Reality based layout design? By that I mean let’s design for what our lifestyles are ‘actually’ like not what we hope or think they will be. For any of us that have even a passing interest in operations, the driving factor in layout design comes down to the length of an operating session. How […]
Author: Lmind1
Why Layouts Fail – The Three Headed Monster
When I work with a design client, one question I always ask is why previous layouts didn’t get off the ground and gain critical mass. After almost fifteen years the answers haven’t changed. The three reasons layouts fail, the three headed monster if you will are: the layout dimensions were too large, the design was […]
What We Want & How to Get It
Which DCC system is best? What is the best aisle width? What era should I model? What radius should I make my curves? Ultimately questions such as these end being no more than minutiae, generally irrelevant. There are two primary reasons we engage in model railroading. First is the satisfaction of assembly and as […]
Barrow’s Stamp
Advancement in our hobby is driven by leadership. In our case it seems to run in twenty year waves. Somebody comes along, moves the needle, and we ride it for several decades. As things begin to peter out, a new visionary comes along and the cycle repeats. In the late 1970’s the triumvirate of […]
Instant On Layouts
Topic: Model Railroad Design Topic: Model Railroad Operations East rail was an ‘instant on’ layout. In the evening, after my family duties were met, I could grab an ice cold beer, hit the switch, and run. This, sub-conscious ease of use, encouraged an atmosphere where I was operating almost daily. Is your layout […]