I am a mainliner

[Anonymous]

Branchline

[douginut]

Trolleys, interurban and trolley freight with an offline interchange of freight.

Doug, in Utah

[j1love]

I think we all want the best of all worlds....I plan on a double track mainwith a branch that serves 2 industries; coal and paper. The yard/visible staging will be fed by 2 other industries; meat packing plant and a grain distributor.. I figure that with an interchange or two I can run pretty much anything. Through freights will feed the yard,(mainline running) and locals will switch the industries(switching)...wish me luck!

[Fergmiester]

Since I haven't talked to my neighbor in over a year I have no choice but to keep my layout a shortline. Pity

[twhite]

I voted Mainliner, but actually, I do a lot of both. I have a yard big enough to do some switching, not big enough to overwhelm the rest of the line. I run long mainline trains through the mountains, but still have a lot of fun with local freights that get squeezed in between the reefer blocks. So I guess I do the best of three worlds. Depends on my particular mood that particular day when I go out into the garage, coffee and portable CD player in tow.
Tom

[aloco]

Mainline running on my home layout, yard switching on the club layout.

[Hawks05]

my layout will most likely be set up for mainline running. i love the look of yards and the having a bunch of cars just waiting to be sent somewhere so switching is something i'd really like to have on my layout, but with a 4x8 layout there isn't really much room to do something like that. i'll some how incorporatea miny 3 track yard or something somehow on the layout if i can.

when i get out on my own i know i'll have an extremely large yard and a couple mains. as for the shortline if i ever get around to get an airbrush i'll maybe try and figure something out. should be interesting.

i really enjoy watching mainlines working. before my friend took down his layout and moved i enjoyed just watching his trains run. he didn't really have a big yard. on his new layout i think he will though. the room is something like 30 feet long by 15 feet wide. the layout will fill most of that, have an island, and be 2 levels. now if he'd just get cracking on that so i can run some trains before i head off to college.

[Anonymous]

I don't yet have a layout, I'm still in the planning stage but, I envision a shortline with the option of having the trains run around and around (especially when my 5 year old grandson comes to visit) but with enough other "activities" available such as: pick up some slab wood and take it to the logging camp, pick up fresh cut lumber and get down to the saw mill, need to change out the work cars for the needed task in hand maybe swap out the water car for the tool car and etc.

[Jetrock]

I'm a switching man! Some like to watch their trains go 'round and 'round, I like to watch them go back and forth.

Heck, I spent a good chunk of the morning tuning rolling stock (checking coupler height, wheelset gauge, etc.) to minimize derailments on my layout, which is currently 6 feet of yard feeding into a "Timesaver"-ish passing track with industrial spurs.

I still have to try out my "wheel report" sheets, but for right now I'm having plenty fun making up and breaking down trains and trying to iron out the worst bugs in the track (mental note: NEVER EVER EVER end up putting a sharp S-curve on your yard lead! I mean, they shouldn't be ANYWHERE, but especially not where you're going to be see-sawing long strings of cars constantly!)

I don't have a loop so I don't just "let trains run" and generally the only time I'll just run things from one end to the other is to test out new or repaired rolling stock or look for track problems.

[dragenrider]

Shortline!!!!! I love having an entire railroad represented on my layout. I have interchange, switching, industries, and a mainline run. It's the best of all the worlds! [:D]

[BRAKIE]

I prefer short lines over major railroads as a rule but,do model(collect?) C&O and Chessie(c&o) locomotives.As I mention before I am happiest when I am switching cars.[:D] Never was much of a main line runner..I guess I get bore to easy watching trains run endless loops.[}:)] I do like running trains on a point to point single track layout with passing sidings though.[:D]

[CP5415]

All the above here.
While I don't have room to really emphasize anything, I have been able to incorporate all the things listed above.

The mainline I have covered with the CPR
The switching I have covered with industry & 2 active interchanges
The shortline I have covered with the MEC
The train running I have covered when ever I turn on the power pack.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I generally am a mainline runner. I have a large yard and many sidings on my layout, but I don't do any switching on them and they're more or less just for show.

[ClinchValleySD40]

Which do I prefer to do or what is my layout set up for? I like switching, really love locals. My layout has plenty of all types of operations. If you like running long mainline trains, stop over some time.

[FThunder11]

Although I dont really have much track down it will be a mainline. I like to sit and watch the long train run around the layout.

[AntonioFP45]

I would like to have a balance of both, running a scheduled long distance passenger train or freight train on the mainline while having a switcher or Geep pickup / dropoff cars at local industries.

On my upcoming layout the double track mainline will have at least two branches spurring off to serve the industries as well as trackage for a diesel service facility where locomotives being fueled and sanded also need to be switched around.

With DCC/Sound, it'll be nice to actually have several locomotives lined up with their diesel engines idling, waiting for assignments.

[Anonymous]

I love running my Eastern RR as a mainliner. Who runs his train from station to stations. I also run with fast clock or just use the clock. How do you enjoy the World Greatest Hobby.