MR Trackplanning 2004 has a pretty neat article on X-Factor staging. It’s not really X shaped but shaped more like a 15 degree crossing.
Here’s the problem in staging: you have a single spur leading off the main line to stage your train (preferrably in a long tunnel or on the outside of the backdrop. Now, each time you bring the train out, you must back it out. Not too satisfactory. Sort of the dilema of an oval with only one return loop. You can change directions only once and then must do some backing.
The X-factor adds a spur in the other direction (or several spurs) so that you can back up the train out of view and then pull out forward. Not as good as a nice reverse loop but the X-factor is good when space is limited.
New topic on staging:
In the same planning issue was a fellow who had no more room in his basement for a staging track (O scale). So, he punched a hole in his wall and ran a 6" diameter PVC pipe thru the wall, thru the dirt, and outside (the dirt was sloped so the end sticks out about 10 feet). There’s a screw cap at the end so if something goes wrong in the pipe he can retrieve the train from either end–still, however, a 10 ft retrieval problem if the whole train derails; persumably a rarity.
I haven’t yet, btw, decided on a staging solution for my new layout; right now I’m gravitating towards a double return loop and staging train on one of the double loops.
incidentally, out-of-sight staging should have some sort of track detection device so you don’t back the trains too far.
dave vergun
