I started operating my Wheeling Freight Terminal about a year ago and have now settled into monthly sessions. The layout represents an area under yard limits so operations tools are a little different. I posted details on handling outbound cars at my blog.

In the new issue of MRH Joe Fugate talks about operating long trains with helpers. It so happens that I just finished setting up a train with a steam puller and pusher to demonstrate on my HO layout at the Portland NMRA convention. I have a fairly long (30 ft) 2.2 % grade that I just completed that leads into Cajon Pass Summit. It has curves of 48, 60, and 70 inches. I wanted a train of at least 30 cars and to use BLI 2-10-2's.

Those of you doing Operations, how do you switch your yards? I was playing today at the club because after 6 hours of making sure the Ops session was ready the turnout was a SPECTACULAR failure. With my switchlists already done though, I lashed an engine to the first two tracks of cars and began shuffling cars into four trains. It's the prototype way, and honestly makes more sense than doing it one train at a time, but the little voice in my head was saying "Gee, Dispatcher needs a train ready to get a crew busy, and you have all of yours...

 I have three track yards with the list of each train and the industry  it serves.

 Should I color code  my waybill by what train goes on?