Space available is elongated room 32’6" long by 13' with outside door and door to house as shown. Must leave doors unblocked and aisle as shown to reach bathroom to rear. Cannot extend beyond space shown on plan.
Share space with under the benchwork model workshop and storage areas
HO scale
Small closet available as work area or future dispatcher office.
Druthers:
Point to point operations with continuous running option
Single track main line with passing sidings
Emphasize thru train operations
Local freight operations to serve local industries, team tracks and freight depots
32" minimum radius.
1950s era with 40’, and 50’ freight cars, 80’ passenger cars, and assorted steam locomotives consolidations, mikados, pacifics) and/or early diesels in blue and gray scheme.
Typical thru freight trains will be 15 to 20 cars
Typical local freight trains will be 5 to 12 cars.
Typical passenger trains will be 4 to 7 cars.
Southern Missouri setting with lots of "open and spacious" feeling. Should have at least 1 farm scene, stream crossing, and Hills (Ozarks) off in the distance.
Inspired by Missouri Pacific's main in southern Missouri - northern Arkansas
Attempt to capture "look and feel" of real locations. As much as practical use prototype-like track plans, buildings, and settings, but adapted to fit with no apologies.
Parallel Frisco trackage into Harviell (prototypical) with working interchange (not really prototypical but to enhance operational possibilities).
Operations modeled to and inspired by Missouri Pacific train schedule, with modifications to fit layout limitations.
Single level walk around design (with lower level loops/staging) with Digital Command Control (DCC) and sound
Adequate aisles for operation by one to eight people (usually paired as engineer-conductor crews, and dispatcher).
Operating ? signaling system on main line
Walkaround "scenically pure" layout where only 1 scene at a time can be viewed so as to focus attention on the trains.
Variable lighting to simulate hot summer day, as well as dawn, dusk, and night
Vissible track will be CV ties with code 83 mainline, and code 70 sidings, spurs, yards, with perhaps some code 55 spurs
Toggle (electrical) turnout controls on the fascia for upper (visible) level: DCC w/ macros for the lower level.
Adjacent living room available for seating, table, refreshments, library, video entertainment