Since I don't really have the room to build a large continuous running "dream machine", I'm thinking about a much smaller industrial switching layout that I can build into a corner of a spare room (HO).  I grew up in New Haven, IN, and Dad worked at the International Harvester Plant until he was laid off and the plant shut down (1980'ish).  I was about 9-10 then, but it's always been a lasting memory.  Though, like the plant itself, my memories of it are fading.  It seems to me this would make a perfect switching layout.  Plenty of material

While digging through my toolbox recently, I came across some blue flags that I had made back in the early 90's.  Much like the the prototype, I made the original version to serve the very real need of not wanting my train to be "accidentally" run off the end of a staging yard!

This post will detail the history, construction, and use of these flags.

Craig

This video popped up in my YouTube recommendations yesterday. It shows a grain mill being switched by the local railroad. The most interesting part, for me, was the interplay and cooperation between the railroad crew and the grain mill's switcher crew.  There are several other interesting videos on the same channel.

gs

I'd like to get people's impressions and experiences with different types of switchlist software.  I have experimented with two different programs: Switchlist on the Macintosh, and JMRI on my PC.  Both are free, and have pros and cons, but as I haven't used them extensively, I'm looking for insights.  I have also considered Albion Software's Ship It!, but as that costs about $100, I haven't experimented much with it.