Virtual op session on the HO Siskiyou Line

[jfugate]

The first op session of 2005 (1985 on the layout) will be this Saturday, Jan 8th.

Since most of you won't be able to make it, I'll be posting a detailed op session report, with pictures, right here:

http://mymemoirs.net/model-trains/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=40

The layout models the 1980s on the SP Siskiyou Line in southern Oregon, and it's always 20 years behind at the moment. This makes it 1985 on the layout. Once 2010 gets here, we'll roll the clock back 30 years on the layout, making it always in the 1980s on the HO Siskiyou Line.

Getting the layout ready for the new year with some new stuff, and some hopefully improved P2K units. The P2k stuff gives me the most fits when it comes to loco maintenance ... they need more work than the Atlas or Kato stuff that I run.

[jfugate]

Here's that op session report I promised!

http://mymemoirs.net/model-trains/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=40

I have begun posting op session reports with photos on my Siskiyou Line forum and the group really likes them. They have asked me to do them more.

I try to describe how the session went, including the good, bad, and ugly ... to give you a sense of what it's really like to attempt to do prototypically based operations on a larger home layout.

... enjoy!

[jwar]

Hi Joe.

Are you still going to do the opererations posts. Missed them. Take care and glad to hear from you..John

[jfugate]

John:

If by the operations posts you mean posts to the Designing for satisfying operations thread, then yes, I will be posting to it soon again.

I had to get ready for the Jan 8 op session so I wasn't online much for a few days.

And a reminder to those who are new to this thread

OP Session photos here:
http://mymemoirs.net/model-trains/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=40

[SPFan]

Joe,
The eye level layout looks good but how do you work on it?

Pete

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SPFan

Joe,
The eye level layout looks good but how do you work on it?

Pete

For the most part, the layout shelves are narrow ... under 24" wide. Everything's generally in easy reach for me at 6'-3" tall.

In the few cases where the layout shelf is wider (at the yards, Roseburg on the upper deck, and Coos Bay on the lower deck) there's not much detail near the rear of the deck and less track back there, so there's less of a need to even get back there.

When I do need to get back there, I use a stool. If I can't reach it with a stool (rare) then I'll put some foam padding on the deck and lay on it. But these times are rare ( less than 6 times in 14 years of the layout's existance).

Although I've built the layout to suit me by putting it in the 50" - 65" range for track height from the floor, you should factor accordingly for your own height on a home layout.

If you are 5 feet tall, for example, then you should subtract 15" from all these numbers. That would mean 35 - 50" for track height from the floor would be equivalent to what works for me.

I'm not sure what the median American male height is, but I suspect it's somewhere around 5'-10" or so. That means for a club layout, you should subtract perhaps 5" from my numbers then ... or 45- 60" for track height from the floor.

But as they say for a home layout -- Rule 1: It's my layout and I do things how I want them done. [:D]