how often do you change what's running on the layout?

I have four independent loops, no sidings.  To keep things interesting, I change the engines on all four lines once a week.  Every couple of days I try to replace a couple of freight cars with different ones.  It's fun, kind of like when you were a kid on the carpet, taking stuff out of the toy box to replace what you were tired of playing with.

 

- Mike

I change motive power and freight cars (eastern, midwestern, or western roads) when ever the spirit moves me.

pretty much whenever I want to see something different. with working 21 turn I usually on get to run the trains once or twice a week depending which shift I'm on. I keep a record on the locomotives, and try to rotate them every couple of months.

There's only room for one train at a time on my small layout, so I shuffle the locomotives and cars around fairly frequently.  I'd guess it's about two weeks between cycles.

 

 

Every Saturday I change out all trains on my layout.

Curt

Great question, Forrest. We run eight main lines and this is where pure favoritism comes into play. Great passenger trains like the Hi-Level Sante Fe El Capitan, the California Zephyr, The B&O Columbian, the Alaska RR Denali, the Texas Special tend to stay on the main lines continually because they are favorites. We do change out the others, probably on a monthly basis.

 

 

No set time, just when the urge strikes.

We build new trains every time.  Part of our fun is to pull the engine we want from the roundhouse or storage area and build a train from the yard (Freight or passenger).

 

Then we run 'em.

 

If we are not pressed for time, part of the job is to put all of the trains away in the yard and park the engines before ending the session.

 

Our goal is to do everything with an engine and never have to use the dreaded 0-5-0 switcher.

 

Ron

 

Sometimes weekly and other times monthly, or when I get the urge too.

I change my freight trains often, but it's just pulling one into the yard and letting a different one roam the mainline.  I alternate between UP and BNSF on the double-track mainline and Milwaukee and C&NW on the upper. 

 

Passenger trains are a different story.  If I'm running 1960's, which is most of the time, I run my California Zephyr or El Capitan.  If I go modern, I run my Amtrak CAZ, Amtrak Carl Sandberg and my Chicago Metra train.  This requires exchanging with trains on the shelf, a much bigger chore.

 

Art

Every month or so. I not only change out the trains, but 

I also like to change the type of trains. Postwar, prewar, plastic, or tin.

I have two main lines on a 8'x11' layout.  On the first of every month

I change the trains.  However, if I have my PWC Lionel Hudson with

NYC Heavyweight Cars, plus two Milk Cars it stays on for two months.

 

Many thanks,

 

Billy C