Shunting/Switching Layouts?

RobertInOntario

Active Member
As some of you may know, I'm slowly working on a new, small/portable HO layout.

But I've also been reading about HO shelf-sized switching layouts, i.e. 4' long by 12" wide, with 3-4 sidings. I've been reading about this in a couple books as well as this helpful website -- Timesaver Shunting Puzzle - Track Plan & Layout Size

Most of these books and websites rave about how much fun these layouts are -- yet I think I'd get bored in a very short time! Are these layouts really that much fun to operate and is it worth tinkering with one?

(FYI, I'm more used to running passenger trains on a "tail-chaser" oval layout .)

Thanks for any feedback -- just curious!

Rob
 
Rob-Yes they can be fun.I designed one with some help.It will be 2'x8' in HO.I was inspired by Progressive Rails Air Lake Industrial Park.It has a combination of rail sidings and a team track,small yard and switchbacks.There are sites you can check out dealing with small switching layouts but Steinjr would know more about those sites than I do.Hope this helps-Bob
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Rob-Yes they can be fun.I designed one with some help.It will be 2'x8' in HO.I was inspired by Progressive Rails Air Lake Industrial Park.It has a combination of rail sidings and a team track,small yard and switchbacks.There are sites you can check out dealing with small switching layouts but Steinjr would know more about those sites than I do.Hope this helps-Bob

Thanks, Bob. Yours sounds good at 2x8'. Hopefully something half that size would still be interesting as well. I think a lot of this "fun" depends on how well you learn prototypical shunting practices, etc. Thanks again, Rob
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Rob-here are the links I told you about.
Operations Focused Layout Designs :: Fotopic.Net
http://andrews-trains.fotopic.net/C374578.html/
BTW-he used XTrakCad for all his layout pics.Hope this helps-Bob

Thanks! I'm checking those now.

On a slightly different topic, I was wondering if there's anything on youtube showing a switching/shunting layout in operation? Written descriptions of shunting freight cars totally lose me. I'm visually-oriented so I need pics, videos and diagrams to figure this out! I'll check youtube later on today ...

Rob
 

Squidbait

Recovering ALCO-holic
Rob,

A switching layout doesn't necessarily demand scheduled/card-ordered switching.

It's fun just to shuffle cars around. ;)
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Rob,

A switching layout doesn't necessarily demand scheduled/card-ordered switching.

It's fun just to shuffle cars around. ;)



Thanks! If I did try a switching layout, I'd start out by just shuffling cars around. Later, I'd "progress" to scheduled/card-ordered switching.

I've got various pieces of foam glued together in different shapes (some of it already painted) in our garage as I contemplate all this -- I'm obviously not rushing!

Rob
 
Rob-the way mine is designed to work is cars are brought in off the main line from outside the switching area and onto it's main.The string of cars are pushed onto the two yard tracks and then the process of assigning the cars starts.I don't have a system for that as yet.For added interest I have two switchback tracks because of the location of my industries.I also added a clean out track when box cars can be spotted and have the insides steam cleaned before being re-loaded.Here's a diagram of my layout(yet to be built) so you can get an idea of how it works-Bob
foulrift2.jpg
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Rob-the way mine is designed to work is cars are brought in off the main line from outside the switching area and onto it's main.The string of cars are pushed onto the two yard tracks and then the process of assigning the cars starts.I don't have a system for that as yet.For added interest I have two switchback tracks because of the location of my industries.I also added a clean out track when box cars can be spotted and have the insides steam cleaned before being re-loaded.Here's a diagram of my layout(yet to be built) so you can get an idea of how it works-Bob
foulrift2.jpg

Thanks -- that looks great but maybe a little ambitious for me at this point! Rob
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
With the extra turnouts and track that I have, I could easily throw together a layout something like this ... do you think this would make for an interesting switching layout?

Thanks! Rob
Robswitcher.gif
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Are these layouts really that much fun to operate and is it worth tinkering with one?

(FYI, I'm more used to running passenger trains on a "tail-chaser" oval layout .)

Some people ask the same thing about "orbiting" trains...! ;)

That's the great thing about this hobby - so many ways to have fun, and always something new to try. :D

Andrew
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Some people ask the same thing about "orbiting" trains...! ;)
That's the great thing about this hobby - so many ways to have fun, and always something new to try. :D
Andrew

Thanks! I guess it's all a matter of opinion and taste.

BTW, I still haven't totally given up on my Don Valley Brick Works idea !! Maybe I could work the Don Valley Brick Works into into a switching layout?:confused: and show trains making deliveries and pickups from there?

Rob
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Robert, a my thoughts on a good small switching layout, you gotta have a "runaround" track in there somewhere, just my thoughts:winki: .

deano1.gif
-Deano
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Mine is what is called a 4-3-2. You start out with 4 cars and a loco with 3 cars on one track and 2 on another, leaving the third empty. You then draw 4 cars, each noting a particular car in the sidings. The object is to drop the 4 cars you have, while putting together a train---in the order they were drawn---from the cars in the siding. It can take an hour to make up a train.

puzzle16.jpg


Scenery makes it a great outdoor photo diorama for your photos, too...:thumb:

bigboya.jpg
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Mine is what is called a 4-3-2. You start out with 4 cars and a loco with 3 cars on one track and 2 on another, leaving the third empty. You then draw 4 cars, each noting a particular car in the sidings. The object is to drop the 4 cars you have, while putting together a train---in the order they were drawn---from the cars in the siding. It can take an hour to make up a train.

Thanks! Maybe this is the best and most classic layout to consider. It almost reminds me of an Inglenook Sidings layout (although I realize it's not). Thanks for posting these pics as well. That's an awesome pic of a Big Boy! Blessings, Rob
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Maybe this is the best and most classic layout to consider. It almost looks like an Inglenook Sidings layout, right? Thanks for posting these pics as well. That's an awesome pic of a Big Boy! Blessings, Rob

Yes, it is an Inglenook. It can also be done in a 5-4-3 arrangement that raises the stakes 10-fold time wise.

Thank you for the kind words. I needed a new photo diorama but I wanted something that will show my big steam well. That is why I chose the Inglenook as it can be taken to shows and operated as well. Makes for all manner of modeling enjoyment in a small space...:mrgreen:

smokey2.jpg
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Yes, it is an Inglenook. It can also be done in a 5-4-3 arrangement that raises the stakes 10-fold time wise.
Thank you for the kind words. I needed a new photo diorama but I wanted something that will show my big steam well. That is why I chose the Inglenook as it can be taken to shows and operated as well. Makes for all manner of modeling enjoyment in a small space...:mrgreen:

Thanks as well -- I was just looking at some Inglenook's on the web and maybe this is the best option then. Yes, the size and portability of these layouts make them very attractive. That's another great picture -- kind of reminds me of the Dukes of Hazzard !
 
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