Trains in the Classroom

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher in middle school in California, and want to use O-gauge trains as a tool to help develop organization skills of time and space...which are difficult to teach in the "traditional method". Anyhow, the only way that I see our hobby being able to survive and grow is through the kids' experiences with model trains when they're in their formative years. So, I thought I'd use electric trains to help the kids and the hobby at the same time.
Here's the problem. In today's "kid market", there's a lot of alternatives for a student for recreation. Watching a train go around a static layout might be fine for a while, but won't hold most kid's attention for long. There doesn't seem to be any purpose in it to them (#1 answer given me by 92 8th graders). So, I'm developing a layout where they:
a) have a goal to achieve b) earn "points" for tasks accomplished within a certain time period, and c) can work up a series of jobs to CEO of a railroad.
I need help designing a modular system (hopefully shaped like a horseshoe, 10x10x10 but easily broken into transportable sections) that has coal, lumber and other accessories where they'd pick up and then deliver a load. Also, there needs to be a switchyard and as many operating accessories that would be useful for assigned tasks.
Anyone have any ideas? I have a "captured audience" eager to start!

[Anonymous]

Well I'm teaching with trains. perhaps not normal school lessons.

Your "A)" condition troubles me. If kids are going to ru***o transfer cars and get loads and such, don't forget to put some limiters on your transformer power or you'll have some serious derailments. It seems like my little guest conductors are tempted to see what the little train can do. (shutter)

Perhaps you could specify something like performing a task with a limited number of functions. say seven commands... one might be clearing a rail line and one might be transfering a cargo car to another train. Kids would have to think in stages and switches orgainizing their thoughts.

If they write down commands without throwing the right switch at the right time it will all be for naught. You might have them turn in their orders and randomly select one (without telling the owners name if you are conserned about hurting feelings) and have a student go through the commands you read.

Maybe part of the process will be in getting your kids to help with the design itself. That is a prossess in organizational thinking isn't it? Wether you trust them enough to help in the actual construction is another matter. But in teaching time and space you might bring up things also like scales and gradients and actual speeds of real trains.

[Anonymous]

There was a 3 part series in either CTT or another O-Guage magazine on the building of a set of modules with a Timesaver layout on it. That might be a good start for layout design ideas.

[Anonymous]

I am just starting to learn about "O" gage toy trains. I had a trian set when I was about 7 or 8 years old and had hours of fun with it. Now I am approching 50 years old and have a renewed interest and would like to get started on a small layout. I have purchased a starter Lionel Amtrack set and have a few accessories now but have not had a place set it up except during XMAS time around the base of our Christmas Tree.
I have been thinking about how I can have a layout with out taking up a bunch of space in the house. We have a half wall in our downstairs with a finished wood cap that is about 10" wide and runs the length of our house (44' long and then again 34' along the other side of our house). This would work and could probably get two sets of road along each other. If I were to switch over to one road in variouse parts of the shelf I could get some accesories such as small buildings or log dump ect. I subscribe to classic toy trains but have yet to see anything in the magazine that may fit what I am looking for or ideas I could use. Do you have any ideas or suggestions and how would I make sure there was enough power through out the 78' of track ? Just learning and enjoying but need some help. Thanks,.... Scott Tompkins

[lionelsoni]

Ten inches is more than enough for 3 tracks. Three inches is plenty for each track. I would think about a double-track main line the whole way. You can still get space for buildings by crowding both tracks to one side. With (2-inch long) O27 ties right on the edge, your right-of-way would use up only 5 1/2 inches, or about half, of the cap. Just be sure that the two tracks approach each other very gradually, so that there is no significant overhang. You can use long-radius curves (like O72) to get close, then slightly bent straight sections to finish.

You will probably want turning loops at the ends. Do you have room for them, and perhaps some sort of yard or terminal at one end?

[Anonymous]

I bumped into something perfect for teaching, as someone else mentioned the timesaver layouts... but try a websearch for "Inglenook Sidings shunting puzzle" the layout is something that should be able to be modeled in a foot by 4 foot space in ho easily, it basically is a mainline that switches out and then that switches out again.

The trick comes in trying to orgainize frieght cars in specific running orders. If I remember right I read that the total number of possibilities is like 40,000 so it's shouldnt get old quick. moreover you could step up the challenges starting out with a couple of cars and building up to a few more cars to switch into new orders.

If you can't find it on the web e-mail me :

[e-mail]

and I can send you a link. I plan to build one myself for personal enjoyment and to bring to church once in a while for others to try out. .