Like most MRRers, I'd love to have a lot more mainline between towns, but the train room is only so big. However, I did find a way to "stretch" the mainline track...
For purpose of illustration, below is the schematic of my layout, west-to-east. The passing sidings are about 9 feet long with just about that much mainline to the next town.
- West staging - reversing loop & shared run-through car interchange
- Town 1 - passing siding & coal colliery
- Town 2 - passing siding & lumber mill
- Town 3 - passing siding & various fiber mills
- Town 4 - passing siding, freight yard & various industries
- Town 5 - passing siding & meat packing plant
- Town 6 - passing siding, coal pier & a few industries
- East staging- reversing loop & shared run-through car interchange
Trains originate from the freight yard in Town 4, and do a "turn" either east or west.
The way I stretch the mainline, is in the operating plan:
Westbound Train A departs Town 4, works 3, passes by 2, and works 1, uses the reversing loop, switches at the car interchange, and works 1 and 3 again, skipping 2, returning to 4.
Westbound Train B departs Town 4, passes 3, works 2, skips 1, uses reversing loop, switches at the car interchange, skips 1, works 2, skips 3 again and returns to 4.
The east side of the layout operates in the same manner as Westbound Train B, where Towns 5 & 6 both have a separate dedicated turn that continues on to use the reversing loop and car interchange.
The net effect of skipping a town triples the train's mainline run between switching chores, and creates a sense of greater distance.
Jim