montanan
Whiskey Merchant
Mark, I started building my layout probably over 30 years ago. There was no DCC back then and of course I do have multiple blocks. I run 2 hand held throttles so needless to say, I do have numerous block switches. If I were to be starting a new layout, I would probably go with DCC for the simplicity of wiring. I purposely put a two and a half percent grade on the layout to limit what a single locomotive could handle on the grades which also determined the length of the passing sidings, which is about 15 cars. Being that my layout was built for switching, I have no reason to run more than one train at a time. If I did, there would probably be a wreck sooner or later.
I can double head. back some time in the mid 80's I believe, Atlas released their series of Alco RS series locomotives with the Kato drive and I scarfed up a bunch of them and custom painted them for my railroad. They have excellent low speed control plus they all run at almost the exact same speed. I was screwing around a while ago and just kept adding cars to a train to see how many I could get up the grade. Here is a video of a shortened version. I added more cars to this train and a pusher at the rear, but the battery crapped out on the camcorder. I think I ended up with 97 cars on the train.
[video=youtube;3p6VEsjM1tc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p6VEsjM1tc&list=UUpe539gp80GddF84WMrSNzw& index=9[/video]
As I also mentioned, I really don't need sound at home. If visitors come over, I may put a sound locomotive on and let it run for them.
At the club, the members do run prototypically. With the grade they have, they will use pushers up the grade, cut them off at the top and run them back down the grade if another train is not following. If there is a following train, the pushers will take a passing siding until it is clear to go down grade. Most of the members do run more modern equipment so there is not much passenger service. I will run a mixed train from time to time and will stop at all of the stations, using proper horn signals. Myself, I do prefer the transition era. I grew up in the 50's and 60's with relatives working on both the Milwaukee Road and the Northern Pacific and was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to have ridden with them. Guess that's one of the reasons I got hooked on trains.
I can double head. back some time in the mid 80's I believe, Atlas released their series of Alco RS series locomotives with the Kato drive and I scarfed up a bunch of them and custom painted them for my railroad. They have excellent low speed control plus they all run at almost the exact same speed. I was screwing around a while ago and just kept adding cars to a train to see how many I could get up the grade. Here is a video of a shortened version. I added more cars to this train and a pusher at the rear, but the battery crapped out on the camcorder. I think I ended up with 97 cars on the train.
[video=youtube;3p6VEsjM1tc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p6VEsjM1tc&list=UUpe539gp80GddF84WMrSNzw& index=9[/video]
As I also mentioned, I really don't need sound at home. If visitors come over, I may put a sound locomotive on and let it run for them.
At the club, the members do run prototypically. With the grade they have, they will use pushers up the grade, cut them off at the top and run them back down the grade if another train is not following. If there is a following train, the pushers will take a passing siding until it is clear to go down grade. Most of the members do run more modern equipment so there is not much passenger service. I will run a mixed train from time to time and will stop at all of the stations, using proper horn signals. Myself, I do prefer the transition era. I grew up in the 50's and 60's with relatives working on both the Milwaukee Road and the Northern Pacific and was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to have ridden with them. Guess that's one of the reasons I got hooked on trains.