This layout can hold 120 cars and move 2 trains of about 30 cars
each. The design has 16 turnouts, or about one turnout for every
1.5 square feet of layout area (equivalent to 1 turnout per 3 square
feet in HO), which makes the density on this layout moderate as to
cost and maintenance effort. This plan’s turnout density is greater
than the Illinois Rail design, but less dense than the CB&Q design.
The typical train length of 30 cars and a dispatching threshold of 29
cars means the dispatcher may find it challenging to get two full-
length trains past each other without some planning.
A FINAL EXAMPLE: MY SISKIYOU LINE
Then of course, there’s my own HO Siskiyou Line layout. These stats
actually reveal some design tricks I used to get everything to fit.
Look closely and see if you can spot what I did.
