I’m currently working on the initial stages of a new layout design. I’d like to have some operating potential. However, I’m limited to operational plans that only require one or two operators (my son and I). Does anyone have any tips on the types of layout elements that would be conducive to fewer operators or operational techniques that would allow us to serialize our operational activities so that we can do more without significantly reducing the realism of the operation?
L shaped layout are usually best i think. each operator can deal with his area and because hes concentrated on his area, he wont notice the east bound passnger is only 3 feet away or so… island type layout can also give plenty for operator. assuming one has a backdrop in the middle each operator can switch and send trains over “the far side” and prepare for incoming trains.
The type of operation you seek will dictate the type of element you should include. if you like to run mainline train, then plan a lot of staging and passing siding. If you prefer local and switching then u can cut down on the staging a bit and make room for yard and industries spurs. if you plan on running passenger you will want to plan for station etc… when u start to draw on paper keep these idea ( as well as the fundamental) in mind. planning for 2 operators is not so much different as planning for 1.
Not knowing the size involved with the design, sometimes its hard to fit in some of the LDE’s (Layout Design Elements), that are practical. Four things can be included into any layout to provide a good deal of realistic operations. 1. An area to make and break up trains. This can be a yard with many tracks or if size is a problem, as few as two tracks will suffice. 2. An “interchange” . This can be a simple as an enlongated spur to an actual staging yard capable of holding trains. The object is to simulate the “outside” world away from the specific area of your railroad. 3. A “destination” for cars in the trains, ie several industry spurs for delivery/pickup of freight cars. 4. Shorter trains. The fewer cars that are in the trains, the more trains are needed to run to make the delivery of the cars to industries and pickups from the same. Now I’m not talking one or two cars per train but maybe 5-6 to start, esp if a small layout.
I guess I need to add more detail to what I’m planning in order to flesh this out a bit. The layout will likely be “room sized”. It will be an around the walls layout with, perhaps, two staging areas to represent each end of the “line”. I’m planning to have a yard at at least one end of the layout. I will definitely like to have at least one working interchange (I’m planning to model the NYC in the Buffalo, New York area and want to interchange with the DL&W and perhaps the Erie circa 1955). I’d like to have a number of local industries to switch too. Finally, if money or time permits, I’d like to add a peninsula to represent a freelance short-line used to service more local industries.
Now, given these druthers, what are my operations options that will work for one or two operators? Is this too big for just two of us?
One of the best plans going for an operations oriented layout for one or two people is the San Jacinto District by Andy Sperandeo in the Feb 1980 issue of MR. It’s a small out (of staging) and back plan for a 9x12 space around the walls with no duck under. If one has more space it could be be streatched out or twisted around to fit without any change to the overall operating design. Though it’s insperation is an AT&SF branch line it’s a suitable design for most any brachline or shortline with one end as a terminal. The SJD would also be very easy to add a continous loop to by running additional track from the mainline at the terminal to a staging track. It only has 19 turnouts and could keep two people going with as little as two locomotives and 15 to 30 cars. If one has a very large space it would be easy to incorporate the design as a section of a larger layout by extending it at one or both ends and building it first to have a fully functional layout in fairly short order while the rest is under construction. The design as drawn is perfect for being built in modules so that it could be moved without too much trouble. The real SJD saw it all from early steam right up to the modern diesels operating on it today so tAndys design will work for just about any era. For steam anything from 4-4-0s to 2-8-2’s would be good and for diesels about any type of SW or Geep would be about right. Depending upon era freight, passenger service or mixed train operations could be used effectively. Andy suggested the normal use of scheduled mixed trains and running freight extras to keep two people busy. Bruce
OK. I guess I need more generic ideas rather than a “build this layout from an issue of MR you don’t own from 25+ years ago”. [:D]
I’m looking for specific operational elements that can be handled by one or two people in sequence or simultaneously to make our new layout more fun to operate. Maybe I don’t know enough about the “roles” we can play in an op session or how those roles can interact. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Basically there are two options. One, you could have complete separate roles, each acting as the entire crew for your own train. If you have an interchange point that would give the opportunity to interact. The other option is for you to both work together, one as engineer, the other as brakeman/conductor and run a single train, working together to perform setouts and pickups.
one trick is to use a timetable with scheduled trains , so one of you runs a train from east staging to a passing siding where it is scheduled to meet the another train that the other operator is running from west staging . while the first operators train is waiting for the second , the operator can do something else , like some switching in the yard
another possibility is one operator runs through trains from staging to staging with few stops between , maybe that yard you mentioned , while the other runs the local switching industries along the line . the local will have to work hard to keep out of the way of the through trains
yet another is one operator running the yard , another running the mainline trains , which can be through trains running to staging , or a local doing switching along the way
i wish i could think of when i saw the article but i think there was a fairly recent MR where someone described how he ran his layout solo by running trains in sequence rather than attempting to run them simultaniously
I would build a layout with a large stub end yard at either end. The middle section could be three or four tracks to leave transfers from one yard to the other. Then you both work a yard and leave cars in the center for each other. You could possibly have a couple of industries either at the edge of the yard or in the center for each of you to switch. Most cars would make a route of offline right from the left yard, on line left from the right yard, on line right from the left yard, offline left from the right yard. Now by online and offline I mean destined for a railroad or a portion of your railroad that is not visible. You are merely blocking cars for that section or railroad. When they arrive at the other yard you flip the card so it appears to that person that it is returning and ready for the next move. For future consideration as time and space permits I would design the yards as mirror images so they could create a double ended yard for that dream layout someday.
Whatever track plan you decide on, allow at least one run-round loop/siding per operator, so they can get to the other end of their train. Only incorporating one run-round means someone has to wait.