05-19-2009, 10:24 AM
I think one thing to keep in mind with a small switching layout is that you can only model a small area of a much larger railroad. You generally won't have two industries on the layout that "feed" each other. The layout is small enough that 2 industries close enough together to be on the same switching layout would not use railroads to move product, unless you are modeling before 1910. All of your industries should be either destinations or originating points for freight. You could also include a run through mainline that would allow a train to appear from someplace off layout and go through to another location off layout, but that would require hidden staging and take up valuable "real estate." You really don't even need a yard on a small switching layout if you want more industries. You use the "0-5-0" switcher to put trains on the layout or you could make a "fiddle yard" to bring the trains to the layout, and dedicate the entire layout to industries. Since you seem to be running small trains with small equipment, I think your turntable and round house scene may be too big for the space modeled. If you want a turntable, it might be more realistic to model a small turntable such as would have been found at the end of a branch line in the steam era. Instead of a roundhouse, you could either eliminate it altogether and just use the turntable for reversing the locomotive or perhaps a small two stall engine house. These are just a few other ideas to think about as you plan your railroad.