2005-12 Overload From Donboy I was thinking that I could control the timing of the things I have to do and be busy but with some control over my time. Reality has played her hand and I expect just doing the absolute top priority items will keep me 200% busy (I can get to 200% because things that need to be done right away will still have to wait their turn this will mean I will have no chance to get caught up because I will in effect always be behind) from now until at least July of 2006. One result of this will be a winter without any model railroad time sigh..... Being busy doesn't stop me from thinking and I often think about my layout plans. With our layout plans we have to address our personal top priority items. My number one item to solve is dealing with number of miles a real railroad has between towns. The fact I do not have room for miles of track in my basement is an issue for me because moving tons of cargo for many miles is core to what a railroad does and what it is good at. If you remove the core of what a railroad does to build a layout it seems like it will not be a very good model of the railroad business. The following is a list of adjustments I am making to my layout to address and reduce the compression of distance that will be required to fit the layout in my basement. Have a lot of my main line track above head height and on narrow benchwork. This will allow at least three train lengths between towns. One side benefit of the high main line height is walk in around the room layout. My aisles will be 36” or greater. Use a quarter mushroom arrangement to add 24 feet of 30” benchwork. One section of raised floor to build but I don't expect that to be a problem. Model narrow gauge, shorter rolling stock, shorter trains and slower train speed to make the distance seem longer. Interlace the layout with other uses of the space. This will add at least 50 feet to the main line and can be done because of the height of the main line. I am reducing the “prototype” distance that the layout represents to three towns that are about 5 miles apart. In my case they will be under a half mile apart so I still have at least 10 to 1 compression. I plan to try using computer simulation software to run from staging to my yard so the arrival time from staging will be according to the amount of time it takes to travel the simulation. I don't know how this will work but I want to try it because using virtual space for the main line is one place we have plenty of room and I want to see how it works. In any case I have the computer so it will not cost me much to try. Items I have considered but rejected as impractical for me Out door running. This includes running the On30 through the wall and outside (worried about dirt, dust and wind doing that) or using G scale trains to run outside for the main line run and then jump back to On30 to do the switching (that would require a lot of duplicate equipment and at times I can have 100 head of elk in the yard and even G scale track might not take that) Running laps to get the distance. This does work to get the feeling of distance if you never cheat but real railroads don't run laps. N scale. I just like switching, N scale works for many people but I feel that I would have more fun with largest scale I can fit in. This was a real problem for me to resolve because large scale is in direct conflict with scale length of the mainline. I looked at going with G scale outside and having the switching areas inside. G scale is big inside even when all you need to build is a yard and a switching area and I don't like the fact that the equipment, buildings and people are all done to multiple scales. Fast clock speeds. For many years I thought the concept of a fast clock was a crafty idea. With my layout activity being largely switching I am changing my mind, I think the operators will have more fun it they have time to do their work without being in a panic to figure out their next move in 6:1 time. I plan to start with 1:1 time and see how it works and I don't expect to go over 2:1. I will limit my operating session length by running just part of a day at a time.