Point to point layouts

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Tee:
It's just not what I believe was intended.

The fact is that the vast majority of forumites are 3-railers with a long tradition of loop running. It only makes sense that most of the questions/comments on a layout forum would reflect this.

The challenge is to educate people as to the possibilities and enjoyment of realistic operations, whether it be on a point-to-point or a modified loop layout. I don't think segregating "operation" threads would serve that purpose. Most 3-railers would just never go there.

More threads about operations where all are likely to see them would be better for educational purposes IMO. We, myself included, should all try to talk up the enjoyment of operations on a realistic trackplan more often on the forum.

Jim

I would welcome more information about operations.  My own layout isn't a loop runner due to space constraints.  It is a return loop to return loop setup with no yard to speak of.  My goal was to have a one man operation that could be viewed as one would view a train in real life.  You pick a spot, the train moves through the scene and you wait for the next piece of action.  There are several "spots" where this happens but that was my compromise given the limitations of my basement.  The choke points are my return loops which are forced to be 042.  These are hidden under a town or behind something so the drastic change is not noticed.  Visible curves are as broad as I can make them with a few local industries for switching.  When I want to run trains, something runs on the single track loop to loop while the local mine is managed seperately.  All in all however, any ideas are certainly welcome and interesting to me.

My take on ops is to have a central depot with the facilities and then a branch to retrieve minerals etc and take it down to the yard which is some distance away. (Interchange with rest of world) and bring back necessary items.

It is not a real big deal that my plan happens to have a loop. It's good for breaking in new stock.

This is how my present layout is set-up. Return loop to return loop is a great compromise IMO for someone who wants point-to-point operations, but doesn't want to give up the convenience of continuous running. There are times when you (or you and a few visitors) just want to watch them run.

Hiding the loops under scenery also reinforces the appearance that the railroad is going from one place to another. Along the way, I have one major yard and several industries to be serviced by the local way freight.

If you have enough room to place a yard near each of the reverse loops, that will also reinforce the appearance that the railroad goes from point A to point B.

Jim

I think Tom has a valid point about a separate forum for operations/point-to-point(ptp). If more than half of the posters in the layout forum are loop-runners(I being one of them too at times), it makes it difficult to find the relevant posts concerning ptp. I would visit both forums much the same way I visit 2-rail and real trains even though I run three rail and do not work for the railroad. 

Just my 2 cents

I too thought the layout section would turn out a little different.  I like the idea of an operations sub-forum and that would certainly lead to discussions about track planning for operations.  I have built several 3 rail layouts for my customers.  The ones that seem to get the most play and have been running the longest all have a theme and are geared more towards operation and less towards loop to loop to loop to . . . . All have continuous running capabilites for running trains when company comes over, but the yards work, the industries work, etc,.  Good thread, thanks for posting.  Russ

Seems as though there is PTP interest.  The incubation for this could be simply be a thread.  If the interest is there it may very well be self sustaining, perhaps enough to warrant it's own heading.

The Rich question then would be: "is it possible to have a cross theme thread run transparent in 2 rail scale and 3 rail scale simultaneously?"

 tt

While I've helped several members with questions and technical advice on layout components and design, I agree that loop-running gets old quickly. Even at the club, the fun thing to do is run four trains on the new branch with meets and holds on a loop-to-loop operation. I'd like to see more threads on point-to-point/branch operations, especially given the challenges associated with the sheer space occupied by trains and scenery in our scale.

I agree with Matt, Tom, etc. Loop type layouts bore me quickly. I too am disappointed in how the layout design turned out but I guess the majority rules. I would like my future layout to have at least one loop for when visitors come over but it will be better for me to have the layout designed for operation.

I've always said you can design a layout for operation and if it has a loop or two you can always run roundy-round whenever you feel like sitting back and train watching but if you design the layout for loops it is difficult to operate it in a prototypical manner.

I'd like to see more p2p layouts too.  However, nobody seems to be posting them.  If there aren't any being posted, why do they need a new forum?  Am I missing something?