Which way?


HayManMarc

HayManMarc

Member
Here's a dumb little weird question for ya..

When displaying static locos and trains on a shelf or in a display case, do you face them towards the left or the right?

Another question to go with that (sorta)...

When designing a small loop layout (like on a sheet of plywood), do you design for clockwise or counter-clockwise travel?

(There are no wrong answers, just wondering what people do. My little layout is designed to run clockwise, and I typically set displays facing to the left. When I was a kid, I usually drew locos facing left.)
 
Hmm… I guess my locos on display face ”good side out” which for me would mean best weathering, decals, railings, details.
On the layout they run whichever way I need to switch industries along the way.
Generally locos with the best lights and sound lead the way.
I get what you’re saying about the loop thing, I tend to go counter clockwise in that case.
I drew locos on fire.
Wonder what a shrink would have to say about that? 😝
 
I point most em to the right.
20230118_203243.jpg
 
HayManMarc said:
When displaying static locos and trains on a shelf or in a display case, do you face them towards the left or the right?
Click to expand...
Depends on the display. Some locos, especially steamers do have a "better" side so one can show the compressors, or feedwater tubes, or whatever better.


HayManMarc said:
When designing a small loop layout (like on a sheet of plywood), do you design for clockwise or counter-clockwise travel?
Click to expand...

The last layout I did doesn't really have a direction. I run the trains one direction one time and then flip and run the other direction the next time. There is a suicide route though. Clockwise one can take either the main or the passing track and it is no big deal there is just a single turnout the rejoins the two. Counter-clockwise there is a crossover from main to main, that is, if one goes straight it is a stub ended siding that runs directly off the end of the layout. SOOO the rule for display running is Counter-clockwise running the train has to take the passing track rather than the main so it can sit there and run all day unattended without worrying about it picking a point and heading down the spur to the floor.
 
HayManMarc said:
When displaying static locos and trains on a shelf or in a display case, do you face them towards the left or the right?
Click to expand...
Steam faces right, diesels left, ugly duckling's face forward.

HayManMarc said:
When designing a small loop layout (like on a sheet of plywood), do you design for clockwise or counter-clockwise travel?
Click to expand...
Passenger traffic goes anti-clockwise, freight traffic clockwise. (only way I can reverse my freight into the industrial yards)
 
HayManMarc said:
Here's a dumb little weird question for ya..

When displaying static locos and trains on a shelf or in a display case, do you face them towards the left or the right?

Another question to go with that (sorta)...

When designing a small loop layout (like on a sheet of plywood), do you design for clockwise or counter-clockwise travel?

(There are no wrong answers, just wondering what people do. My little layout is designed to run clockwise, and I typically set displays facing to the left. When I was a kid, I usually drew locos facing left.)
Click to expand...
Due to their mechanics, our models do not ride the rails as the prototype does. Our tires are not truncated cone-shaped, and the rail heads are not shaped in such a way as to encourage the metal tires to ride over the tops and leave the flanges free to revolve without friction. So, this means that if one runs one's trains the same direction, over time the flanges will wear and the wheelsets will need to be replaced. So, my policy, to the extent I can remember to do it each time I remove a locomotive or car from storage and play with them for a few weeks (in rotation), is to run them about equally in both directions until I put them away, or I'll try to turn the items partway through the weeks-long time they're on the layout.

As for display, I tend to put mine on a small diorama that has tracks angled from right-rear toward the front-left. So, my engines are displayed on the fireman's side, usually showing air pumps, feedwater pump, and the usual air tanks with condenser tubes.
 
Your locos would have to rack up quite a few hours of running time to wear anything down.
I'm referring to hours each day for months on end.
The only time I ever saw wear on HO scale stuff was in Gadsden, AL. They have a layout in their community center that runs trains the whole time they are open, every day, seven days a week. Over a period of at least ten years, some of the rail began showing wear with a narrowing of the rail head.
 
It's mostly irrelevant to me, as I don't display any locos. I always run my diesels in consists from one end of a point to point layout to the other. I don't reverse the setup, but just swap ends or trains to the other end without removing them from the layout. Then they automatically run backwards the next time...actually frontwards since I lash them up tail to tail. You know what I mean.
07-12-19 001.001.JPG
 
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