While it would be the most prototypical, I worry modeling all 4 tracks would be overkill and it would obviously cost more. I would hate to put the time and money into 4 tracks and not get much benifit out of it when operating. I'm really stuck on what to do as I see the pros and cons both ways, and i'd love to get some input from others who may have more experience in this kind of thinking, planning and operating. Having fun operation experiences is my main goal on the layout instead of focusing 100% on being prototypical so cutting down the number of tracks wont make or break it for me if it leads to better operationg sessions. So yea, with knowing my main objectives I'd love to hear what others think. Thank you in advance
I suppose it really depends on the context and scale.
Even with a huge building and deep pockets, a large segment of the line is a big apple to bite in any scale. But, a small segment is readily achievable if you've got the space for the four nested curves. At the other end of the spectrum, I've seen people tackle something like Cresson in modular form.
Realistically, deleting one of the tracks doesn't save much space. At two inch centers in HO, the right of way you need for 4 is 8 inches wide. The 3 track version is 6 inches. That's not a whole lot of savings.
If you don't actually have space for 4 tracks it's an easy answer. Even is you do, it's twice the expense, the work and if you are a loan wolf, how many trains can you juggle at once?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I've seen stories and articles of several other layouts modeling the PRR's Middle Division. Look for those and make your own decisions based on what you have to work with, i.e. space vs. money.
This:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265687/3002795.aspx
Or this:
http://pamodelrailroads.com/djohnson/about.htm
Good Luck, Ed
Most of us, IF we are 'modeling', and want to replicate something with rather high fidelity to the prototype, do what we can with what we have available, and that includes space. You might not be able to have more than half a mile of this corridor, but would that not suffice for your purposes? Making it look like the real place could still be a major undertaking, even if only 400 scale yards long or twice that.
On my second layout, I modelled (sort of, I wasn't serious about fidelity, only close enough to be recognizable) about 150 yards of Horseshoe Curve, that dark rock bluff. That's all I needed and wanted, fortunately. I managed to get some decent imagery later. If you have room for even 500 yards of four-ply track, photos would be really something....don't you think?
Scuba_2011 While it would be the most prototypical, I worry modeling all 4 tracks would be overkill and it would obviously cost more. I would hate to put the time and money into 4 tracks and not get much benifit out of it when operating. I'm really stuck on what to do as I see the pros and cons both ways, and i'd love to get some input from others who may have more experience in this kind of thinking, planning and operating.
While it would be the most prototypical, I worry modeling all 4 tracks would be overkill and it would obviously cost more. I would hate to put the time and money into 4 tracks and not get much benifit out of it when operating. I'm really stuck on what to do as I see the pros and cons both ways, and i'd love to get some input from others who may have more experience in this kind of thinking, planning and operating.
I model Dearborn Station in Chicago. The C&WI owns a 4-track mainline that feeds six different passenger roads into the station. Trains round around the entire perimeter of the layout on a double mainline, but that double mainline runs parallel to itself over a stretch of track between the coach yard and freight yard. That is my 4-track C&WI mainline. The photo below shows the gray ballasted 4-track mainline.
Rich
Alton Junction
To me you do a four track main for the look of it. Four tracks says "heavy duty railroading" and "Pennsy". To look right you need some length to it, certainly more than 8 feet in HO. I don't think a four track main will do much, if anything, to improve your operations on a model railroad.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
How much work it is to build and operate depends on how you want to do it. If you're building an entire layout with four separate mainline tracks, where you could have four trains running independently, that could a bit involved. If you're talking about a double-track dogbone, so you're only doing two tracks, it would be easier...or doing a 'regular' dogbone, single track but squeezed to represent double-track, but with essentially long passing sidings to make it a four-track line, that would be easier too.
A nice thing about the double-track dogbone, if you plan on operating by yourself (at least sometimes), you can run say a passenger train on the inside loop while working a way freight on the outside loop.
One feature I wanted on my N scale North Penn and New England layout was a four track main line in my urban center. Like others I chose a double track dogbone which results in the appearance of a four track main line of about ten feet in length in the heart of Sue City. I was very pleased with the result.
I agree with the comments above that a 4 rack main will scream "Pennsy" with its visual impact. One consideration is how do you plan to operate the railroad? I can see where the double track dogbone (with a section of 4 track in the center), possibly with a hidden staging section, could produce enough traffic to replicate a busy 4-track main. At very least with DCC you could have 2 trains spaced out on each loop circling around (for a "train watching" type of operation). Or have a switcher working the secondary track in the face of passing mainline action. If you are a lone wolf that will be running a single train at a time, 4 tracks will not operate very prototypically. In other words, if you want a prototypical layout of the Broad Way between Pittsburg and Altoona, there needs to be a commensurate plan to make it operate like the prototype. I would think quite a bit of staging, a fair number of operators, prehaps a dispatcher and/or computerized control could be appropriate for such a layout.
I was going to model the one mile east from North Philly Station. Two yards, one branch and 70 on line companies BUT catenary over 4 tracks and north Philly Station just became too daunting for me. I decided to do a freelance 2 track line half under Cat and a division point to switch power. I am never going to be a purist. Some of these guys are nuts about details I can't see and paint color on freight cars. I just don't have the time or inclination at this point. Time to enjoy the hobby not be obsessive compulsive over it.
Thank you all for your responses and ideas. I asked the same question over on Reddit and between here and there I've decided to move forward with doing all 4 tracks and keeping it prototypical.
PennsyLou In other words, if you want a prototypical layout of the Broad Way between Pittsburg and Altoona, there needs to be a commensurate plan to make it operate like the prototype. I would think quite a bit of staging, a fair number of operators, prehaps a dispatcher and/or computerized control could be appropriate for such a layout.
In other words, if you want a prototypical layout of the Broad Way between Pittsburg and Altoona, there needs to be a commensurate plan to make it operate like the prototype. I would think quite a bit of staging, a fair number of operators, prehaps a dispatcher and/or computerized control could be appropriate for such a layout.
I plan to run op sessions with multiple people so I've already planned on a dispatcher and multiple operators running trains and yard work. My biggest worry was 4 lines might make op sessions to easy since there are so many tracks to work with. Someone pitched the idea that if that happens closing sections of track off for MOW work or a rock slide in the mountains could help add some fun complications.