I have been struggling with DCC wiring and am taking a break and have decided to go through with a layout using DC and a perfect one train operation. I decided between many articles on Lance Mindheim's layout and seeing many of the businesses when I went to Miami earlier this month I wanted to try my take at the CSX Miami Downtown Spur. I went back and forth between many different ideas but I feel this gives me plenty of work to do between the buildings and detail work so this will certainly keep me busy. I can also master my weathering skills and scratch building. I will have some challenges as I can't find a lot of modern trucks that would be used on this layout as well as modern warehouse, mostly detailed loading doors for both trucks and railcars. If anyone knows of any out there please share with me, it would be very helpful! Nonetheless I am going to be doing this in 8x3 as pictured below, any feedback is welcomed. Construction should get started in the next few weeks most likely this weekend, I got a new DC powerpack I want to test first before getting rolling. Also one question I have with DC is I have one terminal re-railer that will placed in the yard and run to the powerpack, I am going to be OK with it only being 8x3 and using rail joiners soldered to the rail? Or do I need to get some rail joiners with wires (http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Pairs-N-S...363748?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item4d13f5e4a4) and get a Terminal Block to connect with the terminal re-railer and drop the wires throughout the layout and run one wire to the powerpack? Thanks
You really could do it either way. On my CSX Thomas Sub(HO scale, DC with two cabs)... I have used rail joints with attached wires... and I have attached wires straight to the rails. It kind of depended on the area where I was working. I made the ground the continuous rail(although, I have connected many grounds to the rails across the layout) and used the positive side as the block control. The best way would be to attach the power to a few areas. If it is only attached at the end... you will notice that the rail will increase resistance... and the speed will lower. Being N scale and the small size(looking at your diagram) I would attach one wire to the Yard, and another between Family and Sons Produce and the Miami Waste Paper. Hope this helps. JMS
In my humble opinion, the layout would be more fun to operate with a runaround, rather than having to switch cars around by hand before you start. Note that there is likely a runaround in CSX's yard in real life (and that Lance Mindheim has included multiple runarounds in his own personal layout). As drawn, you can't switch the cars into spot order in the yard using one engine and then switch any industries but two, so you'll have to make up the train by hand.
Yes thank you for the input I meant add one at the bottom in front of the marine. I made a new draw up real fast, I added two one by Family & Son and then the one I mentioned. I think this will be helpful and as you mentioned make things easier. The one by Family may make it look to cluttered but feedback is welcomed, I know I am still thinking that location over.
The run around at the Marine is good. I would probably put a 2nd one at the yard and take out the one at Family and Son. That way, for facing point spurs... you could run around the train at Marine, and then do a shoving move up the line. Just my opinion though. As, I always say... "It's your RR... and you're God." LOL! JMS
I'd agree with adding one in your yard. A way for the power to escape after running in head first. Otherwise, with the addition of at least that one at drawing bottom, much improved!
Personally, I would probably choose one longer runaround, either making the one you have at Antillean longer or extending the yard and placing the runaround there as a crossover at the end of the yard. You don't need a runaround at every location where there are spurs in opposite directions, it's certainly prototypical for the crew to do all the shuffling at one spot, moving on with cars at both ends of the engine(s) if necessary. In fact, a real-life crew might leave some cars in the siding while they switch some spurs and then come back for the rest.
