The Woodstock Model Railroad Club invites you to come along with as together we build an empire. Stay tuned for progress updates, tips and techniques. All comments are welcome. Email ljbrinker@yahoo.ca

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Reality 101

Thanks to a heads up, I realized in my enthusiasm to create the perfect system I forgot to keep in mind our 2 basic rules of K.I.S.S. and KEEP IT FUN. In doing so a F.T.R.S. system was created. When people don't Follow The Rules we degenerate into policing the layout to correct errors, and the fun goes out the window.

First problem, not switching Elsewhere requires almost perfect switching, to keep the consist intact.  NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
 Second, switching 1 for 1 car type negates the self correcting system of removing all rolling stock when switching.
 Third, mixing of the cards and switching errors. As an example I found both sawdust cars at the sawmill, no covered hoppers at Zorra Cyclone, and main line box car and stock car cards in with the branch line flat car cards, worst of all none of these are even the same colour of Cards?
 Fourth, members want to keep  the switchers, especially in Lincoln,  which complicates the "no switching Elsewhere strategy " and car forwarding.

The fix (as I see it), return to the lowest common denominator!
First, continue to make up trains in Elsewhere.
Second, Return to the self fixing system of removing all cars in a siding,
No fix for mixed cards, but they will get sorted as trains are made up.

The car forwarding and Elsewhere yard design as agreed to, are not effected, but as always are open to better ideas.

Other ideas about districts, switchers at towns being traffic regulators, and others, have been tossed about and look forward to these ideas being developed.

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