Argh!  I'm calling this Decision Point 1, as I know I'll hit more.

All the planning, all the thoughtful consideration, right down the tubes faster than you can say "chimichanga with extra guacamole sauce".

So what am I talking about? Well, as the modules grow, I can actually run on them, which is great fun, but I haven't enjoyed the lack of a run-around. Now, with the third module in place, there is one, but it's way, way up in the back.

This is kind of hateful when you're running around the yard. Really.

So here's the old plan, and where it stands today

And the suggested "fix" - ripping out the caboose track, and somehow forcing in a turnout to make a run around right here.

Now to do this, I now need to do it all from above and below - a major problem as the GORM shelving doesn't allow a lot of room from below to to work. I'm also restricted from where to put it based on the module breaks (meaning I can't really slide it farther back, as than it will straddle the module break, but than again, if I lose it when I break it apart...so what?)

So do I wedge it in, and rig up a (from the top) switch control solution?  Or do I just ignore it, and continue on. I can always give the layout as designed a chance first, and than come back to it later.

I'm kind of unsure how I want to proceed, so for the moment, I've put the trains away and grabbed a beer.

Any thoughts out there?

I say continue with your plans.  Making changes now will slow you down and disturb your carefully built track work.  You can run trains back and forth for a break from work and for checking out the track but don't get distracted with improvements until you have given the original plans some opportunity to be properly evaluated.  You can always make the changes later.

Art

Scarpia,

I agree that you should try this for awhile to see whether there is any other areas that bothers you. You might be surprised. If after completing all of the track work, you still need a run-around near the front of the layout consider the following.

Dick

After a nights sleep, I am leaning to agree with you, and let it ride for the moment. If I find I have to add it later, It will be pretty much the same amount of work as it is now.

Do you have something that you could throw up that gives me a better idea of what I'm looking at in relation to the rest of the layout and how it will be operated.  If you can run test sessions pre-scenery and it isn't saving you time at this point to rip out track then what is to be gained by not trying what you have?  Sounds like nothing...

I thought you had built layout sections that mounted on top of the shelving?  Another question, is this intended to be your final layout or another chainsaw?  I would keep a file and list any operational or track work problems as you discover them and just live with most of the problems while overseas.  When you take the layout apart for your return to the states, then you can decide what changes and corrections you want to make to the next iteration of your layout, and changes might be easier to make if you have a complete shop to work in rather than trying to do it in an apartment.

The biggest boo-boo new modelers make is not putting enough runaround tracks on their plan.

That's what a chainsaw layout is for - to try out things and learn the hard way on something you knew up front was your training wheels.

That's also why it's important to *run trains* for a while as much as possible before you get too serious developing your "dream layout".

Beginners put lines on a track plan because it looks like a cool track arrangement.

What you want to get to is knowing what each line on your track plan is for operationally. Once you have some good ops experience, you get so you *know* what those lines are for on your track plan.

You can tell you *have arrived* with track planning when you see trains running in your head as you are drawing the lines on the plan.

You've just made the great track planning ah-ha breakthrough - runarounds. You will kick yourself once you realize your track plan doesn't have enough of them.

Joe - generally true, but then so is the adage about you can never have too much staging. I suppose that means the ideal layout is 50% staging and 50% runaround :-)

But back to the point. What do you need to run around, and when? Looking at your track plan in the first article there's no runaround track, so I'm guessing it's not the latest draft. But it does show that the three tracks at the front left there are engine house and caboose. You don't need the runaround for the engine house. Which leaves the caboose. Will you have a separate yard switcher loco? If so, perhaps an incoming train could drop the caboose just before the ladder switch, and the switcher could then run out of the yard lead and already be o nthe right end of it. For an outbound being built on the main the switcher could pull out the caboose, run out, around on the siding, and tack the caboose onto the end of the train.

But of course I'm presuming things about how your yard will operate. Are the two stub tracks class tracks? Will trains be built on the main? Are there times you need to run around things other than the caboose?

Ken.

Rich,

here's the track plan of the area under discussion. Now there are two modifications we're not seeing here, one is the short double ended siding between M5 and the back of the layout (this does provide me with a run around off the main), and the other is the turnout that leads into M1 was moved to the left to avoid being in the middle of a module joint.

Russ,

The layout is in sections. Each section is assembled on it's own, and than "plugged in". After it's plugged in, it's basically fixed - which these three bottom modules now are.

Your question on final or chainsaw is a good one, and I have to say I think we need a new term. This is not my final layout, but neither is it a chainsaw in the commonly used sense. To be honest, I enjoy the building enough to think I'll never have a "final" layout, but who knows.  Your suggestion on waiting for the return breakdown is a good one.

Joe,

I agree in essence with most of your points. However Ken has asked some more related questions that I need to comment on that also address your thoughts.

Ken,

Thanks for bringing that up. You're right, of course. The operational concept is

Two trains (one northbound, one south) stop here

Train comes in from staging, cars are pulled from and put into (sorted on M2, M3,), by switcher, train departs.

Switcher builds local branchline run, and takes it to the other city, switches there, builds return train, and comes back to this yard, breaks that down for the next northbound/southbound train.

So you're right - other than the caboose, and cars for the RIP track, I don't really need a lot of run arounds here. So what is it that's causing me to think I need one?

Part of the problem is the double crossover. That's in a spot where I can only use it for a loco escape - it's too small for a loco and single car, for instance. I think this is going to require me to build a hinged extension (hinged as the door to the room is right there) that would allow me to use it as a run around.

Ok, so I think I have a solution. 

The easiest place to put in a runaround is a crossover from M3 to M2.  Now I understand this is your staging yard, but that's where it works best, construction wise.  Your train length might be a bit shorter on the runaround, but if you shunted the train into M10, and then dragged the one or two runaround cars along onto M3, and then backed out on M2, you'd have your move accomplished.

Before switching, your switcher would take the cars out of the staging area; and at the conclusion of switching chores, your switcher would then put back the cars into the staging area.  Of course, most of these cars in the staging area would be going into these industries, and most of the cars coming out would presumably be cars coming out of the industries, so the maneuver effectively works. 

Cars on M3 would be the cars coming out; the first move would be to take them out of the area and put them onto the awaiting train on M4-6 where the caboose would be waiting back on M4 if it's a right bound train.  If it's a left bound train, then you leave your caboose on the line from the 20" radius curve, couple up the outbounds on M4, and then pull them out until you are just clear of them on the 24" line.  You back up this line, catch the cars from behind, and tack them to your caboose.

Ideally, you'd take the inbound cars and deliver them right to the industries, cleaning out any cars in there by depositing them on M4 as you work.  M4 or M3 should ideally be empty before and after any session.  Either way, it's a tight space - your main issue is your ends can't be any longer, where you;d gain all the operational space you might ever need.