Big_Boy_4005 posted:I say go for it John.
An interesting track arrangement that might work if you had room off one outside corner for your reverse loop, would be to connect it to the main layout via a wye. That would give you infinite reversing possibilities. Also a little more real estate for accessories, structures or scenery. Reach wouldn't even be that bad.
It could even work with your updated benchwork plan. And you only need one reverse loop because the wye allows you to enter from both directions.
I was thinking like Elliot, a WYE. Perhaps near the wall corner and build a loop table towards the column/ shop area. If not a loop, just a single line as long as the longest train you will run, which is more prototypical and requires less space. Drive in, back out. Back in, drive out. Either way. On this design, we gave up loops and ran the siding into a closet.
That would permit you drive the trains right into the shop. You could also park a train, bring it out behind one, back the first in and park that complete train. That was part of the operational reason for the above design.
I couldn't find your track plan to tinker with something, but, I think that you get the idea.
Less disruptive to the original design and permits changing direction.
