I visited a show in Meridian, MS last summer where a club from Pensacola, FL had a "work-in-progress" N-Trak setup. They had a square "loop" with about 2 modules on each side. They were operating 4 Atlas "modern" CSX locos hauling 96 coal hoppers around the loop at about 20 SMPH. The lead loco was only 2 feet behind the 96th car ... The audience was very(!) impressed!
Ed I usually run trains with 20-30 cars. The 120-car train was just a test to check for any problems with my track work. Even my layout measures 13x15ft it's simply to small to run long trains. Doesn't look good. Guess if you're a branchliner then a 9 car train looks good. What about posting some pics ?
I will post pics as soon as I get something to take pics of...LOL....right now it's just open benchwork with some roughed in track. I'll be up and running soon though and then I can run my "super giant" 9 car consists.
I built a branch line that climbs a heilix to get to the upper level and I can only run short trains around it due to its tight radius,but I have a short line that picks up maybe 15 cars from a yard on the lower level and delivers them to the industries on the second level.I find I like switching alot too.
Just got back from a train show at Derby, where an NTrak layout was running 70-car coal gon drags, with no problems. Looked great!
With all this posting ( bragging?) going on here about who is running the longest train, has the most engines, has the biggest layout, spent the most money, I think some of us may be starting to feel a little insecure about having to be satisfied with a diminitive layout. The innocent question about who has run the longest train, seems to have degenerated into a posting game of " He who ( has) dies with the most toys wins". So I might as well jump in here and say who has the biggest switchyard? Who has built the best kitbashed steamer that was never commercially available, not counting brass? Who has the best signal light operating system, with trackside lights that is monitoring blocks and turnouts? Particularly a scratch built system that is not involved in DCC and no part of it is commercially available? I can get in that game, for a while anyway. My switchyard is 14 1/2 ft long by 3 ft wide has over 250 ft of Kato Unitrack track in it, has 33 remote operated switches, and a 12 bay roundhouse with a fully indexed remote operated Arnold turntable with 24 tracks. The yard has only three blocks in it and believe it or not about a zillion reverse loops, because of the way it is laid out. Nobody can figure out exactly how many reverse loops there are in it, because it changes all the reverse loops every time a DPDT block switch is thrown and it is all controlled by a scratch built and designed polarity monitoring system. I probably don't have the biggest switchyard, but I'll bet I have the most reverse loops. I think model railroading is not about who can run the longest train, who has the biggest layout, who has spent the most money, who has the biggest switchyard, or the best kitbashed steamer, or even the most reverse loops.........THE WINNER WILL ALWAYS BE THE GUY THAT IS HAVING THE MOST FUN............... REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY GOT! So there, I feel better already!
You are so right in what you say Gary but i'm sure we all have fun inour different ways. I run train lengths of maximum 30 cars due to radius limitation and my love for S curves lol which a lot of modellers frown upon. I'd sure love to see a pic of your yard, if you can't upload send it to me and i'll post it for you.
I know who is having the most fun.... ME! I alway feel better when I am having fun with my trains!! Daryl
