0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
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.
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.
Scott, I advised you to model the Belleville Sub, but noooo
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
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.
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
Talk about a lack of operations