Branch line or main line ?

[Anonymous]

I need some help. I am in the planning stages of a new model railroad that I hope to build in a shed next summer. I like branch lines but I also enjoy mainline streamliners and freight. I do not know if I have enough room to model both and have enough for staging. if I model a branch i wnat to model a stub-terminal. my main fear of modeling a mainline is that the operation will be to much to handle by myself. now mabey a main with 1 local freight in each direction, 2 mainline freights in each diection, 1 local passenger in each direction, and 1 streamliner in each direction. the problem with a branch is ther are only a couple locals to operate. my shed will be no larger than 18x18. any suggestions ?

Alex in the sooner state[:I][8D][:D][:)][:p][;)][8)][^][?]

[vw-bug]

Well that sounds like you are where I just was with my club. We moved house and have started from scratch. My suggestion is to do a little of both. I find the main line enjoyable only to a point. Our new layout is offering a active interchange. This has added some great operational challenges that we never excepted (good and bad) We have the something "E" for a layout and at the middle pennisula is the interchange. Both lines travel the long back to get to a hidden staging under the main layout. The only thing that we can across as a problem was the elevation changes. by limiting the length of the run almost by half it doesn't get to change much. It sounds like you really understand the operations you are looking for and that is great. Just remember don't plan it too perfectly otherwise it just to easy to operate.

Anyway, the best Idea I have ever seen for layout was to use a miniature plan and a little sculpting clay and makinga simple 3d model. That way you can visualize it better.
Hope this rambling helps.

[dehusman]

Why do you have to designate whether its a branch or a mainline? The difference is only what you call it. Decide what trains you want to run on your layout and build it to fit that amount of trains. Call it whatever you want, branch or not. Doesn't matter.

Dave H.

[Jetrock]

One thing you might try is modeling a branch line and its connecting point to the mainline--you can run mainline equipment through the division point via hidden track, and focus operations on the branch line, with lots of interesting stuff going on as branch line freight is transferred to and from the mainline.

[Anonymous]

My fictional line is, as I'm modeling it, just a branchline along the N&W's Shenandoah division, but it was once a mainline road (until a merger with N&W). In my case, there are active interchanges at both ends of the line in addition to the coal mines which justify its continuance as a N&W branch, so this means I get to have a few N&W interchange freights pass on through, whether heading east or west, to or from Grafton WV or Harrisburg PA, or even down to Culpeper VA (B+O, PRR, and SOUTHERN, respectively). Most of the time, it's just mine turns that creep up and down the branch, collecting at the division point yard for a trip to Roanoke and then on to Norfolk, but every now and then the local must hole up and let a mixed merchandiser through.

You might consider doing something similar, i.e. model a branch line that has some occasional mainline-type traffic. All it takes is decent staging.

[Anonymous]

I also had been debating whether to model either a main or branchline. I finally decided to do both but not at the same time. If I feel like running the line as a branch, I will use shortline locos, cars, company vehicles, and signs that reflect that concept. When I feel like modeling a mainline class 1, then I will use the correct equipment.

Also, I'm building some of my industries so that they can be picked up and replaced by a completely different industry for variety.