With a double lane layout, are trains operated left hand or right hand? I know in France, trains run on the left.....not sure in the US !!!
Which one makes more sense (one is the mirror of the other one, just trying to optimize what I already have in terms of tracks...)
Then i do not see how one plan is better/worse than it's mirror image. Both should work fine as far as the double mainline goes for running two trains. Apologies for asking, but what is the purpose of the stub-ended sidings both on the center of the layout and on the lower right corner?
So the center tracks are like a small yard right? Are you planning to back a train into this small yard or you will enter with locomotive first? Depending on the length of the train, if you try to back into the yard, you might need to enter a tunnel (on the right side) in order to do so. I hope i am making sense with this (i am talking about the non-mirror plan). On the mirror plan, you can enter loco first in the yard. If you add a run-around track on the yard then it would work nicely.
U.S. is predominantly right hand traffic, some notable exceptions are U.S. Virgin Islands and the former Chicago and Northwestern Railroad!
If you look to modern lines such as the joint line in Colorado, they just run them where they can -- Left or Right.
The "mirror" version allows me to use all my turnouts, without having to buy any extra (other than the double crossover) - With the regular one, I have a #6-R I won't need, but missing a #6-L Now, do you see anything wrong with the mirror version? Or should I stick with the regular one, and buy another #6-L?
Right. In the C&NW's case, out of respect for a number of English stockholders back in the day. But the Santa Fe and UP did left-hand operation over Cajon because the grades were slightly easier that way. And any railroad will do left-hand operation if it allows a local freight to access an industry. For example. These are private property, not public roads. There's no law against left hand operation.
Almost all railroads in N. America have the engine driver on the right hand side of the cab. They also had the locomotive and trailing cars running on the right, just like it happens on the automobile routes. What happened as a quirk, though, were the long hoods forward on diesels commensurate with the long boilers forward during the steam era. Later, the roads changed to the short hood forward on diesels. By the way, it bears repeating, even if it is a trite response: we welcome 'stupid questions' on this forum. We don't view them as stupid, and we don't view their askers as stupid. We prefer to make sure every question is asked, even if repeatedly, to ensure every person feels welcome and valued in our midst. In fact, we think only intelligent people ask questions, no matter how ill at ease they may feel asking them.
That's not to say we don't think intelligent people never ask stupid questions, mind you. We just know that only stupid people fail to ask questions at all!
Questions, questions..... What scale are you modeling in? What size is your layout? This little plan has amazing operating possibilities- roundy-round, point to point, out and back. All in all, a very well thought out plan, whichever version you use.
Since we are talking trains here, and I've mentioned about French trains (I'm French), I was in a business trip in France not too long ago, and used the TGV (High Speed Train) from Paris to my final destination (east of France). Find attached a picture of the max speed reached during that trip (318 km/h = 198 mph) It was extremely quiet, and very comfy !!! I wish US trains were like that...............
If not too late to this thread, unless you have a layout the size of an olympic swimming pool and modeling the the the NYC, it ding dang don't matter. if it is a fictitious RR it don't matter. Most US RRs are /were right side just like automobile driving except driver is on the right in the cab. It's YOUR RR..Run the way you think you should. Though I would like to add: Just in case you're not aware, single track main comes off looking longer than double track main. And it presents a welcome challenge by having to have passing sidings to let trains go around one another. On the other hand if you are depicting coagulated urban/city activity then 2, 3, or even 4 track main is realistic. It's your call, not ours. I said this in another thread yesterday:The word is 'logic'.
ADDENDUM to above. Sorry, I entered my post above BEfORE looking at your mirrored pictures. So: If you're going to have this layout against the wall(s) you are going to be miserable when time comes to either rescue a stalled/derailed train reaching over the, what, 4 feet, to do so. If you will be able to walk around table then it's ok. Hope you realise the yard being in the center and higher up than rest is going to block all the activity behind it unless those rear tracks are depicted as being in a tunnel. I believe you should check out the myriad of layouts in 'how to' books and online pics and videos before settling on this one. Also check out different types of benchwork: table top (yours), cookie cutter, open grid, and L girder. You'll be happy later you didn't rush into it. The mirror image make zero difference. Finally: You need to back cars into any stub ended tracks (industrial spurs) to spot/retrieve cars. Otherwise the engine will be trapped, without a run around track for engine to escape back to the main line....M
