Google maps… I have found a lot on Google Maps–a surprising number, in places that didn’t seem to need them. however, one difference with the ones I found and ones I tend to see on model railroaeds. IRL, the switchback tends to be used exclusively as a lead to the spur. It is a way to cut off a long, space-consuming curved track. Modelers tend to put industries on every free inch of track they can, whereas what I have found is amply-sized drill tracks that allow the loco and enough cars to drill the whole thing without hopping onto the mainline or siding. This plan seems to have two switchbacks, and so long as the lead tracks (tail?) are kept clear of loading cars, they shouldn’t present a problem.
But let’s remember, these things are used to save space where there is no luxury of space. Is not the average model railroad such a “prototype”?
I have been wondering where I have put a switchback in my plan and it took me a while to find out. These"switchbacks" are put in either to connect some more businesses to the rail or to serve as escape track - a typical European feature.
I will re-visit my plan and see if I can spare those!
Oh, please don’t for our sakes! As I said in my post, there is nothing wrong with what you have done! Now, if you had filled those two escape tracks with industries, then you would have found yourself with some operational headaches, but I think your escape tracks are perfectly feasible. Nothing on your layout to worry about, IMO.
Can someone educate me as to what gives a track layout a European vs American flavor, apart from the obvious (prototype, equipment, structures, vehicles, etc.)
US prototype layouts, at least for my tase, have a lot more sidings and spurs than European style layouts, which tend to be designed more for running passenger trains instead of switching and taking cars from industry “A” to industry “B”. US style layouts incorporate also more point-to-point oparation whereas European model trains like to go ´round in circles.
Ulrich - what is the track at the left, shown as coming under the Hickman Junction wye? I hope you’re not thinking you can dive underneath the wye track in that short distance, and what is the purpose of that track, anyway?
These are both excellent suggestions - if you have the layout room.
My hometown had the 4-track Pennsylvania Railroad mainline, which extended east to west, across the entire state. You always had a sense of a very busy - busy - busy railroad.
Take a look at North East Rails “Pennsylvania Sites” for mainline operations…
It has been USA prototype practice, as Selector offers, to see more than one mainline, and; the careful placement of crossover switches, allows for increased track run-around options, and “train meets.”
For example, you can have at least one train in continuous operation on an outer mainline while you are performing point-to-point switching operations elsewhere.
That first alternate is beginning to look alot like Grandpa Coyote’s route-66 layout we jointly designed a few years back. It too was southwest desert scenery. On his, we discovered a closet on one side of the room, made a tunnel and put a staging area in there.
I’m not familiar with the white river division, but does it have alternate routes? This doesn’t seem to have too much of a sw flavor to it.
