Francisco Bay area who have operated on it a number of times.
I don’t personally operate trains during these operating ses-
sions. Instead, I am the dispatcher as needed and trouble-
shooter. Keep in mind that operations are not my main interest
(which is research and model building). But I still enjoy sharing
my layout with those whose primary focus is operations. It is
entertaining.
But accommodating visiting operators, especially those who
have never previously visited my layout, means incorporating
easy-to-understand controls and logical operating practices. As
part of this goal, I use two non-prototype forms. The first is a
very basic but authentic-looking assignment card (Figure 7).
7: This assignment card provides each operator with
information on the train number and name of the train
they will be running, the numbers of their locomotive
and caboose, and where and when they are to report
for duty.
7
