Staging - is it really necessary?

[cv_acr]

Are you actually "operating" the layout with realistic switching and train ops, or just "railfanning" moving trains?

Staging does two things:
1 provides storage/parking space for trains that aren't "on the layout"
2 represents connections to the rest of the world "beyond the basement"

If you just have a few trains and like to run them around the loop to watch them run, you don't really need staging.
If you just have a small switching layout intended to run a single engine/train by a single operator at a time, you can get away with "staging" the inbound cars in a yard or siding track that an imaginary/un -modeled mainline train dropped off "overnight".

Just have some way of representing how your railroad logically connects to the rest of the world. (This could be just modelling an interchange track or yard, full hidden staging allowing you to extend your mainline to other points, a car ferry, or a break-bulk reloading transfer (e.g. between an isolated narrow guage and standard guage system)

 

[jim81147]

My intention is to have an operating layout with a railfanning capability . The reason I am having thoughts on the hidden staging , even though I can see the usefulness/need for it , is that even if the staging yard is only 8 inches below the main ( which I am not sure is enough actually ) layout it will take 32 feet of grade to get there and 32 feet to get back if my math is correct and I want a 2% grade max . That , all of a sudden takes up ALOT of room and while I know it is done all the time I have never seen benchwork framing for it so I am not sure just exactly how I would build it .

 

[bnsf971]

My intention is to have an operating layout with a railfanning capability . The reason I am having thoughts on the hidden staging , even though I can see the usefulness/need for it , is that even if the staging yard is only 8 inches below the main ( which I am not sure is enough actually ) layout it will take 32 feet of grade to get there and 32 feet to get back if my math is correct and I want a 2% grade max . That , all of a sudden takes up ALOT of room and while I know it is done all the time I have never seen benchwork framing for it so I am not sure just exactly how I would build it .

It might be a good idea if you tell us what scale you're going to be doing all this in. Depending on scale, a scenery divider along the back will hide your staging, and eliminate any need for grades.

 

[Toolbelt]

With the cost of rolling stock these days, dammed if I'm going to park them where they can't be seen.

 

[jim81147]

My layout is HO scale . My room is 29x18 . The design I am working on is around the walls with a big peninsula

 

[kgstakes]

Rail fanning why have staging at all? Have a small yard with your trains made up and run one one way and run the other way (two track main) and watch where they meet. You don’t HAVE to have a staging yard or track at all in the since we’re talking. Just use a small yard and heck if it’s just you running the layout. Use passing sidings as you “staging tracks” and when you meet up that train. Stop change trains and go on then when you get back to the first train (with what ever train you have now) park that one and run the one you originally started with.

Seems a little weird to do that but it would work for a single operator or maybe even two operators. And you have all your cars in the open and all your engines ready to pull a train and even if you have some switching to do put that in the mix to. Makes it interesting. A two or three track yard would be good to store trains too that way you could change which train is waiting where for the next session.

Anyway just an idea. It’s your railroad run it the way it makes you feel happy. That’s really all that matters.

Have a great day!!!

 

[santafewillie]

With the cost of rolling stock these days, dammed if I'm going to park them where they can't be seen.

Boy do I agree 100%! That's one reason why all of my yards are visible.

 

[Guilford Railman]

The layout I’m currently building isn’t very large but the yard I’m building is a combination of staging and a classifying yard. It will allow just enough space to move a few cars around and store a few others. I thought about additional staging during the design phase but I ultimately decided on just having a few tracks that were long enough to accommodate my needs and provide operational interest. As long as you find a good balance with the amount of track you need and can accommodate your planned operations, you don’t really need anything more than that

 

[kgstakes]

My layout is HO scale . My room is 29x18 . The design I am working on is around the walls with a big peninsula

Room size, does that include an area for your workbench to build stuff out is that in a different area?

If it is in the same room, think about some sort of separation between the two to keep dust and such from getting to the layout. You don’t want to be airbrushing out painting with a rattle can and have overspray on layout. Booth would help but you still have to vent that and that could be a problem depending on where the room is and how your work area is set up in that room.

Years ago when my hobby bench was in the same room I put it in a closet and when I wasn’t working on it I could close the door and all you seen was the layout when you came into the room. My painting was done at that time in the garage so didn’t have to worry too much about overspray or anything getting on the layout.

Just some thoughts

 

[jim81147]

The room is just for the layout . I also build alot of armor and ships so that area is in a different location .

 

[kgstakes]

The room is just for the layout . I also build alot of armor and ships so that area is in a different location .

Ships hhhmmm are you apart of Model Ship World forum also?

 

[jim81147]

I have been known to haunt that forum from time to time

 

[kgstakes]

I have been known to haunt that forum from time to time

The only ship/boat I’ve built so far is the Mississippi riverboat by Occre

 

[Iron Horseman]

Boy do I agree 100%! That's one reason why all of my yards are visible.

I don't know if I agree or not. I think folks notice high detail on the cars if there are only a few of them passing by in a train where there is time to examine each one. As opposed to a sea of 100s of them in a yard where they all sort of blur together. Seems like more fodder for another science project.

 

[flyboy2610]

The room is just for the layout . I also build alot of armor and ships so that area is in a different location .

I enjoy modeling 1/35 scale armor myself.

 

[kgstakes]

I enjoy modeling 1/35 scale armor myself.

https://flic.kr/p/2pYUvW6

Nice!! Ever put them in a diorama scene?

 

[riogrande5761]

I have 11 tracks in stating ranging from 17' to 24' in length. Purpose, I have a lot of trains and that gives more places to park trains. to get more on the rails.

 

[jim81147]

Very nice , clean work . Would it be possible to show a pic of how you are getting from top to bottom? Also can you share where you got the homasote board ? I can not find it anywhere . Every search result ends in a big goose egg.

 

[flyboy2610]

Nice!! Ever put them in a diorama scene?

Not yet. I may do a diorama one'a these days, though.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I enjoy modeling 1/35 scale armor myself.

https://flic.kr/p/2pYUvW6

What is it? Looks like post WWII but other than that I don't know much about tanks.