RailOpsEst. 2024
Features

The Dispatcher's
Complete Toolkit

Nine core modules that replace spreadsheets, car cards, and JMRI paperwork. Everything you need to run authentic operating sessions.

Cloud-Native

Access your railroad from any browser. No software to install, no files to sync.

Role-Based Security

Granular permissions ensure crew members only see and edit what their role allows.

Multi-Railroad

Manage multiple railroads from a single account. Each with its own roster, locations, and crew.

NMRA OpSIG Compatible

Four-panel waybill system follows established operations standards.

Import & Export

CSV import and export so you can migrate existing data or back up your work.

Session History

Full records of every operating session — what ran, what moved, what needs attention.

01

Locations

Define Your Railroad's Geography

Create stations, yards, interchanges, junctions, staging areas, team tracks, and sidings. Each location type has purpose-built fields — yard tracks with classification types, industries with commodity assignments, interchange points with foreign road connections.

  • 7 location types with specialized fields
  • Industries linked to locations with commodities
  • Yard tracks: arrival, classification, departure, RIP
  • Interchange connections for foreign road traffic
02

Locomotive Roster

Track Every Unit in Your Fleet

Full roster management with road name, number, model, and era. DCC-equipped units carry decoder manufacturer, address, and speed table data. Assign locomotives to service, track their current location, and monitor maintenance status.

  • DCC address, decoder, and speed table fields
  • Service assignment tracking
  • Current location and status at a glance
  • Maintenance history per unit
03

Rolling Stock Registry

Every Car Accounted For

Catalog freight cars with AAR type codes, reporting marks, commodities, home roads, and current locations. Separate tables for freight cars, passenger cars, cabooses, and maintenance-of-way equipment — each with type-specific fields.

  • AAR type codes and commodity assignments
  • Freight, passenger, caboose, and MOW types
  • Home road and foreign road tracking
  • Bad-order and RIP track routing
04

Four-Panel Waybills

Authentic Car Card System

RailOps generates four-panel waybills that cycle cars through load and empty moves just like the NMRA OpSIG standard. Each panel specifies origin, destination, shipper, consignee, commodity, and load status. Car cards link a freight car to its current waybill and physical position.

  • 4 panels per waybill: loaded and empty routing
  • Shipper and consignee industry assignments
  • Commodity and tonnage per move
  • Car cards track physical location in real time
05

Trains & Consists

Build and Dispatch

Define trains with class, service type, origin, and destination. Build ordered consists with power, cars, and caboose — each position references any rolling stock type. Assign stop-by-stop schedules so crews know the plan before the first wheel turns.

  • Train class and service type classification
  • Ordered consist positions for any rolling stock
  • Stop-by-stop schedules with arrival times
  • Origin, destination, and intermediate stops
06

Switch Lists

Print-Ready Crew Instructions

Generate switch lists for each stop on a train's route. Each entry is denormalized for clean printing — your crew gets exactly what they need: pickups, setouts, track assignments, and car identifiers. No ambiguity, no digging through paperwork.

  • Per-stop printable switch lists
  • Pickup and setout instructions
  • Track assignment for each car
  • Denormalized for clean, fast printing
07

Operating Sessions

Plan, Run, Debrief

Create operating sessions, assign trains to crews, and track movements in real time. When the last train clears the main, debrief with a full record of what moved, what didn't, and what needs attention next session.

  • Session creation with train assignments
  • Real-time car movement tracking
  • Post-session debrief and reporting
  • Historical session records
08

Maintenance & Bad Orders

Keep Your Fleet in Service

Log maintenance tasks against any rolling stock type — locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, cabooses, or MOW equipment. Bad-order a car mid-session and route it to the RIP track. Track repair history so nothing falls through the cracks.

  • Maintenance tasks for any asset type
  • Mid-session bad-order workflow
  • RIP track routing for repairs
  • Complete repair history per unit
09

Crew Management

Run Operations as a Team

Invite club members via email or shareable link. Assign roles — Dispatcher, Yardmaster, Conductor, Viewer — each with granular view/edit permissions across every module. Create custom roles when the defaults don't fit your operation.

  • Email invites and shareable invite links
  • 4 built-in roles with scoped permissions
  • Custom role creation with per-module access
  • Crew activity tracking
How It Works

From Roster to Roll Call

Four steps from an empty screen to a fully dispatched operating session.

01

Build Your Railroad

Define locations, industries, and track layout. Add your locomotive roster and freight car fleet.

02

Generate Waybills

RailOps creates four-panel waybills that route cars between industries based on commodity demand.

03

Assemble Trains

Build consists with power, cars, and caboose. Assign them to routes with scheduled stops.

04

Run Your Session

Print switch lists, dispatch trains, and track car movements in real time. Debrief when the last train clears.

All Aboard

Spend less time on paperwork, more time running trains. Your first railroad is free — no credit card needed.