Train dispatching under timetable- and-train-order authority is partly a science and partly an art, and it takes a certain amount of knowledge and experience to do it well. When you first want to try your hand, though, just the mechanics of dealing with train sheets and order books can seem like a big obstacle. This article will give you a basic knowledge of the dispatcher’s work and encourage you to work your way through paperwork as you develop some familiarity with it. That’s when you’ll be able to enjoy the art and science of it.
Read more of the article, “The mechanics of train dispatching,” published in the December 2013 Model Railroader.
Click the links below to download Andy’s recommended The Operators columns, timetable, sample forms, and dispatcher’s train sheet
