Operations Special Interest Group Rick Stern's ATSF, working the Ice Dock at Oxnard (Reefer Madness)
The Operations Special Interest Group
Focused on Realistic Prototype Operation
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Books on Operations

OPSIG

Sprau, David and Steve King. "19 East, Copy Three" 2012. A complete reference for all things TT&TO. Sold out at OPSIG.

"A Compendium of Model Railroad Operations – from Design to Implementation" 2017. A complete guide to all things operations, covers every aspect of prototype operations and how to apply them to your model railroad—from design and staffing to yards and paperwork, from communications and signals to dispatching and car forwarding. See info. See Table of Contents.

Prototype

Armstrong, John. "All About Signals" Kalmbach reprint (the originals were in the June and July 1957 issues).

Armstrong, John. "The Railroad: What it is, What is Does" (book and CD ROM versions available from TransAlert)

Josserand, Peter. "Rights of Trains". (c) 1957, 5th Edition. Simmons-Boardman Books, Inc. (available from TransAlert)

Phillips, Jr., Edmund J. "Railway Operation & Railway Signaling". (c) 1942. Simmons-Boardman Books, Inc.

Roxbury, L.E. "Let's Operate a Railroad - America's First "How-To" on Railroad Operations". (c) 1957. High Iron Publishers.

Model

Chubb, Bruce "How to Operate your Model Railroad" 1977 (1991) by Kalmbach LCC# 77-74095 ISBN# 0-89024-528-2

Ellison, Frank. "Frank Ellison on Model Railroads". Arco Publishing Co, Inc. (c) 1954. LCC#54-12466

Koester, Tony "Realistic Model Railroad Operation" 2003 by Kalmbach LCC# QBI02-200887 ISBN# 0-89024-418-9

Mallery, Paul. "Complete Handbook of Model Railroad Operations". Carstens Publications (c) 1979

Comments on this book from Jim Moir:
- obvious familiarity with prototype operations;
- long familiarity with model railroad operations (the "Union" Summit-New Providence club, now The MRC);
- covers all methods and aspects of operation;
- provides a historical overview of the development and use of various methods;
- lots of good sketches to illustrate the words;
- lots of good ideas;
- no known mistakes.

Corrections and updates will be appreciated to Bibliography@opsig.org.

Page updated: January 12, 2018
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