Terminology

Layout file - a ModuOps file (.mop3) holding everything about one layout. Version 5 files (.mop2) are converted when opened. See Upgrading from Version 5.

Modules/Towns - places on the layout

Equipment - anything that is unpowered on the rails with wheels

Consignee - business that makes equipment requests

Drop Zone - a section of track where equipment can be dropped. A drop zone can be any length. It may be the full length of a siding or a siding can have multiple drop zones.

Train Origin/Terminus - a drop zone marked Train Origin/Terminus, usually a yard, staging or interchange track. Trains depart from and terminate at these drop zones, so at least 1 is needed before a train can be created. The length of a yard drop zone should be the total length of all tracks that make up the yard.

Equipment Request - a unit of work where a specific equipment type is requested to be dropped to a specific drop zone.

Demand - a number used for weighted selection. A higher number increases the probability that the equipment request is selected when a train is scheduled with the Weighted Selection or Pull & Drop Ops engine. Called Cars Per Week (CPW) in version 5.

Flow Type - marks an equipment request as a Producer (ships loads) or Consumer (receives loads). Used by the Pull & Drop Ops engine to decide whether loads or empties are set out and picked up.

Scheduling Engine - the method used to pick work for a trainlist: Random (MRBT), Weighted Selection or Pull & Drop Ops. See Trainlists.

Length Unit & Scale - each layout records lengths in a unit (feet, centimeters, meters or generic units) at a model scale. Set on the Layout screen.

Trainlist - a list of work for a given train.

Train Job Overview - general comments about the train and work it will perform.

Train Crew Instructions - comments added to the top of the train's trainlist

Train Termination Instructions - comments added to the end of the train's trainlist

Train Orders - single line instructions that can be added to the train's route

Consignee Filter - a setting on a train route stop that limits which consignees are worked: All Consignees, A Only, B Only, Must Service or No Service. See Train Route.

Car Distribution - a per-train setting that controls whether cars are spread across consignees or concentrated at fewer stops. Used by the Weighted Selection and Pull & Drop Ops engines. Replaces the version 5 Drop Zone Favoring setting.

Ops Session - a planned operating session in the Timetable, made up of train instances with times.

Train Instance - one run of a train within an ops session, shown as the train symbol with a trip number (for example LOC1-1).

Station Order - the order of modules/towns along the layout, used to draw the string diagram and timetable reports. See Station Order.