About Coachella Valley Model Railroaders

Uphold Our Fairground Commitment:

Run trains, enjoy the model train club camaraderie, and contribute to our fairground commitment: to maintain the cleanliness and appearance of our building and restroom, which is a reasonable requirement considering what we get in return.

Prep Your Model Train Equipment Before Hitting the Rails:

Check your engines and rolling stock before you place them on the model railroad layout. This means couplers and clean wheels for your engines and rolling stock. Dirty wheels cause dirty tracks and DCC problems. If you have operating issues, please remove your equipment so that others can continue operating while you use the workbench to correct your problem. 

Follow Our Model Train Club’s Last Car Rules:

The last car in a consist should have an EOT indicator, a lighted car, or resistance wheels so that our track detection will see it.

Check and Update the Engine Dispatch Board Before and After Your Turn:

To avoid locomotive address conflicts, check the Engine Dispatch Board located in the workbench area to ensure that your locomotive’s address is not being used. Then, list your name and your locomotive’s address on the board. Before leaving, remove your information from the board. 

Keep Food and Drinks Away from Our Model Railroad Layout:

No food or drinks inside the model railroad layout. Spills do happen, which can cause problems on the model railroad layout. Please keep the model railroad layout clean.

Power Down the Yard Lead Before Moving Trains:

Before placing your train on or removing it from the model railroad layout, make certain that the yard’s lead-track power is off. With power on, a system short can occur, which is no big deal. However, that system short could also foul up your engine’s decoder, which is a very big deal.

Stay Alert and Communicate When Using the Tracks:

Be aware of the trains ahead of and behind yours. If you use a turnout, return it to the original position when clear. If you inadvertently stop on the mainline, advise those behind you.

Use the Turnout Controls with Care:

Use the spring-loaded, three-position toggle switches for turnout control whenever available, but use momentary contact only. Holding a switch against the return spring will burn out the motor. Never flick the turnouts with a finger in order to move them. Our turnout motors are being replaced, and they will be controlled by two-position, unsprung switches that will eliminate this problem. So, if you feel spring pressure when you move a toggle switch, let go when it reaches the fully displaced position. 

Report Layout Damage So It Can Be Fixed:

If you inadvertently break something on the model railroad layout and cannot fix it yourself, tell a board member so that it can be fixed. No harm, no foul; it does happen.  

Fix Problem Trains at the Workbench:

If your train has a problem, take it to the workbench and fix it or reprogram it. If you need help, it’s free for the asking.

Dispatch Your Train When You’re Done:

When you’ve finished running a train, it’s important that you dispatch it (remove it from the system’s command station). While the locomotive’s address and speed are displayed, set the speed to zero and press the “EXIT” key to remove the address from your throttle and the system.  

Ref: Digitrax DT 402 Throttle Instruction Sheet.  
Digitrax.com has the latest version of all its instruction sheets and manuals. 

Dispose of Drink Liquids Properly:

If your drink cup contains liquid and/or ice, please don’t empty it into our trash bins. The liquid will seep out and make a mess. Pour the liquid and/or ice into our sink or outside on the grass before you throw your cup away. 

Use the Designated Wheel Cleaning Stations:

Only use the wheel cleaning stations located at the workbench for wheel cleaning. 

Follow Our Model Train Club’s Coupler Standards:

Our coupler standards are Kadee-type couplers set to NMRA standards.

Follow Our Model Train Club’s Wheel Standards:

All wheels should be metal wheels. 

Run Consists in the Right Order:

Lightweight cars should always follow heavy cars, not precede them. When on curves, the drag from heavy cars may cause the light cars to derail and/or break couplers.

Use Yard Tracks for Breaks, Not Passing Tracks:

When taking a break, leave your train on a yard track. Do not park it on a passing track when you’re on a break. 

Be Considerate of Others:

When several members are operating trains —during an open house or the fair, for example — be considerate of others and do not set out more than one train so that yard tracks are available to other members when needed. 

Follow Proper Operating Procedures to Avoid DCC Problems:

The DCC can play wicked tricks when proper operating procedures are not followed. Someone may be setting up their train on a yard track, but the throttle is activated, the engine does not move, nor do the lights, horn, or whistle work. Because of this, they may ask for help and will be told to put their locomotive on the workbench’s programming track and reset the decoder to the factory default address, 03.  

When they do that, their locomotive will now work, but they must reprogram the locomotive’s address and customized CVs, which is a time-consuming task. Hopefully, they kept a record of their CV settings. In the preceding situation, the operator didn’t hear someone yell, “Short,” during their setup, and the problem happened because they did not ensure that the yard track’s power was off. That short confused their locomotive’s decoder, which immediately played dead.  

Follow the Train Schedule:

During the fair, run your train when scheduled to do so. You can visit the fairgrounds when you are not scheduled at the model train club.

Use the Designated Break Area:

If taking a food break, use the table and chairs on the upper balcony. 

Enjoy Yourself:

Our model train club’s most important rule is for its members to have fun. Model railroading is the world’s greatest hobby, and we are truly fortunate to have this facility to do it in.