the post created a narrow pinch spot and operators would pin
crews into the dead end aisle like a cork in a bottle (3).
One solution that presented itself early on was simply limit-
ing the number of operators during a session. This would, of
course, ease crowding but does nothing to solve the issues
with the deck heights or other ergonomic concerns.
An even bigger issue was the helix. Although multi-deck layouts
are never pretty to look at, for a number of reasons I’d ended
up with the ugliest and most model railroad element – a helix –
smack dab in the entry to the layout area.
The helix had the same minimum 28” radius curve, but since
a curved track on a constant grade creates a lot more fric-
tion than the equivalent grade on straight track, those steam
engines that could handle the curve were limited to 8-12 cars.
Again, not a really big issue for the freelanced SNE, but such
short trains hardly befitted the northern division.
The final nail in the coffin?
While all this thinking was going on in the back of my mind I
tried, and failed, to fix some of these problems without tear-
ing the layout completely down. The problem, to use a military
analogy, was simple – I was trying to fix a strategic problem –
the way the layout fit the space – with tactical solutions (3).
I started by leaving the larger locomotives – which I really liked
– in the display case. I also determined to limit the number of
“One solution that presented itself early on
was simply limiting the number of operators
during a session.”
