How Long is Your Mian Line?


Greg@mnrr

Section Hand
Several days ago while watching my trains running on the Milwaukee Northern's mainline, I wondered how long other Forum members mainlines actually are...my is surprising short. I run the trains very slowly and they take much longer to travel a complete route.

I designed the layout for more switching and operation, purposely I built in some difficult switching moves.

Not being nosy, just interested.

Thanks for sharing.

Greg
 
It Depends. Grin.gif My layout is a point to point, but also can run a continuous loop with the use of hidden staging tracks. On th visible track from one end to the other of the point to point is roughly only around 85 feet, but using the hidden staging tracks a complete loop is around 120 feet.

My layout, like yours was built as a switching layout. Even with a rather short main line run, a local train of around a dozen cars can take a couple of hours to complete its route. I also run slowly, and with many switching moves required to pick up and drop off cars, nothing runs at Lionel speeds.
 
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How long is your main line
That is a hard question to answer. If I consider the modular units, and if I would hook them all up, and if one considers the main to be the distance a train has to travel from point A back to point A in the same direction the answer is - 1.9 scale miles. Since it is loop to loop, in that configuration if the "main" is considered only from one loop to the next (like double track) then the distance would be a little less than half that (because the loops would be excluded). Minimum radius 22"

I have several other layouts. The N-scale one is easy it has a true triple track main of 0.76 scale miles. Minimum radius 45" (yes 45 not 4.5).

The "professionally built" HO one would be right round the 0.4 scale miles. It has a longer alternate route on the inside main. minimum radius 18".

I believe all the others are too short to even count - as one can run the caboose 1" in front of the locomotive.

On the other hand, not my layout, but it is the layout I spend most time operating on a regular basis has a single track mainline of 20.5 scale miles. Minimum radius 36"
 
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I mainly do switching on a point to point configuration. My lower level is 165' from tail end of the staging yard to the other. Since the staging yards are 16' long, I guess that makes the main 133'. On the not yet completed upper level, it will have allowances for continuous running (removable stoop-under at 54") with a single staging yard off to the side of the main. It will be 176'. I have included turnouts for a helix which I calculate at an additional 75', but I may choose not to build it. It will require an 8' x 5' abutment to the train shed if I do build it.

Willie
 
My mainline is 170' of double main line and since you can enter the staging area and come out at another exit with the helix, I could add another 210' for a total of 380' of main line. I have just a bit more than 1,100 feet of tracks.
 
The D&J Railroad has a double track mainline of 6.5 scale miles. That's two tracks, 6.5 scale miles each. 14 industries of various lengths of track but the intermodal yard is a little over a scale mile long from end to end.
 
The D&J Railroad has a double track mainline of 6.5 scale miles. That's two tracks, 6.5 scale miles each. 14 industries of various lengths of track but the intermodal yard is a little over a scale mile long from end to end.

394.5 feet each? I have track envy...

BTW: your videos are awesome, fabulous and inspirational. Make more.
 
I am just starting to prove and to ballast a double main around the walls, that comprise a folded loop with a through truss bridge as the overpass. The loops are about 30' with wide curves since it is around-the-room with a central operating pit.
 



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