needed trackage to Grafton--building a new fiddle yard that is not visible in the photos.

Actual operations are run generally point-to-point, although the trains may take a few circuits because we like to see the trains run.

To the right, I've shown a sample train order card. I make up a set of these before each operating session.