Just came from a timber convention and the last day was on the way home when I spotted a model railroad display in HO of a logging operation on a 4x8 sheet, I watched it operate for a few minutes and the shay was pulling @ 8 log cars, it seemed to be a continuous track, even though there was a helix (or more) a lot of tunnels and cliffs and trestles, no one was in attendance and it ran all day,I was in a hurry,there were a few swiches and small sidings but the train ran on a very long contiuous circuit ( I do’t know what was in the tunnels)
is this common? any help out there as to how this operates???
Not sure exactly what you’re asking here Tatans. How did the engine run so long without problems? (some engines are more reliable than others for long term running, or they were switched out when you weren’t looking). How did the train run so long without derailing? (strict trackwork and rolling stock standards) How did the train run continuously? (You’ll have to see the track plan).
I don’t think the train ran continously all day, just for short intervals throughout the day. I think there was someone around but I did not see him. I guess my question is it possible to have a train run on a layout with helixes, tunnels, crossovers( i guess it is a complete circuit or circle route?) I would think it would take some real planning. I think there must have been some drops or rises inside those tunnels. I also saw a few years ago a prairie grain layout in HO that had a circuitous route hauling a long string of grain cars and I asked the operator how long it ran, he told me all day, and couldn’t remember for a long time any problems with train or track, so if it’s done right these things are pretty reliable.
Sounds like someone came up with a good trackplan that somehow ended up as a giant loop.
As long as the switches stayed set the same direction every time, no reason it shouldn’t chase it’s tail as long as the power is on.
Seems to me that on a 4x8 the layout would be pretty straight forward, but who knows. The main thing is it got you looking, didn’t it? Then it worked and you enjoyed watching it. That’s all that mattered, huh??