02-14-2012, 11:07 PM
This is a huge question ... basically, I wish it was 4 or 5 times larger and didn't have to use such tight 15"R curves! My current, main layout (which is HO or British 00) is only 3.5' wide by 6' long. Overall, I'm fairly pleased with it -- it's the best I can do in the small amount of space that I have. (I also have a 1x4' switching layout which is a good diversion).
I've been gradually improving what I don't like about the 3.5x6' layout. About 3 years ago, I added a sort of fiddle yard to it that will hold two trains. I've added point motors to most of my turnouts and I also added more short storage sidings on the layout's inner loop. And, just this past month, I tore out a cross-over that used two very sharp (the sharpest) turnouts -- some passenger coaches and many freight cars would derail when passing through these. I have now replaced these with medium-radius turnouts and my trains now travel through these turnouts quite smoothly. (However, in doing this, I had to remove & replace some nicely ballasted track and this caused some derailment areas, most of which I've now fixed.)
I'd also like to add even more sidings to my fiddle yard but I simply don't have the room. A possible solution might be to create or add a wall storage area (i.e. "Rail-rax") so I can simply store my locos & rolling stock nearby.
I've been gradually improving what I don't like about the 3.5x6' layout. About 3 years ago, I added a sort of fiddle yard to it that will hold two trains. I've added point motors to most of my turnouts and I also added more short storage sidings on the layout's inner loop. And, just this past month, I tore out a cross-over that used two very sharp (the sharpest) turnouts -- some passenger coaches and many freight cars would derail when passing through these. I have now replaced these with medium-radius turnouts and my trains now travel through these turnouts quite smoothly. (However, in doing this, I had to remove & replace some nicely ballasted track and this caused some derailment areas, most of which I've now fixed.)
I'd also like to add even more sidings to my fiddle yard but I simply don't have the room. A possible solution might be to create or add a wall storage area (i.e. "Rail-rax") so I can simply store my locos & rolling stock nearby.
Rob
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