First, don't think of your layout as the whole railroad. Think of it as part of a larger rail network. You can operate your oval as a point to point branch line. Perhaps you have a siding at one corner that can represent the connection to the main line. The mainline train would deposit cars on this siding that your branch line engine would pick up, then take to the various industries along the line. You can use laps around the oval to create a sense of distance between the towns.
When you arrive at the end of the line, perhaps a siding on the other side of the layout, your engine would run around the cars that are left, couple to what was the end of the train (and move the caboose if that's your era) then head back to the original siding.
I can diagram it out if you like.
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
I know I can run them either direction but is there any "preference" or "standard"? In my mind I keep thinking of clockwise.
Are you asking about direction of travel (North South East or West) or orientation of the engine? Depending on which side of the track you'd be standing on East could become West or North could become South. Left or Right (Clockwise or Counterclocwise etc) really doesn't matter. In a free lance layout there is no right or wrong direction of travel. Now if you were doing real world town-to-town travel then direction would matter, but only in a prototypical sense, but I'm guessing with a loop, you're not modeling this type of aspect.
This does make a difference for me because my plans don't have any reversing sections (where direction is irrelevent because you can easily change it) but I do have some loops within loops and to decrease the number of turnouts I only have "one" way into the inner loop (decreased due to space and $$$). That would be to drive the train forwards through the turnout onto the inner loop or to drive past the turnout and back up into the inner loop. Hope this makes sense.
Again, it's personal preference, but even the prototype's didn't have "direct" access to another set of track by always simply taking the diverging route of a facing switch. Many short lines or junctions required passing a switch only to have to back down the second line. Out and back lines with facilities to serve with only one point of access to each would be a good example.
When finished, my mainline will be a (mostly double track) oval. Trains run in both directions. When looked at at the main station, trains running clockwise are 'Down,' while trains running counterclockwise are 'Up.'
My shortline is a true point-to-point, but has two 360+ degree loops to help in rapid elevation changes. Trains running clockwise are, 'Up.' Trains running counterclockwise are, 'Down.'
Why the difference? 'Up,' is toward (unmodeled) Tokyo. 'Down,' is away from Tokyo. That's the way directions are figured in Japan.
As for the prototype, the one true oval I'm familiar with has, 'Up,' trains running counterclockwise and ,'Down,' trains running clockwise. The joker? Timetable listings begin and end with Tokyo Central Station! (JR-East YamanoTe-Sen, heavy rail rapid transit oval entirely within the city of Tokyo.)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Actually, the only "standard" which applies to YOUR railroad is that which YOU, the CEO of said railroad choose to put in place.
If you run loops It only matters in the fantasy RR you have in your head which direction it {they} go.
I have a very small HO layout and run my "main line" {the outer loop} counter-clockwise,and the inner loop clockwise, though i will often run the inside loop counterclockwise to trade the trains through switching from one loop to the other through the switches connecting the two loops.
There seems to be a rule of thumb that if you have two loops one train should run one way and the other the opposite direction. This is to avoid the "racing" aspect of having two different trains on two different loops appearing to race each other.
Many Real RR's would run W bound or N bound {for instance} on the "right hand side" and the E or S bound on the 'left" side assuming you are facing the west or the North. Other RR's have run that just the opposite.
Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you.
It really doesn't matter and may more depend on how your layout is laid out and how it "runs" best.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Since railroads run in both directions, it doesn't matter which way you run around the loop. Assuming you laid your track correctly and you're using body mounted couplers, backing up should be okay. If you operate two trains, I would run one in each direction to better simulate railroad operations.
Enjoy
Paul
The orientation would only matter to the extent your oval/loop was situated in a layout in which you actually took some pains to model the prototype in some fashion. If you were intent upon modelling the main between Point A and Point B on a short line, say, and that line actually turned engines, you would have to run them facing a particular direction depending on the direction of travel.
If your layout is fanciful, free-lanced, and you don't care to turn engines (especially by lifting them by hand and turning them), then run them backwards. Or, do what strikes you as 'good'.
-Crandell
I continue to look at all sorts of options and am rather enjoying the whole planning component of this activity. I haven't purchased anything but books yet although I think I'm getting closer to a plan all the time. I have my own HO plan in mind but I'm thinking I may build a smaller N layout to "just do it" as my HO plan is larger. Anyway, that isn't my question.
Assuming you have your track looping in some way (modified oval(s)) and aren't "out and back", which direction do your trains run. I know I can run them either direction but is there any "preference" or "standard"? In my mind I keep thinking of clockwise.
This does make a difference for me because my plans don't have any reversing sections (where direction is irrelevent because you can easily change it) but I do have some loops within loops and to decrease the number of turnouts I only have "one" way into the inner loop (decreased due to space and $$$). That would be to drive the train forwards through the turnout onto the inner loop or to drive past the turnout and back up into the inner loop. Hope this makes sense. I plan to run smaller trains (mining, freight) on the inner loops and a bit longer or perhaps passenger on the outer loop. I also have pull overs so that I accomodate slow and fast trains on the outer loop.
Thanks for all your suggestions.