Clearly there are some compromises. Through the years I have learned O gauge curves take up a great deal of real estate, hide the tighter radius curves if possible, expose the broad radius curves where you can. Shorter trains make the layout seem larger, I run nothing longer than 8 cars for two reasons, appearance and limitations on my return loops. Yards take up a whole lot of space with not so much return on investment. I opted for a railroad that appears, runs through 3 distinct scenes and leaves, giving the illusion of going to or from someplace. 5 finger yard exists in another room but is just a bunch of used 027 straight track for storage to lift trains on and off the layout. Engine terminals with turn tables also take up a great deal of space, I don't have that space so the terminal exists only in my imagination. I work under the premise that I am not building an accurate model butt rather a representation of something that appeals to me. Not a model, not a toy train layout, not quite high rail because I placed one or two favorite operating accessories just for fun. I also am a single person operator, while I can have up to three trains on the layout, only one is running at a time. In two of the scenes there are separate operating trains that fit that location, a trolley line that travels a small loop, and a mine run that shuttles back and forth, both independent of the main, both on opposite ends of the room. This is more than enough for me. While I would love to have a multiple track main line, that isn't going to happen in this house and more than likely in the next one either. Nevertheless, O scale has been my go to for my entire life, I will work within the constraints of that scale.
|
|
