I don't post often because this community enjoys discourse far ranging enough that I usually can find answers from past threads. However, this time I'm reaching out into the community for an answer:
Too often, I see videos of layouts that have been "wired for ease of operations." One train per track, just going around in circles. This seems to be the wrote fate of too many originally spec'd Standard Gauge trains.
My question is, who indulges in something more? Standard gauge layouts with multiple trains competing for blocks on the same track? Daring crossovers? Asymmetrical operations? Bonus points for using original accessories (semaphores, etc) to achieve more complicated operations than simple loops.
My trains run on the holidays, using oriental carpet as ballast. Things haven't gotten as interesting as I might like them too... yet. Baby steps. At York last year I bought a pair of American Flyer wide gauge switches in good operational condition, in their original boxes. This year I'd like to wire them to be self correcting without ruining them, so I can at least get my Ives Tiger set reversing directions around the room, peeking in and out from behind the furniture like a kinetic sculpture, treating the chairs and sofa like skyscrapers around it.
