JMRI Operation Part II More Fun with Operation

1. JMRI Operation Part IIMore Fun with Operation NMRA National Convention Cleveland, OH July 14, 2014

2. More Fun with OperationJMRI Operation Part II Getting more out of JMRI More than Random Moves More than “Loads” and “Empties”

3. 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

4. Wonder why they’s going? Wonder what’s in them cars? Wonder where they’s going? Charlie Getzdemderteryieu Graphic: MR, June, 1962

5. Today’s Goal: Moving Cars and Loads with a Purpose Begin with the end in mind… Graphic: MR, June, 1962

6. 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…

7. 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(?)

8. 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

9. Typical JMRI Manifest End Train Route Begin Build train at origin There’s more to model railroading operations… Do “work” at interim locations Than plain old “loads & empties” Un-build (“terminate”) train at Destination

10. The Basic Work of the Railroad is Moving Freight How/why do RR’s move cars?

11. So, trains move cars with specific loads for a specific purpose… Can JMRI Operations do this for us? Graphic: MR, July, 1961; Nov. 1975

12. Yup! Graphic: MR, June, 1962

13. All Locations are NOT the Same Types of locations

14. Fundamental Stuff • Store cars, “swap” loads • Store cars (only) • Store cars for forwarding • Store trains (only) • 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

15. Remember “Name Every Place” on the Railroad Set up Locations

16. “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 NB SB

17. “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 Move Car Move Car Move Car Move

18. 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…

19. 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?

20. Let’s review some… You may need to create “custom loads” Create Custom loads for cars

21. 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

22. Create Custom Load for Boxcars

23. Modify a location’s spur track to create a schedule Create a schedule for a spur

24. Locations

25. Edit Locations

26. Edit Spur Track

27. Add Schedule

28. Schedule Created! Will it Work…?

29. Build the Train…

30. 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!

31. 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…

32. Ain’t got no crow bars… Modify a location’s spur track to create a schedule Create a schedule for a spur

34. Gotta’ move them crow bars somewhere… Modify a location’s spur track to create a schedule Create a schedule for a spur

35. Let’s review • Forman Foundry • Ships steel bars • Iron Works • Ships crow bars • Wm’s Hardware • Receives crow bars What are they going to do with the crow bars at the Foundry? Melt them and start over?

36. 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

37. 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

38. 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

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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”

42. 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

43. Birmingham Southern MRR HO Scale 30’ x 15’ Digitrax DCC

44. Birmingham Southern MRR

45. 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…

46. 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

47. 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

48. 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”

49. Birmingham Southern RR

50. Let’s lookit uh difr’nt RR…