Track Modifications

Operating Sessions

When I first completed this layout in the garden the main goal, like most people, was to run my trains in a loop. But after a few years this got somewhat boring. Then with the change to radio control and battery power I could see new opportunities in how I operated the trains. One day when another member of our garden railway club and I were running our trains we decided to try to operate our trains like a real railroad. This necessitated the development of an operational system and making a few adjustments to our layouts.

The first year was spent with biweekly sessions alternating between our two setups.

At the end of each session we would discuss the system we were using and possible changes we needed to make to the layouts.

What I propose to do is to describe the changes that have been made and why they were necessary. My layout has four main sections in which the following modifications have been made:

In the Chute Lake Section 1. lengthen the arms of the “Y”

2. create a stockyard siding

3. install a cross over track at the log loader

In the Juliet Junction Section 4. build a lift out bridge in the Trout Creek Trestle

5. install a siding from the swing bridge to the

Juliet Section House

In the Summerland Section 6. double track from the swimg bridge to Summerland

7. build a new double track bridge

8. relocate the ice house

9. install an Ice house siding

10. create a rail yard where the ice house was

In the Coalmont Section 11. create a drop off siding