N Scale Rural Setting. Switching with 2 main lines with/without branch line


majordad1

New Member
You won't hurt my feelings. I am looking for comments good and corrective?? I have been working on this track plan a couple of days. I wanted 2 main lines to run the trains and, I wanted a smaller yard. This is a rural setting and Medora is a very small community. I going to attach the SCARM files for the 2 different versions of track plan. One is with a branch line that services some of the rural industries...the other does not have the branch line. I like both but, the plan w/o the branch line seems to be quite a bit more "open" and would require the sidings come off the 2 main lines. I will have a water tower, coaling tower, and a sanding station. Not sure where to spot them at this time.
 

Attachments

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  • No Branch Line NScale.net post.jpg
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I’m a fan of the less is more philosophy but I kind of like the branch line version for variety plus the ability to run one more train.
You could even add a bit of elevation.
 
Hum. This seems very similar to another person's question about a month ago.
https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/possible-4x-8-track-plan.37173/#post-607304

And my main comment is about the same, as I had for them. Do you really want your "branch" to be another loop? Wouldn't it be more fun to operate if the branch was an out-and-back arrangement? It would have to have at least a single car run around unless you want to "push" a caboose either out or back, but easy enough to do.

My other comments are:
1. seems to be a whole lot of straight track that is parallel to the edges of the benchwork. That is tedious to the eyes and very toy-train like.
2. the lowest branch in the yard (red) looks way too close to the main track.
3. Why not redesign Medora so the Brick Plan is actually in the town?
4. They way you have the branch departing from the main and the yard configuration is a bit odd and wasteful. Combine it all into a single "Arrival/Departure" track, such that 1 track can function as all three things.
5. Other than the "town of Medora" the center of that immense 4'x8' space in N-scale is mostly unused.
6. For water, the town of mendora would have to have its own water tower, in addition to down on the main.
7. Loco servicing (water, coal, sand) could be put in closer to the yard ladder, or either of the corners, by routing the main way from the corners sooner.

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