Subject:
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Re: 'Dog Bone' - definition
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Mon, 12 Mar 2001 04:15:32 GMT
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Viewed:
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2674 times
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Larry Pieniazek wrote:
> On a home layout what you should focus on depends on what you like. If you
> like to just see trains run, some of the same characteristics apply. But if
> you go for realistic operation, you may well WANT point to point, lots of
> tricky switching problems, etc. Me, I like to see stuff run but also like
> the operational aspects. (although it's harder with LEGO trains since we
> don't have good uncouplers) So my layout when i get around to building one
> will be a dogbone but will also have switching areas and engine service
> facilities.
Absolutely. My aborted HO layout had an oval of track with a switchback
line climbing a mountain (it was developed for a 5'x9.5' space in my
apartment, so a dogbone type design just wasn't going to work, but I
worked out a pretty nice scheme which had a town at one end of the
layout, with the line running around the front of the layout, then back
into the corner, from whence the switchback started. From there, the
track also continued behind the scenes back into the town to complete
the oval.
With currently a 4'x6' table for my LEGO train layout, all I have is two
nested ovals and a couple spurs. I've been trying to conceive of table
arrangements so that I can still have space for a bed yet can get much
more space. I've got some thoughts for an around the room layout which
would have a bridge over the aisle to complete one circuit, and then it
would probably have another smaller circuit, and then it would have room
for a bunch of sidings and spurs (where a "bunch" is a modest
number...). The problem is doing the carpentry to make the necessary
tables. Perhaps I could sweet talk the fellow whose shop we are using to
build the tables for shows into letting me build my tables also. PNLTC
tables won't quite cut it because I'll need some 5" or 10" wide shelves
to connect things, and the main table kind of will need a cutout to fit
my bed. I could probably manage a setup using 4 2.5'x5' PNLTC tables
basically wrapped around the room, but then I would definitely only have
one continuous loop and wouldn't have that much room for spurs (thought
the total area would be twice my current space).
Of course what I really need to do is stop buying LEGO and go out and
buy a house and then be able to consign the master bedroom completely to
a layout (or if I'm real lucky, get a place with a family room or a
finished basement or useable attic).
Hmm, I just had a thought for somewhat better switching operation for a
home layout... One could probably fairly easily craft a box for a Kadee
coupler which could be screwed onto the hole used for the magnet holder.
This would allow trains to be fairly quickly converted between Kadee and
magnet couplers. Once could sacrifice some tiles to glue Kadee
uncoupling ramps onto to be attached to the LEGO track.
Of course I don't really mind the thought of HOG uncoupling. It just
means that you have to make all the track reasonably accessible, but
heck, real railroads pretty much rely on manual uncoupling... A LEGO
layout will also be a lot more friendly to being reached into to
uncouple cars. The big problem is getting enough space to have an
interesting switching layout. I'd love to see a LEGO layout which could
comfortably keep three operators busy.
Frank
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: 'Dog Bone' - definition
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| (...) Stop with the good ideas - I already spend too much time tinkering. 8-) (...) HOG - Hand's On Grabbing??? (...) You mean like something like this? (Supertrain2001 layout) :-) (URL) (24 years ago, 13-Mar-01, to lugnet.trains)
| | | Re: 'Dog Bone' - definition
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| (...) I was thinking about this a few days ago (the whole auto vs HOG thing), so I wandered over to where I could sit in my car & watch some of the on-site rail ops at work for lunch.(1) Coupling/uncoupling - manual. Loading/unloading - all (...) (24 years ago, 13-Mar-01, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: 'Dog Bone' - definition
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| (...) Yes, I agree. Realised it after i posted but got sucked into something else. (...) And what makes an interesting/convenient arrangment for a show may well be very different from what makes an interesting arrangement for a home layout. At a (...) (24 years ago, 11-Mar-01, to lugnet.trains)
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