04-01-2014, 09:10 PM
I'll play devil's advocate here...
Technically speaking, the individual's advice has a point. 12-15 switches really does cut down on complexity, a problem a lot of layouts face. I think many times I see newbies come in with their track plan ideas, and they have so many turnouts and switch backs to the point where not only does it not look right, but it also wouldn't operate smoothly, let alone give the scenery and structures any room to breath.
I know that I had to cut down on my layout's number of industries (from three to one!) just so that it could make sense and not be ultra crowded.
If there are people out there RIGIDLY following that advice.... they're silly. Lester's layout is a great example. I went and visited it last November, and it is fantastic. While his layout obviously is much larger, its following all the same rules. There is plenty of space between towns, between buildings, between industries. He's also got the operation down to a science. There aren't more switches than he needs, very few of those switches are off-the-wall nuts (and when they are, I find them to be very entertaining, such as the logging run! Cool stuff!). Nothing is more complex than it needs to be, and so it functions VERY well.
I think that is ultimately the main conclusion to be drawn. I know there is a tendency in this hobby to strictly adopt certain fads (or perhaps that's a general human trait?) but when you encounter those people, don't let them get to you. They've got a one-track mind.
Technically speaking, the individual's advice has a point. 12-15 switches really does cut down on complexity, a problem a lot of layouts face. I think many times I see newbies come in with their track plan ideas, and they have so many turnouts and switch backs to the point where not only does it not look right, but it also wouldn't operate smoothly, let alone give the scenery and structures any room to breath.
I know that I had to cut down on my layout's number of industries (from three to one!) just so that it could make sense and not be ultra crowded.
If there are people out there RIGIDLY following that advice.... they're silly. Lester's layout is a great example. I went and visited it last November, and it is fantastic. While his layout obviously is much larger, its following all the same rules. There is plenty of space between towns, between buildings, between industries. He's also got the operation down to a science. There aren't more switches than he needs, very few of those switches are off-the-wall nuts (and when they are, I find them to be very entertaining, such as the logging run! Cool stuff!). Nothing is more complex than it needs to be, and so it functions VERY well.
I think that is ultimately the main conclusion to be drawn. I know there is a tendency in this hobby to strictly adopt certain fads (or perhaps that's a general human trait?) but when you encounter those people, don't let them get to you. They've got a one-track mind.
Modeling New Jersey Under the Wire 1978-1979.
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