[tbarber1027]

I am working on a "Best Practices for model railroading" document. See attached screenshot of my spreadsheet. Any suggestions for additions or corrections?

 

[CTValleyRR]

As with your other list, the concept is great, but you need to invest a heck of a lot more effort before you ask for comments. Once more, you've made a microscopic scratch in the surface of a very deep subject.

Entire books of several hundred pages have been written about model railroading; possible procedures and best practices. Many of what some call "best practices" aren't, they're personal preferences (nails vs adhesive, for one). And certainly, for this document to have any value, you would have to expand beyond N scale. You would need to develop or research more general guidelines. For example, several authors have tackled the subject of "minimum curve radius" (2.5x the longest equipment that will run on it) but what's the "best practice" 5x? Maybe, but few of us have that much space. Is it 3x? Maybe, if the individual user is ok with the somewhat toylike appearance of the cars. There are even a fair number of model railroaders who would not recommend conversion to metal wheels or Kadee couplers.

 

[D&J Railroad]

You might do as well writing about best practices in home construction.

 

[Tom_C]

I am working on a "Best Practices for model railroading" document. See attached screenshot of my spreadsheet. Any suggestions for additions or corrections?

Keep it up! I'm sure it will be a valuable resource!

 

[65446]

Your intentions are certainly admirable..
But the items on your list are eventually understood and memorized by most, anyway..Add to that they can only be dictates of your RR practices..Others may not agree with them..
I'm not up to date with it, but for decades the NMRA has already set the standards and practices for designing, building, and maintaining model railways..Yet following theirs or yours can only serve those who wish to abide by them..it being only a hobby..

 

[tbarber1027]

Keep it up! I'm sure it will be a valuable resource!

---
THANKS for the encouragement!

 

[Lee Willis]

Uh, far to small. You are focusing on what scale? Looks like N. That makes it best practices for N scale. Need to identify that. Totally wrong for, say, O-Gauge.

Then, I guess the question is who decides what is best?

 

[tbarber1027]

As with your other list, the concept is great, but you need to invest a heck of a lot more effort before you ask for comments. Once more, you've made a microscopic scratch in the surface of a very deep subject.

Entire books of several hundred pages have been written about model railroading; possible procedures and best practices. Many of what some call "best practices" aren't, they're personal preferences (nails vs adhesive, for one). And certainly, for this document to have any value, you would have to expand beyond N scale. You would need to develop or research more general guidelines. For example, several authors have tackled the subject of "minimum curve radius" (2.5x the longest equipment that will run on it) but what's the "best practice" 5x? Maybe, but few of us have that much space. Is it 3x? Maybe, if the individual user is ok with the somewhat toylike appearance of the cars. There are even a fair number of model railroaders who would not recommend conversion to metal wheels or Kadee couplers.

---------------
"you need to invest a heck of a lot more effort before you ask for comments..." According to which requirement, yours?
I see absolutely nothing wrong with asking fellow modelers for their suggestions on best practices in the hobby. I am compiling a list. I already know that there are many different opinions out there.

 

[Tom_C]

---
THANKS for the encouragement!

You're welcome! You will see that I have posted some "stuff" that I think may (or probably not) help anyone else. But, I post it just because. If nothing else it's there so I have a reference for later... I keep documentation of what I've done cause I will never remember what I did... but if I ever lose it, then it will be posted here

Keep doing what you're doing. If it helps someone, great. Chances are it helps YOU, and that's the important thing.

Tom

 

[mesenteria]

Hi, there. I like your enthusiasm, and I like the idea in principle.

I do have an observation, or more a question: what do you mean by placing adhesive caulk '...every 5 inches...?' From which source did you glean this advice? It runs contrary to my own experience, especially when it relates to curved flexible track lengths. It might be quite adequate with 'sectional track', but it won't be suitable for either the roadbed or the flex track along curves, and the sharper the curve, the worse advice it is. Instead, a spread, originally thin, bead of latex caulk is needed along the entire length of a curve, not just every few inches.

 

[Dennis461]

I am working on a "Best Practices for model railroading" document. See attached screenshot of my spreadsheet. Any suggestions for additions or corrections?

Interesting idea.

 

[gregc]

I am working on a "Best Practices for model railroading" document. Any suggestions for additions or corrections?

a comprehensive list of what to cover is a starting point. And it is "Practices", there's no one best way to do any particular thing.

a far from complete list of topics

- benchwork
  - shelf
  - l-girder
  - foam vs wood
  - cookie cutter
  - splines
  - dropdown

- layout design
  - grades
  - mainline, branch and spur radii

- track
  - mainline, branch spur code
  - roadbed thickness
  - hand laid construction
  - flex vs sectional
  - feeder connections

- turnouts
  - size selection
  - advantages of commercial products
  - live vs isolated frogs
  - hand laid constructions variations
  - switch machine options
  - turnout throw linkage

- wiring
  - centralize vs distributed
  - panel construction
  - computer control
  - power districts
  - DC, DCC, wireless, ...
    - DC control options
    - DCC control opions
      - DCC booster, circuit breaker
    - decoders options

- scenery
- structures

 

[D&J Railroad]

Nobody has mentioned signaling or tunnel interior design.
Don't forget insurance and how to coexist with a spouse who has no interest.

 

[mesenteria]

Nobody has mentioned signaling or tunnel interior design.
Don't forget insurance and how to coexist with a spouse who has no interest.

Beg pardon, Cap'n, but I think she must have at least some interest. At the lowest point, she'd want you to be happy, involved, creative, healthy mentally...would she not? Maybe she'd only want to have you handy....close-by.