OK, so the kids and I are building our first train layout (I've done some basic HO layouts in years past, but this is my first N-scale, and first serious attempt), and we've got the track down and are working on scenery (see pic). My question is about rolling stock. Is there a particular order that train cars usually run in? I've done a couple of searches and haven't seen anything yet. I mean, would tanker cars go right behind the loco, or what about hoppers and box cars? In the real world, are there weight and ballast issues with the order of the cars? I have two locomotives and about 20 various pieces of rolling stock, and the kids just want to hook it all up and send it around the layout. I would like to try and maintain some sense of realism.
There usually is no order to the cars other than per destination or where they were picked up. Tanker cars do not usually get coupled directly to the locomotives if they have oil or any other volatile commodity, for the safety reasons. Of course, in the earlier days of the 20th century, such rules were less apt to be around and the cars pretty much just in whatever order they got picked up in on locals. The fast schedule trains are usually set up with cars in blocks according to their further destinations. Hope that all helped some.
I'm a contemporary modeler (N) and for some rolling stock there is a rough order which makes sense when you think about it, for example, gas and ethanol have rules concerning placement. I think cattle stock cars did as well in the past. There are other considerations which I have begun to collect for my layout, but not quite there yet, some remaining track to lay.
Usually blocked together per destination. If a local train, often assembled for greatest ease in switching the served industries.
I model the late 40's to the middle 50's so my info deals with that era. As has been said previously, cars are grouped together usually that go to the same location...meaning yard or industry. This isn't going to make a lot of difference in your setup because basically you're just running trains. However, certain cars such as stock cars with animals in them (not empties) were place near the engine...usually just behind it...because the regulations on live animals had them fed and watered on a certain schedule and then set out on sidings and placed into stock pens after a certain amount of riding in the stock car...they had to be rested. Train crews found that they didn't have to walk nearly as far if the stock cars were right behind the engine, so if you have a stock car and want to pretend it's got live stock in it...then put it (them) right behind the engine. You'll also notice that reefers generally were run in blocks, or groups and not just reefers from a particular reefer company...that's because they got serviced (iced) all at the same time and at the same place usually. Those that were empty (a rarity) or going to be spotted before they got iced were located where convenient separate from the rest of the reefers. You rarely see a tank car right next to the caboose. Depending on what was in it, sometimes they stank badly, so crews would put them a few cars away from the caboose. To get an idea of what you want to do, go online and look at photos and videos of real trains from your period. You'll start to see there's a pattern to how the cars are coupled up in trains. Cheerio! Bob Gilmore
The only real rules I can recall ever hearing were about keeping cars with hazardous or dangerous cargo (examples Chlorine or petroleum) seperated from locomotives or cabooses for safety. Apart from that, it is as others have said, groups by destination.
Thanks guys. The tanker car not hooked up to the loco makes sense. That was pretty much what I was after. I have an unfortunate mix of couplers so I'm going to change out one piece of rolling stock to make an "adapter" car. I don't have the patience to change out n scale couplers on 15 cars. :rats: Yeah, the little ones want what they want, but I'm trying to do the best that I can with what I've got. I mean, the mountain in the corner with the tunnel is like Everest right now in perspective to n scale. :cute: I'm a little new at this too, so using Atlas code 55 etc. was a bit of a leap for this layout anyhow...
Three years ago I lived just across the street from the rail yard in Neenah, WI and almost every week a tanker train would roar through at 45mph on one of the main lines headed south. I saw no 'buffer' cars. Just three engines, thirty tankers, two engines, thirty tankers, two engines, thirty tankers and on until the single engine bringing up the rear end. All the engines were the same and the tankers were all labeled the same and from the way all the engines sounded and the ground shock those tankers were full. I saw nothing to indicate 'buffer cars" between the tankers and multiple engines.
