We have started operating using computer generated Manifests and Switch Lists . The software that we use is JMRI OperationsPro. This is a no cost, open source package created by some dedicated and expert people who love model railroading and applying computer technology to make operating more realistic and fun!

We have a single track mainline running across Vermont, from Rutland in the West to Bellows Falls in the East. There are fairly large swiching yards in Rutland and Bellows Falls, plus a smaller interchange yard at Quarry junction, essentially dividing the railroad int East and West divisions. Although we use New England scenery, and try to capture the flavor of the Rutland wherever possible, we essentially have a free-lanced railroad.

There are 11 towns on the modeled layout, plus staging to represent Boston and New York. There are currently 40 industries that receive and/or ship on the railroad. Currently we have 13 trains defined, including 4 in and out of the two staging locations.

We have experimented with different approaches to distributing the work:

  1. Everyone is an engineer/conductor. Each person builds his or her train in a yard, then operates the train over its route, including switching at locations along the way (which may require the use of a local switcher) and and final switching at the terminating location.
  2. Yardmasters for Rutland and Bellows Falls. Trains are still operated by Engineer/conductors as in option 1. Lately the two yardmasters have been coming in early on operating days to start building the outgoing trains in each yard, so that the Engineer/conductors can start running as they arrive at 7:00PM.
  3. As option 2, except using two man teams on at least some trains; and engineer to run the road locomotive, and a conductor/brakeman to set switches and couple/uncouple cars. The conductor may also run the local switcher.

We have not yet added a dispatcher, although we believe that we need one.

More to come....

 

To be supplied

 

The Middlesex Central Model Railroad Club is seeking new members to join our club.  The only requirement is an interest in  model railroading, any level of experience is welcome!!  We have built a 32’ x 19’ multi-level HO layout featuring the Rutland Railroad from Bellows Falls, VT to Rutland, VT.

We meet on Wednesday evenings from 7:15-9:00 with Operating Sessions the third and fifth (if there is one) Wednesdays.  We also plan weekday sessions occasionally when members are available.

Our layout is housed in the Cameron Senior Center, the former Cameron School at 20 Pleasant Street, Westford, MA.

If you are interested in visiting us or joining the club, Please contact: Bob Parsons @ 978-692-8468 or email him at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

The Middlesex Central Model RR Club takes it’s name from the B&M Branch Line that once was a thriving mover of passengers. It started at North Station on the B&M main line then branched off at Arlington and terminated in Bedford, in it’s early hay day it ran to Concord, MA. Freight also moved over this line.Here is a link to some history of the Middlesex Central Railroad.

We originally organized in the 1980s, and met in one of the older buildings at the Tewksbury State hospital. Then, for several years, we met at Brother Clayton Dearth’s home in Westford until we moved to the Senior Center (former Cameron School) located at 20 Pleasant Street (Rte. 225) Westford. 

At this time the club had a permanent layout in the Senior Center, plus a portable layout which was set up and operated at train shows. We still own the portable modular layout,  but have not used it at train shows for some years.

Around 2010, the Cameron building was renovated, so we had to take down the layout and move it to a new location, still within the Cameron building.

By the fall of 2015, the MCMRRC was in it's current space, a 19' x 40' area in the warm, dry basement of the Cameron Senior Center in Westford, MA. The club had been residing in the Senior Center for some time, but when the building was renovated a few years ago, we had to move the layout to a new location. This required disassembly, re-design and rebuilding. By the fall of 2015 the benchwork was done, track laid, and the NCE DCC system installed. It was just possible to run a locomotive all the way around the layout. The club was working to improve reliability of the trackwork and switches, fine tune the DCC system, and start adding scenery to the new sections which were built to join the re-used original sections in the new configuration.

 

It's easy to get started creating your website. Knowing some of the basics will help.

What is a Content Management System?

A content management system is software that allows you to create and manage webpages easily by separating the creation of your content from the mechanics required to present it on the web.

In this site, the content is stored in a database. The look and feel are created by a template. Joomla! brings together the template and your content to create web pages.

Logging in

To login to your site use the user name and password that were created as part of the installation process. Once logged-in you will be able to create and edit articles and modify some settings.

Creating an article

Once you are logged-in, a new menu will be visible. To create a new article, click on the "Submit Article" link on that menu.

The new article interface gives you a lot of options, but all you need to do is add a title and put something in the content area. To make it easy to find, set the state to published.

You can edit an existing article by clicking on the edit icon (this only displays to users who have the right to edit).

Template, site settings, and modules

The look and feel of your site is controlled by a template. You can change the site name, background colour, highlights colour and more by editing the template settings. Click the "Template Settings" in the user menu.

The boxes around the main content of the site are called modules. You can modify modules on the current page by moving your cursor to the module and clicking the edit link. Always be sure to save and close any module you edit.

You can change some site settings such as the site name and description by clicking on the "Site Settings" link.

More advanced options for templates, site settings, modules, and more are available in the site administrator.

Site and Administrator

Your site actually has two separate sites. The site (also called the front end) is what visitors to your site will see. The administrator (also called the back end) is only used by people managing your site. You can access the administrator by clicking the "Site Administrator" link on the "User Menu" menu (visible once you login) or by adding /administrator to the end of your domain name. The same user name and password are used for both sites.

Learn more

There is much more to learn about how to use Joomla! to create the website you envision. You can learn much more at the Joomla! documentation site and on the Joomla! forums.