Hi All,

Just getting ready for a session slated for Jan 30th.  Got a heck of a mess in the train room to cleanup yet but it will be spic and span by then!!

Just wanted to make a few comments on my prepping for the session. 

Before each session, I go to "Transportation / Re-block Trains / Re-block Trains in Staging."  I then make the following checks. 

First, I open each train and see if there are any cars that are ping-ponging from staging right back to the same staging track/region.  If there are, I try and find out why, and correct it for each car.  I won't go into detail here unless it will help someone. 

After I've made the corrections, I go to "Transportation / Daily Summary / Re-load OV traffic."  I then run the Daily Summary.  This will usually take care of the ping ponging cars after I've made corrections to.

I then go back into the "Re-blocking Trains in Staging" and verify that the car's destinations have been corrected so there is no ping ponging.  Because of the amount of trains that I have, I may have to do this more than once, but it is quick and very worthwhile to me.

Second, I have 8 road trains that make setoffs and pickups enroute between staging Gresham Yard.  I like to block the setoffs into one block behind the engine.  So I go back into the Re-blocking routine and check each of the trains that work the yards enroute and block those setoffs appropriately behind the engine. 

After that is done, I then print the "Train Consist" from the Re-blocking window for each of the trains in staging.  I then use that list to re-block each train in consist order.

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Jim, the new train consist list that you have created that prints from the Re-blocking window is excellent and I really like the date of printing being added to the bottom of the list.  That way, we always know that it is the latest list printed and makes it much easier keeping up with all the paperwork.

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From now on, this will all be much easier for me since Jim modified the program to allow incremental unloading and loading of each train as it arrives in staging.  No longer will I have 2 dozen trains to do all at once before I start the next session and no longer do I have to worry about having enough trains left on the schedule to run a session with a train room full of friends. 

Now, after each session, I can prepare those trains that arrived in staging that day and I will always have a full schedule of trains to run at the beginning of an op session whether the program time is 12:01AM, or 9:45PM.  You have no idea what pressure is off me now when I schedule multiple sessions ahead of time.  I'll always be ready for a full day of fun!!

Best, Andy