Wot no shunting?!

[PostModN66]

Now then..

...there is quite a bit of discussion on this forum about points - electrofrog vs. dead frog, how to wire the frogs, which point motors are the best, etc.... and quite a lot about the best uncoupling devices to use.

But when I visit exhibitions I often wonder; why bother?  The is because the majority of layouts that have rail-served factories, engine sheds, and goods-yards never actually move anything into or out of them, there is just an endless procession of through trains speeding by.

Of course there are exceptions; obviously if the model is of a terminus the loco has to be run-round the train (unless it's a DMU or push-pull train), but for many "roundy" style layouts you only ever see the "roundy" trains move whilst freight trains just sit forever in Purgatory Sidings waiting to be relieved of their load, and the locos stay endlessly on Eternity Shed waiting for their chance to pull a train like puppies in a dogs home waiting for an owner.

So should the advice on layout planning threads be; "don't bother with point motors, lock the points and wire the frogs permanently for the "main" because you won't actually ever throw those points?" 

What do you think?

Cheers Jon 

[RailGooner]

Controversial.

[PostModN66]

Controversial.

.....but I finished with a smiley! 

Cheers Jon 

...there's another....

[NeMo]

Couldn't agree more.

I've done wire-in-tube points, and electric points, but when I'm actually playing trains, I invariably end up using "the hand of God" to move the blades.

One thing that has to be said is that N isn't terribly good for shunting plank layouts. It lacks the reliability at low speed. O gauge is much nicer for that, and combined with DCC sound effects, even something as simple as an 08 playing with a couple 12T vans can be fascinating to watch given the high level of detailing possible in that scale.

Cheers, NeMo

[Rabbitaway]

I only use the continuous run lines and the passing loop at the station on my layout. I have a few sidings but they are now only used for show and I have even not reconnected the independent controller for the sidings. As a scenic modeller I like to watch the trains run in the landscape. I have no interest in shunting at all!

 

[ntpntpntp]

Personally I can't really be bothered with doing much shunting when I'm running the layout at a show.  There is limited provision for it and some of my operating team like to, but I'm definitely in the "keep something moving" camp, with station stops and starts and exchanging trains in the freight loops.  At least I know the pointwork and locos are up to the job of decent slow running when required.

I don't find it particularly interesting to watch shunting on other layouts either, if I'm honest.

[Intercity]

I'm not savvy on the exhibition layouts but shunting involves lots of coupling and uncoupling, with technology always changing and advancing can this be done wherever the train is located or does it need to happen at fixed places, the result may mean the unsightly hand of god coupler

[RailGooner]

Controversial.

.....but I finished with a smiley! 

Cheers Jon 

...there's another....

My post was as much in jest as yours Jon, hence the cheesy message icon and emoji.

[njee20]

If I'm playing at home I quite enjoy a bit of shunting, which invariably actually means just having something switch running line. Maybe put it in the bay platforms so I can bring something else out.

I can see why people don't tend to do this at exhibitions as it does require a bit more coordination between operators, concentration etc. Even more so actually shunting, which is usually inherently unrealistic unless it's been built as an integral part of the layout. Horseley Fields did it well with their steel terminal.

I do, conceptually, agree though. I like to see stuff traversing intricate pointwork, more than just zooming around. There seem to be more and more layouts that are just several concentric circles, with no scenic pointwork whatsoever, which always feels like a bit of a shame!

[bluedepot]

i suspect 2 reasons

1. the operators feel under pressure to keep trains running and so just go for simple mainline operations
2. the shunting is unreliable and they don't want a failure in front of a crowd


i think some more effort to have a few shunt or just light engine moves would be good though


tim

[Intercity]

One thing that a layout could have is an active MPD/TMD, it could be somewhat self contained, various engines moving around, even going off scene on the premise of going to get stock from carriage sidings, or engine moves to a different Depot.

Chances are this section could have its own operator just for that purpose, however for a lengthy period of time I could see it being tedious and repetitive after a while.

[RailGooner]

..
shunting involves lots of coupling and uncoupling, with technology always changing and advancing can this be done wherever the train is located
...

Yes. Deep pockets are an advantage though:

https://dcctrainautomation.co.uk/krois-modell/5444-krois-n-digital-standard-coupler-n-ds

[Skyline2uk]

This is something I have been mulling over for years, on both sides of the exhibition barrier.

My OCD tends to flair a bit when I see beautiful depots full of lovely Diesels all lined up next to a busy main line....and still all lined up 6 hours later when I come back to the layout again as a viewer.

However, having operated even a simple layout like Hedges Hill Cutting, I can speak from experiance when I say; I takes concentration and if you get too deep into a conversation with someone, little wheels leave track....

My proposed exhibition layout being end to end, I am attempting to do three types of operation:

1) Simple in and out shuttling (eventually automatically) from a terminus station.

2) Diesels arriving, fuelling, leaving or being stabelled / repaired in the depot.

3) Freight train run-rounds in a headshunt using (probably) magnetic couplings.

Only time will tell if I can do any/all of this whilst talking to the public!

Skyline2uk

[Newportnobby]

3) Fright train run-rounds in a headshunt using (probably) magnetic couplings.

Would they be ghost trains?

[Skyline2uk]

3) Fright train run-rounds in a headshunt using (probably) magnetic couplings.

Would they be ghost trains?

Well surely you wouldn't seem em if they were.....

Skyline2uk