“Running Trains”
One way of “running trains” just run them around the layout with a throttle (tethered or wifi). However, by activating the JMRI DecoderPro application, one can simulate the makeup and operational procedures of trains on actual railroads, i.e., put together a consist of rail cars and determine setouts and pickups of specific cars at designated spurs.
My layout comprises two towns: East Pine Valley with a railroad station, a 2-track spur for the Silicon Valley Co-op, an interchange track, and a engine maintenance facility with 2 tracks.; Pine Valley with a commuter station, a 2-track spur for Sage Transfer Co., a 2-track spur for Silicon Oil Co., a 2-track spur for Bailey’s Food Products, a spur for Near Mountain Lumber Co., and a City Industrial spur; and 2 “virtual” cities as the origin and destination sites of scheduled trains which pass through the two layout cities. The JMRI PanelPro application provides for the identification and location of all locomotives and railroads cars, the establishment of routes between cities, and the setup of specific train schedules. A specific train can be “built” with a switch list which designates spurs for the pickup and setout of cars depending upon location and train restrictions. See the posts for trains 901 and 506.