N scale layouts that can support LONG trains - do they exist?

[FlyFishn]

Are there any layouts out there that can run 80+ car trains? If I did the math right that is a scale mile - 5280ft/160 = 33ft, 33ft/5in or so for a car is right about 80.

What are some larger layouts that you know of?

I have seen several layouts that are very intricate with scenery, yards, industries, and the like. Some can run a lot of individual trains at any given time. I'd be curious if there are any huge layouts out there that can run some mega long trains, though. I know the idea with N scale is you can put more in a smaller space (well, with any comparatively smaller scale it is). Then again, if you have a lot of space and put something smaller in it you can do a ton more.

 

[tphmike]

Our club layout, The Galveston County Model Railroad Club in Texas City, can support long trains. However, we haven't done this in years. I think our record was 120 cars and 4 engines. Now our average train is about 20 cars. Here's some photos. This layout is an E shaped layout approximately 52 X 33 feet.

 

[Frank]

Whenever I go to train shows around here, there's usually a few that can handle trains that long. But, they usually don't run trains that long, IIRC, I think 20 cars or so is about the longest I remember seeing anybody running.

But, some of the local clubs up here in WA state definitely have tracks that are at least 60ft long in terms of the mainline. Running a train that long though you wind up having to have the entire thing set up and set up in a way that allows for a loop and you're in danger of having a train whose locomotive is chasing its tail the whole time.

There's also the issue of the work that goes into just getting all those cars on the track whenever it derails or you need to put them away.

Here's an example: http://www.unwclub.com/unwtour.html , if my calculations are correct, it's nearly a hundred feet of mainline track. And it took them decades of work to get it to where it is now. Which is another issue with layouts for mega long trains.

 

[dieselfan1]

I tore this layout down about a year ago. It had two loops about 80 ft of track on the outer loop and about 70 feet on the inner loop. I could run 100 car trains all day long.

 

[Greg@mnrr]

I think at Milwaukee's TrainFest I've seen some extremely long frieghts on modular layouts. One in particular was an ore car train with close to 100 cars in tow.

Greg

 

[bnsf971]

I used to run 140 car unit coal trains on our club layout in Largo, Florida, regularly.