Folks:
Just to show how much can happen to a plan if you play with it a bit, here is what I am currently running:
Here is the original plan, as submitted to Space Mouse's 4 x 8 contest:
(Scenery in both cases exists only in armchairspace; the layout is a Plywood Pacific in reality, with a few printed-out paper buildings and construction-paper roads laid in place)
I am very happy with this current plan, and am only now nailing down the snap track. I have to say that the "analog computer analysis" with loose snap-track has been a great way to evaluate and refine my original plan.
The changes have given me a yard to store equipment and make up trains, and a long runaround track, which can serve as an A/D track for the yard. It also helps me keep the track clean, because I can route my track-cleaning train over the yard ladder, and let it run.
Bridge traffic is also possible now. A crew can set out from JF, run with a few local cars to W., pick up cars from the runaround track "interchange", turn at the "turntable", and return to JF, delivering the cars to the other interchange there - which just happens to be the very same one they first started from, so the game board is reset. It does work the imagination a bit, and perhaps is a little contrived, but it works, and that is the important part. Anything that makes a little railroad seem bigger is welcome.
Nearly all the track is now brass and steel, with the replacement of most 22" R in JF with 18" R. This was necessary, to give me a reasonably long switch lead. Fortunately, the track works well. I have used the "Gleam" polishing method on it (using a butter knife as the burnisher) and it really does seem to help.
A very nice plan for a 4x8. It should be a lot of fun.
The only drawback I can see is that all switching is trailing point for a train traveling counter-clockwise. You may want to think about reversing the direction of departure from the loop of at least 1 spur.
keep having fun
Fred W
Ive always liked that plan.
Were you able to draw up a new picture of the modified track plan based on your changes?
I can see where a runaround will be useful along with a place for a train to sort cars away from the main.
Whoops! Posted while the new plan was going up.
fwright wrote: A very nice plan for a 4x8. It should be a lot of fun.The only drawback I can see is that all switching is trailing point for a train traveling counter-clockwise. You may want to think about reversing the direction of departure from the loop of at least 1 spur.
f:
Oh, it is a lot of fun. I run it just about every day. :)
I thought the lack of facing spurs would be a problem, too, but oddly enough it hasn't been. Still, I might work one in some time, if I can find room for one. I do hate to crowd things.