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Originally Posted by Bob Delbridge:

Here's what my current layout looks like, other than the 2 tracks (I only have 1) above the TT and below the bottom  leg of the Wye:

 

 

REVISED CURRENT LAYOUT WITH TT 2014

 

If I don't want to run the loop I lower the "bridge" where the Wye is located, but that means I have to back the train to where the TT is located.

Very cool layout Bob

 

 

Originally Posted by Jdevleerjr:

 

I think that 99% of us in 3 rail are loop runners

That's what it seems like to me after a lot of observation over the years. The only part about that which annoys me is how so many 3-rail people I've known over the years talk a great deal of smack to anyone who is more into realistic operation...

Compromise between continuous running and switching/train makeup operations.

 

Since I have very limited space for a layout I designed a layout that offers continuous running on an outer loop but also provides interesting train makeup using a wye entrance to a freight or passenger yard. The outer loop is O-72. The two sidings are O-54. All turnouts are O-72. The layout features an O-72 wye which allows for reversing engines and trains as necessary. The passing siding is also provided.  Additional turnouts could be added for industrial sidings.

 

 

RAILKING REALTRAX LAYOUT WITH O-72 WYE AND DUAL O-72 CROSSOVERS

RAILKING REALTRAX LAYOUT WITH O-72 WYE AND DUAL O-72 CROSSOVERS

I got started in o guage 3r with a point to point switching layout i built along two walls in my basement back in 2008. It provided much fun just moving cars between the two small yards on each end and switching the industries which were the railroads business in between. CTT published a feature on it in the sept 2009 issue. conrail john

I tired of merry-go-round trains back in my teens, and went to HO, with never completed plans but some track laid for a point-to-point HO layout.  That progressed

slowly as I went off on an automobile tangent, so I laid track on a sheet of plywood

for a switching layout in HO.  I changed jobs, moved, and that never got finished.

I now have plans and some work done on a point to point high rail layout of a shortline

that will have prototypical switching at each end and at the stations and industries

along the way  (that is the plan if I ever stop building the industries and finish the

layout to plunk them down on...don't hold your breath)

About the enjoyment of just sitting back and watching a train loop around, vs switching ..... I made my switching layouts as hands off as possible .... turnouts, uncoupling tracks SC-2, electrocouplers, tuned couplers/cars, etc .... enabling me to just sit back and control everything with my Legacy remote.

 

Because of space constraints, I've been forced to stick with switching layouts at home .... happily playing with Legacy GP-7's and nothing longer than 40' cars. I'm forced into building an HO one now, because of even less space at home.

 

Even with our large layout at my railroading buddy's house, there is a lot more of industrial switching than there is general scenery. I think switching is fun.

 

My 2 cents.

 

Good luck.

Last edited by CNJ Jim
Originally Posted by pro hobby:

Compromise between continuous running and switching/train makeup operations.

 

Since I have very limited space for a layout I designed a layout that offers continuous running on an outer loop but also provides interesting train makeup using a wye entrance to a freight or passenger yard. The outer loop is O-72. The two sidings are O-54. All turnouts are O-72. The layout features an O-72 wye which allows for reversing engines and trains as necessary. The passing siding is also provided.  Additional turnouts could be added for industrial sidings.

 

 

RAILKING REALTRAX LAYOUT WITH O-72 WYE AND DUAL O-72 CROSSOVERS

 

I love this... its so elegant and simple. I am building a new layout and may have to include some of these features.

 

As far as switching... its usually a pain for me. I would rather zone out and watch the train go round and round. I just sit with my johnnie walker blue smoking my I'm Padron and stare at the trains. But I'm spoiled with the space I have.

I like switching, but not all the time. Even as a 2-railer I find that I am probably 70/30 or so weighted towards continuous running so I can sit back and railfan. IMHO your design is a good one. Build it as a switching pike, throw in a connector for continuous running, and an offsite staging location. That way all options are available to you. Unless you are just a switching freak I would incorporate the option for continuous running if for no other reason then when friends or family stop by and want to see the trains run.

In October we will release a new video which will have a feature on Bob Bartizek's point-to-point 3-rail layout. Bob's layout is a single track main line with passing sidings and lots of industries to serve. You'll probably get some ideas from this video about how to handle certain things.

 

Do you have room to incorporate a staging yard? They can add a lot of interest and operational flexibility to running on a layout designed for prototypical operation.

Originally Posted by OGR Webmaster:

In October we will release a new video which will have a feature on Bob Bartizek's point-to-point 3-rail layout. Bob's layout is a single track main line with passing sidings and lots of industries to serve. You'll probably get some ideas from this video about how to handle certain things.

 

Do you have room to incorporate a staging yard? They can add a lot of interest and operational flexibility to running on a layout designed for prototypical operation.

 

I will have staging.   I plan to be able to park 2 full trains in staging.  Be able to pull one onto the "main" from staging where it can be broken apart, cars set, and a new train built, etc..

 

 

Originally Posted by rattler21:

Jim,

One  huge difference is the scenery.  If you have a steam switch engine, lots of soot, smoke, and grimy black on the buildings.  Very few trees, gardens, white picket fences, etc.

John in Lansing, Ill

 

Steam era for sure.  Lots of grimy black, soot, etc.  

 

 

Unfortunately for now my layout is on an indefinite hold while my 5 year old son enjoys the 5x9 post war/mpc layout that is taking up that space.  

 

 

Definitely a very personal call.  But one thing I can say unconditionally...  I will never again construct a switching layout that has no means of just letting the trains roll some evenings.

 

Back in the early 1970's, I built an HO switching layout that was featured in Model Railroader magazine across 7 or 8 issues.... It was the Kinnickinick Railway and Dock Co., for those who might be interested in the specifics.  It was my first venture into a purely switching layout that had no means for continuous operation.  I learned a lot about model railroading while building that layout, but I think I learned more about myself... namely there are some nights I prefer to kick back, relax, and just let 3 or 4 trains roll.  And I couldn't do that with even one train based on that layout design.

 

Now some folks will say layouts designed to ONLY allow continuous running can get boring very quickly.  And that's true.  But for me, an ideal model/toy train layout is one that favors continuous running via interesting routes through a variety of scenic venues -- with a few themed industries to allow "some switching" when I'm so moved to enjoy that aspect of model railroading.  

 

But purely switching?  Not for me.

 

David 

 

P.S.  To be quite frank... up until recently (i.e., 5-8 years), switching layouts weren't even possible much less enjoyable in O-Gauge 3-rail land, because smooth slow-speed locomotive operation didn't exist.  MTH users have had good slow-speed operation almost since the inception of DCS, but Lionel users haven't really had good consistent slow-speed locomotives until Legacy electronics hit the scene.  In that regard, other scales like HO, N (and to some degree pure O-Scale) were decades ahead of O-Gauge 3-rail in that regard.

Last edited by Rocky Mountaineer

Just saw this older thread. Funny you should mention switching layouts!

 

Several years ago, I stumbled upon what I feel is the panacea for model railroading: Industrial/Urban switching! 

 

No need to have foreshortened mainline runs on a way too short mainline with towns supposedly miles apart less than one short model train length away, et al. Instead, model the cramped confines of an industrial district or urban district: Cramped and compressed is the order of the day and prototypical!

 

My upcoming HO layout will be devoted to the railroads of the KC area of my childhood/youth years. The layout setting will reflect the "West Bottoms" industrial district of KC, circa early 1960s. The layout will be around the wall in my new 16' x 20' out building that is being finished, and the layout will have provisions for continuous running for the double mainlines.  However, the true emphasis will be on the industrial switching. All 13 of the KC lines will be represented!

 

IMHO, switching layouts are FAR better suited for small-to-medium-sized layout dimensions rather than trying to cram the prairies, or the Rocky Mountains, etc, into such confining spaces that we modelers typically have to work with!

 

Good thread!

Last edited by laming
Originally Posted by laming:

..... Several years ago, I stumbled upon what I feel is the panacea for model railroading: Industrial/Urban switching! .....My upcoming HO layout will be devoted to the railroads of the KC area of my childhood/youth years. .....The layout setting will reflect the "West Bottoms" industrial district of KC, circa early 1960s.   However, the true emphasis will be on the industrial switching. .....

 

 

I hope you'll post photos, etc when you start your new layout.

 

Industrial/urban switching layouts have their own character .... gritty, ornery. I really like them.

 

I'll also be starting a new HO industrial switching layout in the fall .... much smaller than yours. Concentrating on the chemical plants and other heavy industries from my youth in Linden NJ.

 

Waiting for the new batch of ALCO S-2's from Atlas.

Last edited by CNJ Jim

Hi EBT Jim!

 

You can bet on some pics as things move along.  We HO idiots now have our own place to post here!  That's where I'll be sharing HO stuff so as to not clutter up the airwaves in the other forums.

 

Cool that you're starting a new HO industrial switching layout this fall. As for being smaller: That's the beauty of industrial/urban switching layouts: Even a small one can be super fun.

 

As for the new run Atlas HO Alco S-2's: I have two undecorated unis that will become Kansas City Terminal engines. They SOUND and RUN excellent. You're going to love 'em.

 

Be sure to start posting some of your HO doin's in the new HO forum!

Originally Posted by Jdevleerjr:

They are done all the time in HO/N scales.  No continuous running, no trains going around in a circle over and over.   

 

I am really considering doing this on my next layout.  I am taking a 6 month or so break from the hobby but during that break I am designing my new layout.  I am thinking of doing a switching layout, several sidings, a passing siding, no mainline, and a yard to service my great lakes car ferry.  I would have a hidden staging yard to store a train to come onto the layout and one for a train to leave the layout.  

 

So what do you think?  

I went with a small layout with a outside loop but have switches off the loop. So it kind of feels you have a small rail yard. In a way you kind of have both. Went with 42 curves and switches so I could run a SD 40.

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Last edited by Kurtds
Originally Posted by Jdevleerjr:
Very cool layout Bob

Thanks

 

I do enjoy switching, but after getting a Williams brass N&W 611 "J" a while back I also want to just let her run.

 

So I've been thinking about installing a loop of track (no switches/sidings) that's about 1 foot below the ceiling so I can run a passenger train.  I did some measuring the other day and found at that height (sloped walls on the left and right sides of that room) I can only get in a loop of 081 curves at both ends with about 48" straights on 2 sides.

 

I want to mount it on 1x6 or 1x8 "shelving" attached to the sloped walls using adjustable brackets from Ikea:

 

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40168728/

 

The documents say the bracket will hold 22 lbs max, so I figure if I put 1 every 3 feet that should provide enough support, might have to make a bracket to support the center of each of the 4 curves.

 

Not sure what kind of noise that's going to produce above my head, if anyone has something like this can you elaborate on the noise issue?

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