My layout plan is rather small and my current trackage has a single hidden staging track capable of handling enough cars (~5) for one out-and-back operating session. I would like to feed that with a cassettes to allow me load/unload the staging in a more convenient area. I was thinking of adding more staging tracks (all hidden) but at the expense of extra track complication and visible layout compression. Even then, I would not be able to store all of my rolling stock (less than 60 cars) on the table.
My thinking then is that IF you can’t reasonably store all your cars (or the useable portion thereof) on your staging tracks, THEN there’s no advantage in having more “connected” or “fixed” staging than is needed to handle (comfortably) a single operating session.
In my case, I plan on just storing my cars elsewhere, requiring manual make-up into the trains used for a given session. If nothing else, the ability to keep the dust and cat hair off them sounds pretty good!
KL
Howdy, Kurt.
I have been blessed with an understanding wife, which in turn allowed me to take over the whole 2-car garage for a layout. Even when the planned staging is all in (enough to swallow a half-dozen 20 car freights, an equal number of 12 car freights, 2 unit coal trains and a full month’s schedule of DMU, EMU and loco-hauled passenger consists ranging from commuter locals to limited expresses) I will still have rolling stock that can’t be accommodated on the layout. My answer is a permanent cassette-loading track connected to one of the hidden staging yards. The cassettes are lengths of steel stud material that can handle 8+ carlength-equivalents, or about 900mm. They store nicely on shelf brackets, are not powered and can be hooked up or disconnected in a matter of seconds. When disconnected, a drop gate (which otherwise masquerades as a handle) closes off the open end.
At the moment, I’m using somewhat shorter cassettes to feed trains to a detached module. While the basic construction of the module is the same, it lacks the hook-on feature of the longer version and gets power from slide-on rail joiners. The cassettes are the only staging for that module (which is fated to become the end of the short line when installed on the main layout.)
If the amount of staging seems excessive, consider that my prototype routinely handled 100+ trains in a 24-hour day - and I’m going to be operating to its published timetable.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I’m thinking 5 cars can’t be enough for a session, but to each his own.
The cassette idea is good, but why not have several cassettes? In fact, why not longer than 5 car cassettes?
Chuck & Mr Mouse: I had thought about multiple cassettes, but I doubt more than two would be better. The non-current cars would not necessarily be coupled together the same way every time. (In fact, that sounds kind of boring.) Because I’d have to manually arrange the cars for each session’s train (and dissassemble the pick-ups) storing them on fully functional cassettes or even roll-on/roll-off tracks don’t seem to provide any great advantage. I do like the idea of say, gluing some brass code 100 flextrack in a steel stud and storing the cars that way - uncoupled though for ease of transfer.
Mr Mouse: Five cars will work fine. I have a total of 21 spots on my plan. Normal (realistic) capacity is only 13. My whole layout revolves around a local switcher, so I’ll be dropping every car I bring in and picking up the same number +/- 1. I figure if I swap out 40% - 50% of the cars with each train it’s doing pretty good. I set my roster at 4X normal capacity for variety. If it was 2X I’d be just shuffling the same two cars at each spot (more or less). With 3X you’ll only see two of the three possibles, and with 4X, I can “justify” more kits!
Thx,
KL