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Subject: 
Re: Roundy Roundy
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Thu, 29 Jul 2004 09:36:54 GMT
Viewed: 
1351 times
  
In lugnet.trains, Tim David wrote:
A dogbone is good for giving an impression of a double track main line,
especially if you hide the loops at each end to a certain extent.
However what I was really wondering was whether the characteristic of Lego train
components effectivly precludes shunting/switching and or end to end layouts
because of the unreliability of the electrical pickup and slow speed control. (A
train that keeps moving fast is more likely to overrun any dead spots through
its momentum, but if it stops it may stop on a dead spot)
Obviously there are other factors, like a reliable uncoupling mechanism but I
still find it strange. In the model railroad world in the US there are a lot of
people who model an entire line, selectivly compressed, with the various
stations and yards along the way and run trains along the line.

Tim

There's been an argument going on about this on our own club site.  My side of
it was that if you want to model a specific length of line to your own
satisfaction, then do it and forget about detailing the end loops.

But, when it comes to a display, hitch your line up to someone else's, and that
to someone else's, and let someone who wants to build the loops on the end as a
visible running area do it.  Run the track around a castle, or lake, or
fairground, or something, but don't hide it.

Does anyone seriously think the viewing public are fooled by this huge 6" square
covered area where trains magically seem to enter in one direction and come out
travelling the other way?!?!?  Because that's what you're expecting of them.
All you do is force people into a narrow angle from which to view the layout.

I'm all for diverse and separate sections along a display too, but too many high
dividers just inconvenience people.  I'd love to just slot a Classic Space scene
in the middle of one of our runs, with the trains going straight through
moonbases and stuff, but I know a few club members who'd have a fit if I
suggested it.  :-)

I did build a single table-top shunting layout, with just enough ramp to have
two curved sidings pass one under the other.  It was great to have running
trains on our smaller displays, but it was tedious as hell to operate all day.

Jason R



Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: Roundy Roundy
 
(...) Yes, at minifig eye level. That's the perspective I'm personally most interested in. No, at normal viewing level. But that's OK. We usually have at least one endloop visible anyway. and both ends if the mountain isn't there. (20 years ago, 29-Jul-04, to lugnet.trains)
  Re: Roundy Roundy
 
(...) For exhibition layouts I would say I have to agree with everything youy say above. Lego IS a toy and if you want trains to go through a moon-base so what? Loops allow for continuous movement with less operator effort. My comment about the (...) (20 years ago, 29-Jul-04, to lugnet.trains)
  Re: Roundy Roundy
 
(...) <snip> (...) On the other hand, trains disappearing and reappearing is a huge facination for children and adults alike (myself included). That's one of the reasons why traditional model railroaders have always added tunnels and hidden loops to (...) (20 years ago, 30-Jul-04, to lugnet.trains)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Roundy Roundy
 
A dogbone is good for giving an impression of a double track main line, especially if you hide the loops at each end to a certain extent. However what I was really wondering was whether the characteristic of Lego train components effectivly (...) (20 years ago, 28-Jul-04, to lugnet.trains)

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