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DCC booster

Started by Ed Kunkel, March 27, 2010, 06:11:48 PM

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Doneldon

You might want to reconsider your track plan.  The one in the video is fine for just running trains around in circles but not for much else.  The yard tracks are too short to be of any real practical value.  There are no sidings or spurs to which you can send cars to be dropped or picked up.  The round-and-round becomes monotonous.  Reaching in on a six-foot-wide table will be difficult to say the least.  You have a whole big empty middle which could be used for some interesting trackage and features, but it is unused.  The trains hugging the edges won't look so great and they will be in more danger of falling off if you have a wreck (you will have them), and breaking.

I suggest simplifying the main lines to no more than two, keeping at least one passing siding, using crossovers between the mains, running one yard with longer tracks rather than the two mini yards of the existing plan, and using the middle and corners.  These are great places for industries which will make your operations much more fun, and maybe even an engine terminal with a roundhouse or at least a substantial engine servicing facility.  Such a plan would allow you to just let trains run when that's what you want, and to do some more complex railroading when you're after that.  If you move the yard to the inside you'll be able to have much broader curves (better or operation and appearance), and shift things just a bit so you don't have your straight sections running along the edge of the table.  This isn't just for safety; it will also look much more realistic.  After all, real trains don't run on the edges of tables!  When they are at the edges of canyons or rivers or whatever, you can see those features.  So I'd have at least one side not parallel and close to the edge.  You might also want to consider hiding at least one end of the loops for a more realistic appearance.

I have to say that I had to turn the video off before it was half through because I was so frustrated by the track plan.  It will be big and expensive but very uninteresting.  It just bugged me too much to keep watching.

Good luck with your railroad and welcome to the hobby.