Continuous run or not?

[cp1057]

Hi folks,

I'm at a crossroads in my track planning and would appreciate a few thoughts:

My current layout under construction is going to feature a relatively short mainline section (about 16'), a branch line leading to a town with Time-saver like switching and 2 sets of staging tracks feeding the mainline. This will allow me to enjoy mainline, branchline and switching operation and an excuse to run 6 trains per session, which is plenty for me.

This is my dilemma:[?] I can't decide whether to include continuous running or not. It would be great to be able to occasionally sit back and watch the trains go by. Unfortunately to allow for this I would have to use a duckunder. Yuck! My last layout had one and it was really starting to get on my nerves. Also the extra track to set this up would eat into space for other things.

A swinging gate would be good but my carpentry skills are so-so at best. What to do?

Charles
Hillsburgh On

[eastcoast]

I have continuous run on my layout incorporated with some staging.I do also have duckunders because the doorway sits at a horrible place. Your right, the duckunder is a pain,I'm 6'4", but I do not have much choice. You may find that doing a shelf dogbone may work if you have the space for the return curve. Only other thing to do might be to super elevate that line at the place where you enter,?????, some others could differ in opinion.

[CP5170]

I am assuming that the staging areas are at each end of the mainline. Why not finish your layout as planned but allow for extending each staging into a continuous loop. If you really enjoy your layout without the loop, great. If you find that you miss the loop, add it later.

My layout is point to point but there is a continuous loop (with a drop-down gate) to break in engines and to enjoy the sound of trains running while I work on other projects.

If space is an issue, can you build some modular units to complete the loop?

Good Luck.

[CP5415]

I'm setting my layout up for both continuous run & point to point. I have a duck-under which is a pain in the butt but it's what I had to do to fit the space I have to build my layout & do what I want with my track plan. Sometimes you need to take the good with the bad & hone up on your carpentry skills.

Gordon

Oshawa, ON

[dehusman]

How about a lift out section? You only install it when you want continuous running.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

I'm with the poster above, if you could work out a lift out section that would be the best of both worlds.

I can't imagine not having the ability to start the trains and sit and relax watching them for a time. But the duck under is truely a pain, especially if you ever get old or injured, or have some older person wanting to visit.

the lift out section seems the best choice.

[Anonymous]

A liftout can be a truss bridge with a dowel in each end and jumper wires to power. Looks impressive, and is fairly simple to model with modeling but without carpentery skills. FRED

[cp1057]

Me again,

Looks like most posts are in favour of continuous running of some kind.

It's difficult to explain my space limitations, it's the only uncontested room in the house but it is very railroad unfriendly. I have my layout in the furnace room of my basement, naturally it has to be a certain distance away from the furnace. It has to be sectional construction because the main drainpipe of the house runs along 1 wall and access may be required in an emergency (it already happened once, and I just undid the wing nuts holding the sections together and pulled it out) If this isnt bad enough, there's a concrete cistern in another corner which I'm trying to cut a doorway into to make more storage space

Imagine the overall plan as a capital 'P' with a gap in the lower part of the loop to walk in. The staging tracks are the base of the P and the lower part of the loop. The branch line follows the inside of the loop. Probably my only option for continuous running is to close the gap in the loop and thus add a duckunder.

I think I'm going to at least make provision for continuous running, you folks have swayed me. Thanks for the advice!

Charles
Hillsburgh On

[Anonymous]

how about looping it but make down curve back under and then up to the other side

[Anonymous]

If it is in the furnace room, I would make sure that you not only have the required clearances (building code or whatnot) but also "working" clearance - what about repairs or replacements to the furnace unit itself? A swing gate or removable section sounds like a must.

Here is a link to a neat swing bridge:

http://forum.atlasrr.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30693

Andrew

[cp1057]

Have no fear, the layout stays well clear (of the furnace that is.) It's far enough away that if something did go terribly wrong with the furnace (which is cleaned, checked and serviced annually) I figure that the structure of the house would catch before the layout does. There's also some low ductwork (or should I say duckwork) that dictactes that the layout stay on the other side of the room from the furnace.

I don't think there's enough room in any one spot to loop track around on itself, even by changing levels. Besides, I'm a-feared of grades.

It looks like I'll keep a duckunder in the same spot as my previous layout so I can have continuous running. I like the idea one of the posts had using dowels to secure a duckunder bridge for easy removal.

Charles
Hillsburgh On

[ndbprr]

Any chance of putting the continuous running track outside the area like on the other side of the wall? That way you don't watch them go round and round but in view and out of view.

[leighant]

I work in continuous run but try not to think of the continuous run loop as equal to "THE" main line. Most of my trackplans are either staging to staging (bridge operation), or staging to stub end terminal. I want to be able to operate point-to-point, and as much as possible, have the mainline go past the viewer just one time where it shows. But of course, hidden or inconspiuous staging CAN overlap with visible mainline. With that in mind, I try to have my mainline run around the room or space one time (one "lap") out in the open or better, 9/10 of a lap. At some point, the line runs back into itself to make a continuous loop. The connection is sceniced to look like a junction or branch line or interchange, and it is not part of the mainline in "realistic" operation. So I've got it both ways.

[Anonymous]

Rather than a duck under, how about a nod under. I have a double decker and the top deck is 57 inches. This is a great height for viewing and if it was continuous running (it isn't) it would be just a nod under.

[Anonymous]

I like the idea of watching trains run so would always vote for a continuous run connection. From all of the above, it sounds like a lift out bridge might be a good answer for you.

[Anonymous]

I hear you, my carpenty skills are limited to keeping all my fingers when i use the saw. [:D] But really , i work in o-scale and my layout is in a smaller room and i have two removable bridges that i fassioned out of atlas pratt truss bridge kits. As for simple, i simply built the corect height pier for the bridge to sit on, and the correct height pier next to that for the track to line up. THen i simply use the rail joiners and slide them back, set in bridge, slide them forward. And bang, you wave a well set in bridge that requires no wiring. I've been running a variety of heavy trains over this baby, a k-line hudson pulling 10 heavyweight weaver passenger cars. No problem at all. THe one i'm working on now is a shadow box drop in, which holds the bridge, piers, and landscape in a 8 inch wide times 38 inch long box. Again i'm simply using the rail joiners to complete the circuit. Since my layout is small it is reall no power drain. Also i used some lag bolts and nuts to help level the shadow box to the layout. If you ahve any questions e-mail me at [e-mail] Good luck Bill