11-22-2009, 04:01 PM
I would like one long enough to justifiably feet a real commuter operation.
When you think about it, that's hard. Unless you model the old MUs (MP54s, DL&W), or those short cars, there is no space for a train on most layouts. A modern commuter car is at least a foot long in HO scale, and some of the larger trains are 12-14 cars long (though 6-8 are more common). Even going with the absolute minimum of a six foot long station platform, you still need TONS of track in between to make it so that the train isn't arriving in one station as its departing another, and having one or two stations wouldn't be as fun.
not to mention this stuff needs broad curves. I looked at making an HO scale version of the PRR Union Junction and Rahway station in Rahway, NJ, and it would take at LEAST 22' to include the whole thing, and that's without additional mainline to space out the other stations.
my fantasy train area would be at least 50-60' in one direction, just so I could model a segment of the NEC, and i would make it wide enough to have space for any number of branches and other lines that cross or depart from the corridor. For example, I'd love to model the North Jersey coastline coming off the NEC at Rahway, with both diesels and electrics coming through regularly.
When you think about it, that's hard. Unless you model the old MUs (MP54s, DL&W), or those short cars, there is no space for a train on most layouts. A modern commuter car is at least a foot long in HO scale, and some of the larger trains are 12-14 cars long (though 6-8 are more common). Even going with the absolute minimum of a six foot long station platform, you still need TONS of track in between to make it so that the train isn't arriving in one station as its departing another, and having one or two stations wouldn't be as fun.
not to mention this stuff needs broad curves. I looked at making an HO scale version of the PRR Union Junction and Rahway station in Rahway, NJ, and it would take at LEAST 22' to include the whole thing, and that's without additional mainline to space out the other stations.
my fantasy train area would be at least 50-60' in one direction, just so I could model a segment of the NEC, and i would make it wide enough to have space for any number of branches and other lines that cross or depart from the corridor. For example, I'd love to model the North Jersey coastline coming off the NEC at Rahway, with both diesels and electrics coming through regularly.
Modeling New Jersey Under the Wire 1978-1979.
![[Image: logosmall.png]](http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg445/CAB_IV/Model%20Trains%202013/logosmall.png)