Elaboration on two items in my original post:
"10. Real operating mode needs to be able to get complicated enough to hold their interest over the years. For me this dictated a minimum size, and other aspects of the layout
13. kids like operating accessories and operating cars; have plenty, let them operate them."
I wasn't sure the general topic would generate discussion so I didn't get into the following detail earlier.
Kids don't know about freight operations. Since they are central to railroading, I wanted to get realistic about this for the kids within the limits of the space available, and be able to keep it both realistic and able to evolve into more challenging operations as their skill and interest evolve. So:
- the layout has three locations/towns (A, B, and C for our discussion now.) and a freight yard. Each "town" has two "industrial" sidings, each siding with two "industries". So, math, 3x2x2=12 industrial locations.
- each industrial location is one of a pair, so, 12/2, there are 6 2-location industries. Cattle and milk start at the farm siding. The industry mate for the farm cattle is the meat Processing plant. The industry mate for the farm milk is a dairy (which sends back the empties). Similarly the log loader at the forest/mine siding is paired with the sawmill/lumber yard. Coal comes from the same place to a delivery point near the Yard. Drums from the petroleum distributor go to a dealer location (which also sends back the empties). Merchandise (boxes) is exchanged between a large rail/truck distribution facility and a local freight station. So, cows, milk,, logs, coal, drums, and merchandise boxes
- With malice afore-thought, the way the 12 industry locations were distributed across the 6 industrial sidings, the two cars from any one siding go to two different sidings, one each in the two other towns. This makes obvious the need for train breakdown, car sorting, and train assembly in the yard. The need for and the function of the freight yard is obvious to the kids: mission accomplished. And lots of train and car movement.
- Early operation with the kids (with a few operating ends) convinced me of the value of the above arrangement, and to have both ends to each industry pair automated with an operating accessory. (some ends are just dumping spots - i.e., for coal.)
- So, there are no cars on the layout that do not carry one of the 6 freight types, and all the cars are operating cars.
The net of all this is there is lots of necessary accessory operation, the purpose of which is obvious. This can be made complicated enough to last for years. And all love doing this loading unloading work. Car movement is also interesting (and not arbitrary).
Ed
