The switchback into engine service isn't something done by the RRs. There's room to attach the lead to the right side of the yard by making those two spurs sidings.
Warning, long rant Well, as supplies started dribbling in from over the pond, I've been working more on practical things. Building a loco, laying some track, wiring a decoder, got a boxcar kit, etc. This has been mostly great fun. I figured out soldering tiny decoders in tiny trains isn't all that hard, etc. However, it's also been frustrating. The Nn3 kits aren't actually that good (and I don't mean looks, just 'build quality'). I'm used to higher quality stuff from one of my other hobbies for one, but the instructions are particularly crud. For example: the track gauges I got aren't actually in gauge, some instructions are just copies from what looks to be decades ago (ie almost illegible) or written for an HO counterpart with some parts not included for the N scale item, and decent pictures or diagrams are nowhere to be found. I'm not one for giving up on instructions easily, but here I found it easier just to toss them and have a go. Also, the guys on the Nn3 mailing list are a kind bunch and happy to talk, but tend to write about their own particular successes and preferences/difficulties, rather than answering my actual questions. Though that is actually rather common forum behaviour not limited to the Nn3 guys, it doesn't help. Then, finally, the locos don't actually run all that well. At first I thought it was my track, so I built new track. Good, solid straight track. This helped, but an 18" ride without stalling was still not happening. So I cleaned the loco thoroughly, added weight, etc. I got a more modern chassis (which helped a lot too), but still no perfection. Then came the reality check. Scratching my head, I thought: "well, I could possibly get these to run well, or at least ok, but do I really want to go through all that effort/frustration just to get a loco to run, every time?" With everything else about layout building I have to learn as well, I fear frustration will kill my efforts and prevent me from finishing anything. The very first goal I have is to finish a layout, no matter how small. On that thought, I'm seriously considering putting Nn3 on the back-burner and doing something in a more common scale first. It's a painful decision, especially considering how much Nn3-design help I've already had here, but I think it will be better for now. Never thought I'd say it, but I guess this thread will die after all.
