Album: Version 1

Manually-generated IAIS Train List. This shows all cars that were in the train at the time the report was generated, and is used to indicate to crews those cars that should be set out enroute. My original plan was to automatically generate this report, but due to the amount of programming required to handle all the exceptions, and the ease with which it can be generated manually, I instead just built train list templates for my single daily eastbound and westbound trains, populating each with all possible cars and destinations based on prototype data applied to my model roster.

Once the Weighted Randomization routine (see below) generates those cars that are to move inbound from the eastern portion of the IAIS, I just update the westbound BICB train list to delete the cars that WON'T be moving, and print. The eastbound CBBI list is generated by my dispatcher/clerk based on reports from Bluffs yard switch job (CBSW) indicating how the train was blocked.

Weighted Randomization is very simple. I basically make an Excel spreadsheet row for every prototype car that moved east on my portion of the IAIS during my era, and another for all cars that moved west. I generate a random number for both the eastbound and westbound trains indicating how many cars will be in each. Then, for every car in each train, I generate a random number between 1 and the total number of prototype cars that moved in that train's direction. The random number then corresponds to one of the Excel rows, which tells me what prototype origin/destination pair I'll be replicating for that car and what corresponding model to use in doing so.

I'm building my model roster so it includes cars in the proper ratios from all 78 of the prototype origin/destination pairs in my era, plus a large fleet of covered grain hoppers to serve the layout's three elevators. Each prototype orig/dest pair has at least one corresponding model to represent it, although 11 of them remain to be built.
By: Joe Atkinson

Album: IAIS-Based Layouts navigate UP Album: Joe Atkinson's Subdivision 4, Atlantic-Adair navigate UP Album: Operations navigate UP Album: Earlier efforts navigate UP Album: Version 1 navigate UP (accesskey 'U')
Manually-generated IAIS Train List. This shows all cars that were in the train at the time the report was generated, and is used to indicate to crews those cars that should be set out enroute. My original plan was to automatically generate this report, but due to the amount of programming required to handle all the exceptions, and the ease with which it can be generated manually, I instead just built train list templates for my single daily eastbound and westbound trains, populating each with all possible cars and destinations based on prototype data applied to my model roster. Once the Weighted Randomization routine (see below) generates those cars that are to move inbound from the eastern portion of the IAIS, I just update the westbound BICB train list to delete the cars that WON'T be moving, and print. The eastbound CBBI list is generated by my dispatcher/clerk based on reports from Bluffs yard switch job (CBSW) indicating how the train was blocked. Weighted Randomization is very simple. I basically make an Excel spreadsheet row for every prototype car that moved east on my portion of the IAIS during my era, and another for all cars that moved west. I generate a random number for both the eastbound and westbound trains indicating how many cars will be in each. Then, for every car in each train, I generate a random number between 1 and the total number of prototype cars that moved in that train's direction. The random number then corresponds to one of the Excel rows, which tells me what prototype origin/destination pair I'll be replicating for that car and what corresponding model to use in doing so. I'm building my model roster so it includes cars in the proper ratios from all 78 of the prototype origin/destination pairs in my era, plus a large fleet of covered grain hoppers to serve the layout's three elevators. Each prototype orig/dest pair has at least one corresponding model to represent it, although 11 of them remain to be built.
First Photo (Accesskey 'F') Previous Photo (Accesskey 'P') 6 of 10 Next Photo (Accesskey 'N') Last Photo (Accesskey 'L')
Jump to:
[Login]
All images on this site are copyrighted by their respective creators, and used with permission.
All Iowa Interstate logos and trademarks are property of Iowa Interstate Railroad, Ltd. and Railroad Development Corporation.
Questions? Comments? Please email us at contact@iaisrailfans.org 		  Last modified on April 26, 2010, at 11:40 PM