Model Railroading > Workin' the swing shift....

Hi guys.  Out walking the tracks down by the Roundhouse one evening, climbed up on a boxcar and snapped a picture with my Kodak Brownie of the Sweetwater dispatcher working the swing shift.   Yeah, I know....way too much time on my hands.....   ;-)
​Mark  <><

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Nicely done !

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

Got an offline request to see a daylight shot to show more detail...so...here 'tis
Mark  <><

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OK, I have to ask. Why the short track segments coming off the turntable? I have seen these before in other published photos, but never in the real world. 

markloos Wrote:
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> Got an offline request to see a daylight shot to
> show more detail...so...here 'tis
> Mark  <><

I lke 'em both!

-John

Storage for very short cars.

Jim
Hatboro, PA
 

Westbound Wrote:
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> OK, I have to ask. Why the short track segments
> coming off the turntable? I have seen these before
> in other published photos, but never in the real
> world. 

Manufacturers of model turntables will sometimes provide such stubs to make it easier to connect RTR track to their product.

It's rare on the prototype, though not unheard of, to provide an extra margin of safety opposite approach tracks, should the hostler overrun the ideal "fit" of the engine under his command.

-Larry Doyle

Hi Westbound.  Storage for hand cars ;-)  No, seriously, Larry hit the nail right on the head.  In model railroading, space is really important and over running the rail during ops sessions can create short tempers.  The "overrun" tracks are installed on my operation to catch side track errors from the operators (including myself - blush)   Some of our engines "just fit" the bridge with no margin for error.  If you like, you can see an example of what I'm talking about here    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz_KYiBW2XQ 
Keep your rails shiny.  Mark  <><