running (that is, switching) it has. Compute the max-to-main value
as:
max nbr of cars / mainline track cars
to get a percentage, with
the results meaning:
Percentage
Summary
Comments
Under 50% Mainline focus Focus is mainline running;
little switching
50 - 80% Mainline emphasis High amount of mainline
running vs. switching
81 - 120%
Balanced
Mainline running and
switching balanced
121 - 150% Switching emphasis High amount of switching
vs. mainline running
Over 150% Switching focus Focus is switching; little if
any mainline running
NUMBER OF CARS MOVED:
The number of cars moved in a typi-
cal operating cycle can be computed as: 4
0% of (staging x 2 +
passing + connecting)
. To increase the number of cars moved,
we need to increase some combination of staging, passing, or
connecting trackage.
Notice staging is particularly effective in increasing the number of
cars moved, since for every train that leaves staging, another can
move in to replace it, meaning twice the cars can be moved (if they
are available elsewhere on the layout). In effect, staging acts as
both connecting track and passing track – thus serving double duty.
Another thing we can do to increase cars moved is stop using some
track for storage, and designate it instead to be either staging, pass-
ing (if trains can legitimately “pass” on this trackage), or leaving it
undesignated and always free of stored cars, so by default it be-
comes connecting track.
Layout design assessment - 8
MRH-Oct 2014
