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Directionality of Train Layout: Clockwise or Counterclockwise?

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  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, February 24, 2020 7:04 PM

SeeYou190
If you have Shay locomotives, run counter-clockwise!

I swear I never saw this topic before and I never heard that about Shays.  Do left turns bind the mechanism?

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
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Posted by RR_Mel on Monday, February 24, 2020 6:36 PM

Welcome

 

I too run both CW & CCW.  I have a reversing loop as well as a wye for reversing train direction.  My norm is CCW mainly because I put my helix in the left side of my layout and my preference is to use the helix for downhill and the gradual 3½% grade for up on the right side of my layout.
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
 
  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, February 24, 2020 6:31 PM

For most (probably 99%+) trains, it makes no difference.

If you have Shay locmotives, run counter-clockwise!

I have one locomotive that does not like left turns, so it runs clockwise.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
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Posted by BATMAN on Monday, February 24, 2020 6:13 PM

Welcome to the forums GULF! I liked you better when you were B/A.Smile, Wink & Grin Canadians may get that joke.

Yes, the question has been asked before and I think I was one of the askers so many years ago.

I run both ways as I have a balloon track and a turntable to swing things around. However, I do tend to run things anticlockwise for some reason and I have done that since Dad built me our first plywood Pacific.

Image result for B/A oil

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Canada

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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  • From: Northern CA Bay Area
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Posted by cuyama on Monday, February 24, 2020 6:02 PM

Welcome to the forum. Your first few posts are moderated, so there will be a delay in them appearing.

This has been asked here before. Nearly everyone runs their trains in both directions, but it's whatever you feel like.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, February 24, 2020 5:56 PM

Gulf Oil
Should they run clockwise? Or alternatively, should they run counterclockwise?

I've not seen that question asked before.  Are you right handed or left handed?  

My first two layouts were just ovals and it never occured to me to run anything but clockwise.  Layouts after that had a reversing loop so I go both ways. Devil

If I wear the wheels off one side of my trains, I'm going to ask for recognition from Model Railroader.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    November 2019
  • 10 posts
Directionality of Train Layout: Clockwise or Counterclockwise?
Posted by Gulf Oil on Friday, February 21, 2020 5:31 PM

In setting up trains to run in a loop as part of my layout, a question occurred to me. Is there a convention as to the direction in which trains should run? Should they run clockwise? Or alternatively, should they run counterclockwise? Does it matter?

Should I occasionally reverse the direction so as not to place undue wear on the same outside wheels?

Gulf

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