Wanted to resurrect this thread. In building my layout, I have 37" clear at my staging yard. The main line width fluctuates from 36" to 42". In front of Albemarle City (which is a dead-end access), I have 30" but am considering chopping it down to 25" to comfortably squeeze one more passing siding in. Albemarle City will only require one operator at best, so I think 25" is okay in a dead-end scenario w/ one operator. Thoughts?
As an operator stands facing Albemarle City, is his back to a wall and one side toward the dead end of a 30 inch aisle and his other side toward the open end of the aisle (where trains come into A. City)? Is the new passing siding at A.City for cosmetic reasons only or will there actually be 2 trains and 2 operators at A. City? [Will there be any trains that pass thru A.City on the main while another train is on the new passing siding?] Even in a 30 inch aisle, a people pass will only be possible for VERY intimate friends. A train pass could probably work in a 25 inch aisle if the "passing" train operator stands at the open end of the aisle while the train passes A. City, loops around to the back of the shelf at the dead end of the aisle and returns behind A.City to the open end of the aisle and the operator and train proceed to staging or on around the rest of the layout.
Ppuinn: Thank you. The answers to your questions are: YES. Back to wall, facing the city.. dead end to right and open aisle to left. Depending on assignments, there could be one operator at Albermarle City. YES. A train controlled by a second operator could take the new passing siding while a superior train passes, and the Albemarle City operator is present, deeper into the aisle. You are correct. My assumption (even with a 30") aisle would be anyone operating a train that has to hold at Albemarle City would perform this task from the beginning of the aisle. I am setting up the turnout controls to for the siding to be located at the beginning of the aisle for just such an instance. I bit the bullet and framed it up yesterday and am getting plywood down today. It came down to having a wide aisle with a non-prototypical track plan, or having taking 4" out of the aisle allowing another track that actually allows me to match the prototype (C&O). The passing siding I put in matches the C&O practice I have seen on some of their valuation maps. All of my other aisles are 36" to 44" clear.
John, Whatever you do will be the right thing. Knowing you and your personality type you won't do something half donkey-ed. I don't know when I will once again be down in your neighborhood or you mine. But I'd love to stop in and see what you been doing.
I have not been doing anything lately. Life and other priorities have been in the way of my model railroad interests. The layout you saw many years ago is gone and I have yet to make headway toward any new project. I thought I would have the garage space prepared by now, but no luck there either. Fingers crossed I can get something done soon.
John, my layout has fallen into disrepair and will take a number of months to get back up and running. The weather and mousers haven't been good to it. Those claws must feel good when pulling up the cork roadbed. Funny but the very track they picked on and tore up, is the track I wanted to remove and replace. My unofficial demolition team. I understand priorities and family. The best to you.
I agree with the 36" minimum at the pinch point. If you are going to have guests visiting (NMRA events, etc.) as opposed to your normal operating crew, you'll never know who you will get. Big people, clumsy people, etc... Better safe than sorry.
The greatest concern I have for anybody's layout is: Can the paramedics get in and remove a downed person. Or if they can't then how about the Coroner and responding first call team. Never mind the guys with the wild elbow that can take down a smokestack with elegant ease. Gosh how many times have I done that to myself. Sheeez!
It all comes down to available space and John Armstrong's old givens and druthers. It seems apparent that there is no "right" minimum pinch point width. The "right" width is as big as you can make it given available space. If you have an aircraft hanger, make it 5 or 6 feet. If a small basement you will likely be limited to something in the 20-40 inch range. In my current town house, the only way I could design and build what I wanted required me to duck-under to get inside the layout. Duck-unders, as many will attest, are to be avoided if at all possible. I don't like but I did it. Now my wife is ready to sell and move to a stand-alone house, with a correspondingly longer commute to work and the above layout will be dismantled in the coming weeks. I'm hoping to have a bit more generous space where I will actually be able do design/build a layout with a pinch point rather than a duck under, then I can consider this most "weighty" concept.
Most of my aisles are 36" or more. The main aisle to the back of the layout fluctuates between 38" and 45". I have one place that would take one (1) operator that is 26". My first Albemarle division was 24" to 30". My second was up against the wall in our basement rec' room so, the aisle was sort of "unlimited". Just depends on what you want and the space you have. Gotta make do.
