Cisco Bridges: a new layout concept

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I have followed Ed K's. app development with interest because it seems to me that it is essentially a way of generating both normal operations but also different scenarios that require operators to adjust what they are doing. 

If you like that, then you'll love Lance's book. However, it focuses on exactly what you say, individual car movements.

On the other hand, they're "meta ops", where you don't need many industries. That's essentially what my layout is. It has a handful, but they're almost tokens. In reality, it's about trains coming into the yard, getting broken up or put together, and moving back out again.

There's a lot of interesting stuff outside the "normal" operating approaches too. I've always thought that it'd be a fun layout to model a single helper district. Don't worry about the individual car movements, but DO worry about replicating helper ops properly. Then again, physics makes that one a challenge. You'd basically need a big corkscrew of a layout with a long mainline. But it'd be fun.

I guess a way to think about it is to think about replicating "tasks" that happen on the real railroad. They don't have to be move car A from point B to point C.

If

[davefoxx]

Scott,

I wondered when you tore out the yard and replaced it with only staging tracks whether that would keep your interest.  As a HCD layout owner, I know all about roundy-round ops, and it can become uninteresting at times.  This is why I've added the folding staging shelf and the rolling reverse loop/staging to my layout to try to mix it up.  There's got to be a way to salvage much of your layout to improve ops without losing much of that wonderful scenery you've built.

I agree with the others that getting involved with other local layouts or clubs can help fill the void of what your layout lacks, whether that's ops, a different scale, or a different railroad.  I'm sure you'll figure it out, and, unlike me, it sounds like you have the patience and the wisdom to make a decision and weigh the options before destroying your layout.

Also, I have the same problem of a minimal number of industries on my layout, too.  I'll definitely look into Lance Mindheim's book, too.

DFF

[davefoxx]

There's a lot of interesting stuff outside the "normal" operating approaches too. I've always thought that it'd be a fun layout to model a single helper district. Don't worry about the individual car movements, but DO worry about replicating helper ops properly. Then again, physics makes that one a challenge. You'd basically need a big corkscrew of a layout with a long mainline. But it'd be fun.

Ever since I railfanned Saluda in 1994, there's been a part of me that wants to do the same.  I watched brand new SD70s triple the hill.  Awesome!  I think I could see myself as more of a train handler than an individual car switcher.  This is where N scale can shine!

DFF

[lock4244]

Scott, I advised you to model the Belleville Sub, but noooo 

[Scottl]

Scott, I advised you to model the Belleville Sub, but noooo 

Talk about a lack of operations 

[Scottl]

I wondered when you tore out the yard and replaced it with only staging tracks whether that would keep your interest.  As a HCD layout owner, I know all about roundy-round ops, and it can become uninteresting at times.  This is why I've added the folding staging shelf and the rolling reverse loop/staging to my layout to try to mix it up.  There's got to be a way to salvage much of your layout to improve ops without losing much of that wonderful scenery you've built.

DFF

I've been watching your experience with interest.  I originally contemplated something like this on page 1 of this thread, but rejected it at the time in favor of a fixed yard (which had the advantage of already existing).  One thing I was contemplating yesterday was tearing out the new section and rebuilding it for something more engaging.  Clearly however, I need to do my homework and I have much to learn.

 

If you like that, then you'll love Lance's book. However, it focuses on exactly what you say, individual car movements.

There's a lot of interesting stuff outside the "normal" operating approaches too. I've always thought that it'd be a fun layout to model a single helper district. Don't worry about the individual car movements, but DO worry about replicating helper ops properly. Then again, physics makes that one a challenge. You'd basically need a big corkscrew of a layout with a long mainline. But it'd be fun.

I guess a way to think about it is to think about replicating "tasks" that happen on the real railroad. They don't have to be move car A from point B to point C.

This is a way of thinking about it that I have not put much thought to.  Surely there are challenges to operating a directional, busy mainline with two rail companies sharing and with unforgiving terrain.  It won't be helpers but it might be something else (it certainly seems so when I railfan).  Even if I figure that out and can find operational challenge in it, I have to find a way to actually make it happen so that operations are an enjoyable challenge and variety.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ever since I railfanned Saluda in 1994, there's been a part of me that wants to do the same.  I watched brand new SD70s triple the hill.  Awesome!  I think I could see myself as more of a train handler than an individual car switcher.  This is where N scale can shine!

DFF

This is a good point.

Oh man, a Saluda layout with well weighted cars would be the shiz.

[lock4244]

Talk about a lack of operations 

Yes, but you can see CN's Kingston Sub clearly from the Belleville Sub between Newcastle and Belleville 

[lock4244]

I used to have a layout that had a decent mainline run, but the most enjoyment I had was the switching aspect of running trains. I might suggest you consider working in some type of block swapping between road freights for at least some type of switching.

[jereising]

Oakville is pretty much a roundy round, but I do have Oakville yard and that satisfies my need to switch...

[mark dance]

shameless plug for the RRMBC

There are 3 operating spots left (~5%) on Thursday night of the Vancouver Modeller's meet Scott, but we are over-booked on Friday.  Reach out to the ops coordinator to secure a spot on Thursday.

And for those of you  who have wondered about the Operations side of our hobby and would like to try it out in a supportive setting on one the many top class layouts hosting sessions, register for the November or May Vancouver Meets.  Please see  http://railwaymodellersmeetofbc.ca/node/30 which has all the details on the operating sessions.

We would love to have you!

md

[Scottl]

Thanks Mark, I've been in touch with Scott C overnight.  My flight has been bumped to Sunday now too, so I get to stay to the end of the banquet and your presentation!

[squirrelhunter]

Scott,

You mentioned that the lines you model are directional running with CN and CP sharing track in the area. Has that always been the case? Could you shift to an era when they did not share tracks so you could model meets on each line?

[Scottl]

The directional running is during the last 15 or so years that I am aware of.  All of my equipment is modern so it would be a tough change, and I am not sure it will have an effect on operations in the sense that I have basically a running layout.

I've had a chance to think about this and some offline discussions have been especially helpful in sharpening the focus of my concerns.  I don't think there is any near-term risk of a change in direction and I think I will put the notion of operations aside for now and focus on the long list of projects at the bench I have to do.  This will probably take me a year or more and is work I really enjoy doing.  In the mean time, I can plug away with finishing the layout when the urge strikes me, and running a train or two as well.

Thanks everyone for your comments and support.  I really appreciate it.

[Scottl]

It has been a while since an update.  I had a busy month including a trip to the Railway Modellers of BC meet in Vancouver where I met a lot of great people and operated on @mark dance fantastic Columbia and Western. 

Today I finally had a chance and the motivation to get the layout running again.  It has been about six months since I ran a train around the whole layout so this was a fairly elaborate procedure to take off the removable sections, clean out the staging yard after all of the construction, and clean all of the rail.  I tested all of the turnouts and it all ran perfectly, so I put on some No-Ox and ran a locomotive through everything for a few hours.  It all worked smoothly with a locomotive so I hope that I set some trains up and begin to run again.

This is what it looks like when the yard is exposed:



It is really a pain to get at the staging, and when the rest of the layout is finished it is not clear to me that I have a place to temporarily locate the removable sections.  What is interesting is how I could probably just do away with the removable sections and paint the rest of the backdrop and run things that way.   I will keep that idea in abeyance in case I need it.