Update time! Its definitely been a fair bit of time.
I appreciate some of those thoughts, and some of those layout suggestions look really interesting. The Montana Rail Link layout is a pretty close approximation to some of the ideas. As far as not having operations, i am still considering that point, and what it means to actually have 'operations'. Consider this...
My intent *is* to model operations, but operations from the perspective of a rail fan sitting on the side of a scene, not operations from the perspective of running a railroad itself. To an observer sitting on a bench at Point of Rocks, or Horseshoe Curve, watching operations means watching different trains come at random periods of time, heading in different directions, on different tracks, with different cars and lengths. Given a staging yard and some computer automation, modeling operations at a scene that describes an interesting section of mainline should be feasible. And its what I enjoy most about the railroad personally.
I know everyone has their kicks and grins differently. For me, when I actually go rail fan, I dont go to industry, I go to where I can see trains en route, moving people, moving freight, and giving life to some geographical area. I personally never really care about the endpoints as a function of freight or passenger movement. I care more about them as an artistic function that helps to visually describe a place and time.
My intent is to approach this from the perspective of a model builder where ultimately I want to create an operational model of some portion of a railroad that I can 'rail fan' with my eyeballs. For me, the emphasis is first on the model building (the journey) rather than the rail fanning portion (the destination). Kind of like riding a motorcycle.
I very well may put some industry on my layout, but more than likely, it will be part of a description as to what that place in time is, but it will more than likely not be to create an 'operational' aspect to that line. I get that I very well may be different that most of you al.
I do appreciate how you guys are helping me think through this.
Room construction has actually begun and should be done a couple of weeks. Its amazing how long things take now. COVID seems to have everyone building and doing home improvement. Though, with this new found space, I am revisiting the idea of size and subject. Being new to this I suspect I am going to flounder here for a bit.
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John
