--- In [email protected], "narrowtracks" <dckeith@...> wrote:
Hi Dave, Thanks for your very thorough review of my plan, it was just what I
was hoping to get. I'll try to answer your questions. I'll do it here in case
other group members are interested in layout design.
> In these new designs by Lance and others, the run around is often
> minimized or not used at all. . I think prototype industrial short lines or
> spurs too often forego runarounds. In your plan I think you could eliminate
> one of your intermediate runarounds and keep the same or better operation.
> For instance, remove the runaround at Guadalajara and make it all
> trailing point switching.
> 3) In the Bonneville yard, I presume that the runaround track is the front
> track around the curve into the yard. Is the rear runaround
> required?
> 4) I like the Crossing, Is it worth it to extend to extend ATSF to far
> backdrop?
> Does the ATSF do anything in East Bonneville? Did you want to simulate the
> ATSF running through East Bonneville? or does the AT&SF simply terminate in
> East Bonnie?
> 5) The ISL guys are promoting "spots". It is having specific spots at
> industries that makes their small layouts interesting to operate/switch. I'd
> expect you to do similar.
> 6) The Terra Bella isle may become claustrophobic at only 2' wide...Removing
> the backdrop at Bonneville yard might help...But but would loose some sense
> of distance...Addiitonally shortening Bonneville Yard by 6-8" would help
> greatly to provide space for people to turnaround and pass at the Terra Bella
> isle entrance.
> Is the reefer truly the "Killer"...
>
> On another yahoo group (I think LDSIG) I saw you post an n-scale plan
> for this same space. Knowing your interest in S or even O, I looked at that
> plan as said "I think the operation of layout could be achieved in S" I
> wondered if you would be considering an S-scale plan...Now I know you have,
> and you have shown that most of what you want to could be included
> In general...you're correct...HO would be easiest...N-scale works, but so
> does S-scale....The real question: Does this layout provide the operation
> that you desire?
> No scale is better...just different...pick a scale and do it...
> In the time you think about what scale, you
> could have 1/2 your mechanical reefer fleet built ;-)
The run arounds and spurs are preliminary design only, I just drew in
something for each town to give a general idea of what I had in mind. I was
thinking Guadalajara might be the major town east of Bonneville so some trains
would only go that far. The small yard was left over from busier days and now
might be a holding track for seasonal railroad equipment or ballast cars etc.
If Guadalajara becomes smaller then I'll certainly eliminate the run around.
Same with Old Mission, I envisioned it as an old passing track from past years
that was never removed and might be occasionally used still. I watched the SP
tear up track when I was a kid and didn't enjoy it so I might leave more than
most people would even though it's not correct.
I haven't really worked out exactly how the traffic will be handled at
Bonneville yard but for flexibility I drew it so the interchange could be
accessed from both ends. One runaround would usually be enough but two might be
nice if I want to operate two locos or leave cars on one when the yard is full?
The ATSF mainline is about 10 or 20 miles west of the SP at this point so I
just aimed the line west. I was thinking I might try a small mirror on the wall
to extend it. The runaround cut-off could be sceniced as a spur partially
hidden by a building on both the ATSF side and the end of the Terrabella track
side. The ATSF probably won't do any work here other than leaving the
interchange cars but it could possibly switch an industry on the wall adjacent
to it's tracks. Likewise the SP might end up with a couple of industries on the
wall west of it's mainline, but likely both interchange tracks will just be
fiddle tracks worked between operation sessions.
Yeah ,car spots and final track and industry layouts will be developed later.
I usually change a lot of stuff when I start cutting wood.
I'd like wider than 2 foot isles everywhere but the size of S makes it hard
to make them wider at some spots. I'll either have to eliminate features or
think about doing it in HO. I'm not planning multiple operators so I don't
really think 2 foot isles in some spots will be that bad. I plan to leave the
Bonneville yard backdrop just below my tiptoes eye level so I can see out a bit.
The reefer is only the "killer" because I get discouraged when I already have
them in O. HO, and N scales but not in S scale :>) But a list member has told
me he is working on a solidworks design for 57 foot R-70-16 reefers so maybe
they'll be there when I need them?
As I get the walls framed in and spend more time in the space I'm finding it
would be a fantastic space for N scale, pretty good for HO and marginal for S
scale. The N layout I designed would fit with plenty of room and some nice
scenery but I'm not sure I want to work with such small equipment all the time
,in some ways it's not as relaxing as larger stuff . HO would be a pretty good
fit and probably the sensible choice although some say S stands for sensible
:>). For some reason I like working with S equipment just because of the
ergonomics, it's big enough to be easy to handle but small enough to not need
superdetailing to look right and it is large enough to hold a good sounding
speaker. The larger size will also make less scenery details to build compared
to HO or N, 24 inches of S width is less stuff to model than 24 inches of HO or
N scale width. I can also scratch build stuff from common construction
materials easier in S scale then in smaller scales. .
I'm only working on the walls right now, still have to make a drop ceiling,
move some wiring, and re-arrange a lot of shop related stuff so have plenty of
time to decide. I'll probably just go with whatever mood I'm in when the room
is as finished as I can make it with no more excuses to put off the choice.
Regards,Dave Branum
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