JMRI Operation Part IIMore Fun with Operation

NMRA National ConventionCleveland, OHJuly 14, 2014

More Fun with OperationJMRI Operation Part II

Getting more out of JMRIMore than Random Moves

More than “Loads” and “Empties”

Graphic: MR, June, 1962

Today’s Agenda• Explore more JMRI features

– 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 what’s in them cars?

Wonder where they’s going?Wonder why they’s going?

Charlie Getzdemderteryieu

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND…Today’s Goal: Moving Cars and Loads with a Purpose

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

Build train at origin

Do “work” at interim locations

Un-build (“terminate”) train at Destination

Typical JMRI Manifest

End

Trai

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ute

Beg

in

There’s more to model railroading operations…

Than plain old “loads & empties”

HOW/WHY DO RR’S MOVE CARS?The Basic Work of the Railroad is Moving Freight

Graphic: MR, July, 1961; Nov. 1975

So, trains move cars with specific loads for a specific purpose…

Can JMRI Operations do this for us?

Graphic: MR, June, 1962

Yup!

TYPES OF LOCATIONSAll Locations are NOT the Same

• Store cars, “swap” loads• Store cars (only)• Store cars for forwarding• Store trains (only)

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

SET UP LOCATIONSRemember “Name Every Place” on the Railroad

• “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

NBSB

• “Locations”– Forman Foundry– Iron Works– Wm’s Hardware

• “Products” (aka “loads”)– Forman Foundry

• Receives: billets (?)• Ships: bars

– Iron Works• Receives: bars• Ships: crow bars

– Wm’s Hardware• Receives: crow bars• Ships: empties

Business --It’s All About Relationships…

Car

Mov

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ove

Car

Mov

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ove

• Now we have:– 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 CARSYou may need to create “custom loads”

Let’s review some…

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 SPURModify a location’s spur track to create a schedule

Locations

Edit Locations

Edit Spur Track

Add Schedule

Schedule Created!

Will it Work…?

Build the Train…

It Worked!• Let’s review…• Created a load

– 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 SPURModify a location’s spur track to create a schedule

Ain’t got no crow bars…

CREATE A SCHEDULE FOR A SPURModify a location’s spur track to create a schedule

Gotta’ move them crow bars somewhere…

What are they going to do with the crow bars at the Foundry?

Melt them and start over?

• Let’s review

• Forman Foundry• Ships steel bars

• Iron Works• Ships crow bars

• Wm’s Hardware• Receives crow bars

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 MRRHO Scale 30’ x 15’ Digitrax DCC

BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN OPERATIONS

Train Description Departs Visits Primary Loads Terminates

BS BP S1 Birminport AM switcher Birmingport Port / Ergon / Crockard Asphalt Birmingport

BS BP S2 Birmingport PM switcher Birmingport Port / Ergon / Crockard Asphalt Birmingport

BS C1 Crockard Junction turn Fairfield Crockard / Mulga Int. Asphalt Fairfield

BS ET 01 East Thomas AM turn Fairfield Offsite Ind. Coal + Asphalt Fairfield

BS ET30 East Thomas PM turn Fairfield Offsite Ind. Coal + Asphalt Fairfield

BS BP11 Fairfield / Birmingport AM turn Fairfield B'port / Ergon / Crockard Coal + Asphalt Fairfield

BS BP23 Fairfield / Birmingport PM turn Fairfield B'port / Ergon / Crockard Coal + Asphalt Fairfield

BS 19 Fairfield / Ensley EB AM local Fairfield Ensley & Int. Mixed freight Fairfield

BS 21 Fairfield / Ensley EB PM local Fairfield Ensley & Int. Mixed freight Fairfield

BS 20 Fairfield / Mulga / Ensley AM local Fairfield Ensley & 2 int. Mixed freight Fairfield

BS 31 Fairfield / Offsite / Ensley EB turn Fairfield Ensley + Offsite Ind. Coal & Asphalt Fairfield

BS SMC10 Fairfield / Steel Mill switching job Fairfield Steel Mill (Offsite) Steel products Fairfield

BS M1 Mulga / Ensley interchange train Fairfield 2 Int. Mixed freight Fairfield

BS OG35 Oak Grove Mine turn Fairfield Oak Grove + Offsite Ind. Coal Fairfield

BS PM1 Powhaton Mine turn Fairfield Powhatan Mine / E Thomas Coal Fairfield

BS USS15 USS Pipe Mill switching job Fairfield Pipe Mill / Offsite / Ensley Steel products Fairfield

NS 102 Class 1 Avondale EB switching job Offsite Avondale / 2 Int. Mixed freight Offsite

NS 101 Class 1 Avondale WB switching job Offsite Avondale / Offsite Ind. Mixed + Ethanol Offsite

CE 130 Class 1 EB AM interchange train Offsite 2 Int. + Offsite Ind. Mixed freight Offsite

CE 131 Class 1 EB PM interchange train Offsite 2 Int. + Offsite Ind. Mixed freight Offsite

CW 120 Class 1 WB AM interchange train Offsite 2 Int. + Offsite Ind. Mixed freight Offsite

CW 121 Class 1 WB PM interchange train Offsite 2 Int. + Offsite Ind. Mixed freight Offsite

Birmingham Southern MRR

BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN OPERATIONS

TRAIN DESCRIPTION DEPARTS TERMINATES

BS ET 01 East Thomas morning turn Fairfield Fairfield

BS BP S1 Birminport morning switcher Birmingport Birmingport

BS 19 Fairfield / Ensley eastbound morning local Fairfield Fairfield

CW 120 Class 1 westbound morning interchange train Offsite Industries Offsite Industries

BS 20 Fairfield/ Mulga / Ensley morning local Fairfield Fairfield

TERMINATE PRIOR TRAINS

BS C1 Crockard Junction turn Fairfield Fairfield

NS 101 Class 1 Avondale westbound switching job Offsite Industries Offsite Industries

BS BP11 Fairfield / Birmingport morning turn Fairfield Fairfield

BS SMC10 Fairfield / Steel mill switching job Fairfield Fairfield

TERMINATE PRIOR TRAINS

BS PM1 Powhaton Mine turn Fairfield Fairfield

BS M1 Mulga/ Ensley interchange train Fairfield Fairfield

CE 130 Class 1 eastbound morning interchange train Offsite Industries Offsite Industries

BS USS15 US Steel pipe mill switching job Fairfield Fairfield

BS ET30 East Thomas afternoon turn Fairfield Fairfield

TERMINATE PRIOR TRAINS

CW 121 Class 1 westbound afternoon interchange train Offsite Industries Offsite Industries

BS BP S2 Birmingport afternnon switcher Birmingport Birmingport

BS OG35 Oak Grove mine turn Fairfield Fairfield

BS 31 Fairfield / Offsite / Ensley eastbound turn Fairfield Fairfield

TERMINATE PRIOR TRAINS

CE 131 Class 1 eastbound afternoon interchange train Offsite Industries Offsite Industries

BS 21 Fairfield / Ensley afternoon eastbound local Fairfield Fairfield

BS BP23 Fairfield / Birmingport afternoon turn Fairfield Fairfield

NS 102 Class 1 Avondale eastbound switching job Offsite Industries Offsite Industries

TERMINATE PRIOR TRAINS

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

B

• 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

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 & SB1. L&N Local (p/u from L&N, s/o to foreign)2. Foreign road (p/u “own”, s/o to L&N)3. Terminal Area Switcher assists4. Downtown switcher to DT Industries

– Local Industry to/from “world” via interchange

B

• Raw material trains– Mine to mill

• Downtown & Fairfield Yards– Includes processing plants

• Iron ore• Coal to coke• Limestone

– Serves steel mill– Affiliated industries

Graphic: MR, June, 1962

How d’ya run all them trains?

Birmingham District MRRPa

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s Sequence of material trains varies depending on need for materials at time of ops session

For Ops Session

Birmingham District Operations

TRAINS CARS

LOCATIONSMAIN LINE TURNOUTS

Graphic: MR, June, 1962

Let’s move them cars!

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 OpsTues 10:30 – 11:30 Rm 19

So…

You Want to Have a

Steel Mill

on Your Layout…

JMRI Operations Part III

Thanks!Questions?

www.bhamrails.info