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During the train roundtable at NWBrickCon, among other subjects we talked
about the possibility of building a layout for realistic operation rather
than round-and-round loops for public viewing. Between Vancouver and
Seattle, 6 or so people expressed interest in trying it, so I'm asking who
else might be interested.
I envisage a AFOL-only (no public show) weekend where we get access to a
large space (think school gym, cafeteria, church basement..) and a large
number of banquet tables, and set up a large end-to-end single-line layout
with yards at each end and many passing loops and industrial sidings in
between. The layout would not need to be as detailed as a show layout, but
it would/could include railroad and industrial buildings - freight and
passenger depots, engine sheds, turntables, container yards, coal mine and
power station (so we can do a loads/empties arrangement), docks, etc...
anything that originates, receives or deals with freight or passengers.
We'd then operate the layout using a simple form of model railroad
operation - a sequence timetable or maybe a fast clock timetable, with meets
at passing loops, fast trains passing slower ones, freight trains switching
at spurs and sidings along their route, etc etc. Things like container yards
and docks could be operational as well as making up trains in the yards and
running them along the layout.
Since many of us are gearing up for holiday-season shows (we certainly are
here in Vancouver) this would not happen until the new year. We could have a
good time with as few as 10 people and wouldn't want more than 20 to start
with.
Want more info on what I mean by "operation"? Try these model railroad
links:
http://www.gatewaynmra.org/operate.htm
http://www.gatewaynmra.org/frt-yard1.htm
http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/~smithbf/BFSpages/LDSIGprimer/Operations.html
http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/~smithbf/BFSpages/LDSIGprimer/Freight.html
If you're *really* serious, try these books:
Track Planning for Realistic Operation : Prototype Railroad Concepts for
Your Model Railroad by John H. Armstrong
Realistic Model Railroad Operation, by Lionel Strong
Operation Handbook for Model Railroads by Paul Mallery
How to operate your model railroad by Bruce A. Chubb
The railroad, what it is, what it does : the introduction to railroading by
John H. Armstrong (prototype operation)
So, who might be interested in something like this? Yes, I'm volunteering to
organise it if there's enough interest (and maybe even if there isn't!) :-)
Kevin
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Personal Lego Web page:
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