Beginning Operations on Your Reading Layout

By Barry Hensel

The great thing about model railroading as a hobby is that one can tailor the depth of their involvement directly to their interests and desires.  Some modelers enjoy replicating a locomotive or piece of rolling stock as faithfully as possible, down to the last minor detail and bit of weathering, others are content with freight cars that reasonbly match the era and locale being modeled.  Some individuals have their layouts wired with complex electronic gadgetry that rivals NASA Mission Control, while others are content to hook up the power pack and go. 

It's the same with operations.  Some modelers simply enjoy seeing trains run, some derive much satisfaction from duplicating the operations of their prototype in as realistic a manner as possible, while many individuals fall somewhere in between.  I run regular operating sessions on my Reading Lines Central Division layout, and I've prepared an online clinic on "Getting Started in Model Railroad Operations" that presents a good deal of information on the things you'll need to think about if you are interested in operating your layout in a prototypical manner.  The clinic is available as an Adobe PDF file, which you can download by clicking this link.  If you have any questions about the material contained in the clinic, or about how I conduct sessions on my layout, you can contact me via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Editor's Note:  Once you've gotten your feet wet and found that you enjoy operating your trains in a prototypical manner, another source for operations-related information is the Operations Special Interest Group (OPSIG) of the National Model Railroad Association.  A link to their website can be found here.