Batch-building freight cars 101part 2- 14
56: This yard is cloggedbeyond capacity.Most
modelerswill find eventually find themselves in this
situation if rolling stock acquisition andbuilding
activities continuewithout any limits. To keep the
layout functional, a rolling stockmanagement and
storage planwill eventually have tobe implemented.
56
1.Determinehowmany carswill fit on the layout
comfortably.
2. Count the cars currentlyon the layout.
3. Decidewhichoneswill stayandwhichoneswill go.
4. Figureout how to store theexcess.
Layout capacity:
1. Take stockof your sidings and staging. Howmany carswill
fitwithout clogging the railroad topoint of gridlock?Make
a chart andfigureout the capacityof the layout.
2. What trains areyou running, and inwhatmanner??
Operators: Thoseof uswhohaveoperations-based
layoutshopefullyhavedone the calculations, andknow
roughlyhowmany cars areneeded to run theoperation
scheme, andhavemadeaplan toaccommodate these
carson the layout, or tomove themoffandonasneeded.
Railfans: Decidewhat trainswill run, howyou like to
run them, andwhere theywill be stored.
Display layouts:Maybea through trainor two,with the
rest of the rolling stockout on sidings for viewing. How
bigare the sidings?What cars are to set out for viewing?
Wherewill the through trainspark?
Clubmembers: Howwill you transport your rolling
stock? Is thereaplaceat the club to store the carson the
layout andoff the layout?
57: Plasticbins arefittedwithpaper box lids that fit
insideoneanother tomaximize storagecapacity. All the
cars are stored in trays standingupright.Notice there
are two trays that fit in thebin. Binsmust bemoved
carefully toavoidbanging thecars around inside the
container. This isnot ideal solution, but itworks.
57
MRH-Apr2014
