single or Double Track ?

[farmer ron]

I have an idea as to what I am going to do on the new layout. It will be 6 ft by 12 ft rectangle with two off shoots to logging areas, one being sawmill and other being log loading areas. I am undecided on whether to double track or put single track in with passing sidings. With the sidings in there will not be that much single track. I know that with double track I can run two trains at once but am wondering if double tracking on a layout of this size would be too much (appearance wise) ? Any suggestions or comments? Thanks Ron..

Good news is that I have the wood, track, switches to get started, haying for the next two days then its time to build a layout !!!!!!!

 

[scoobyloven]

frist of all what scale is it. i done lyaouts in ho and n scale. that is a good sizes layout when you get it done. my new n scale layout would be my 4th lyaout i did and it's goind to be my 3rd in n scale. i always use a 2 main line on my layouts. but for one i built for my son it's only a single. as most of us here would say it's your layout and if you want a doubble main line then go with it if you can get it in to the plan. on my new layout i planed it where my in side line dose all the work and my out side line is for when i have pepole over that just wants to see them run but i have it set up for i can switch from out side to in side. it's all up to you and on how you would run it when you get to that point

 

[billk]

farmer ron - I think it would depend on that sort of atmosphere you're trying to create - a big $$ outfit or a just-getting-by, more back-woodsy type of thing. If the latter, there would be very little double track and even a minimum of passing sidings. Such an operation would be lucky to have enough locomotives to worry about meeting each other, anyway! But a big-buck operation would focus more on efficiency and would use doubletrack and more sidings just to keep things moving.

ps - Haying's hard work - take a day to rest up!

 

[shamus]

Hi
Even if I was going to spend a million on a model railroad logging line, it would still only have a single line winding it's way into the woods with just the odd passing siding now and again for a run around.

Shamus

 

[60103]

Hey Ron: how many people are going to operate your layout (normally)? If it's just you, double track may be the way to go, then you could set up 2 trains to run and switch the branch as well. If you have a gang, then you could set meets on the single track.
CN through our area is single track with passing sidings, although one siding goes from Brampton to Georgetown and is about 10 miles long. (It actually runs from the Etobicoke Creek to the Credit River ... CN doesn't spend money on double track bridges over rivers without a very good reason.)

 

[rockislandmike]

I'm with David; you may want double track for continuous running, but single track is definitely more interesting operationally (and visually IMHO). If possible, you may wanna consider having the second track go behind a backdrop to make a loop.