Great transition to another

Great transition to another article while providing a hint as to how one can make use of the formulas, and the information that they produce.

It's interesting seeing

It's interesting seeing concepts spanning decades coming together to inform "modern" layout design. I am wondering if the prototype uses formulae to calculate yard design?

Now THAT makes sense!

What a fantastic article!  This makes complete sense to me, and as you said elevates planning from drawing lines to look cool to designing a plan where form follows function. I am currently in the middle of building a room size N scale empire, the track plan based on what looked cool to me. I can now tweak it using these formulae so my trains will have deliberate movements. Excellent piece, keep up the great work!

Siskiyou Line and Coos Bay

It's wonderful to hear those branch lines names again.  I worked in Eugene, OR as a Carman for 15 years before being promoted and moving to Denver.  Derailments and mobile car repair took me all over the Division during that time.  Now, since the merger with Union Pacific in the mid 90s (which again moved me, this time to Omaha), it's nearly al gone in Eugene.  A sad thing to see when  last visited there 8 years ago.

Enjoy your column very much.  Especially this one that sparks memories.

George ...

My modest solution to staging

Great editorial Joe,

        I run both HO and On30 at the same time (on same tracks) in an attic measuring 14' wide

by 38 feet long.  The central peninsula section measures about 4 ft wide and 18 ft long and has two

levels. The under level is for staging and reaches the upper "Aberdeen, Washington" main yard level

by a 3.7 percent grade. This worked out to a 10 inch vertical separation between the 2 levels.

I can reach completely into the lower "Hoquiam Yard" over the staging tracks without knocking over

cars. But my main point is that there are 4 staging stub-sidings facing east and 3 facing west with

a 30 deg. crossover on each direction's entry lead. This overlap compresses all staging track nicely

into the 18 foot length.  BTW, I run both scales to work out visual illusion effects (if possible).

Dick