Ian Holmes Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 Thank you everyone for the kind words about The Dispatch. Issue 1 will soon be ready for you. Like any editor I’m waiting for a couple of contributors to finish their articles… Ian 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry1975 Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 Can't wait to see the first issue. Jerry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted August 7, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 7, 2021 I've just seen Dispatch 1 in the other thread - all excellent and inspiring layouts. Thanks for putting it together Ian. I was never sure whether Carl included fiddle yards and traversers within his "3-4 square feet" principle. Does anyone have thoughts on this? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Keith Addenbrooke Posted August 7, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 7, 2021 41 minutes ago, Mikkel said: I've just seen Dispatch 1 in the other thread - all excellent and inspiring layouts. Thanks for putting it together Ian. I was never sure whether Carl included fiddle yards and traversers within his "3-4 square feet" principle. Does anyone have thoughts on this? One of my favourite of Carl’s designs from his Micro-Layout Gallery, and which was based on a model of an engine terminal built by American modeller E.L.Moore, is stated as needing “a cassette or extension” in order to be operational. This suggests to me that the space needed for a removable cassette could be added to the 4 sq. ft. Other designs in the gallery include a hidden track within the 4 sq. ft. I’m not sure that would extend to a larger traverser or fixed fiddle yard though. Of course, one advantage of American shortline railroading (ideally suited to the micro-layout concept) is that there’d often only be one train a day, so room to hold multiple consists wasn’t needed. Other, smaller, estate-type operations (Carl’s “Square-foot Estate” Gn15 layout springs to mind) might have only had one train to run anyway. Hope that helps, Keith. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnaby Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Hello Jim your comments are very true. Murphy scriptor legis 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 5 hours ago, Mikkel said: I've just seen Dispatch 1 in the other thread - all excellent and inspiring layouts. Thanks for putting it together Ian. I was never sure whether Carl included fiddle yards and traversers within his "3-4 square feet" principle. Does anyone have thoughts on this? Mikkel: four square feet is the scenic area. Fiddle yards and whatever train storage system you use to make the layout operation do not count towards that limit. I hope that helps Ian 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBRJ Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Only found out about this today, and now I have briefly read through both issues, I must say I am very impressed with it 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 6 minutes ago, LBRJ said: Only found out about this today, and now I have briefly read through both issues, I must say I am very impressed with it I hope you'll consider subscribing then. The perk of being a subscriber is that you get access to the issues a week before everyone else. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Keith Addenbrooke Posted August 7, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) 13 hours ago, Mikkel said: I've just seen Dispatch 1 in the other thread - all excellent and inspiring layouts. Thanks for putting it together Ian. I was never sure whether Carl included fiddle yards and traversers within his "3-4 square feet" principle. Does anyone have thoughts on this? As a further twist, some of Carl’s Micro Layout designs used hidden traversers or Sector plates to move stock around the layout - not as storage (“Carl’s Exports” Shoebox had a Sector plate, while his “Baby Grand Central” had a hidden traverser). Edited August 7, 2021 by Keith Addenbrooke 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted August 7, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) Interesting thoughts, gents. I asked because if the fiddle yard or traverser doesn't count, the operational scope of micro layouts opens up significantly. For example, an earlier incarnation of one my layouts (a goods depot) allowed this shunting puzzle - the blue bit is the actual layout, the rest is a FY on a separate board: On other layouts I have had even more of the operation off-scene. I personally like that, one reason being that you then avoid having to cram the scenic section full of track, which tends to make small layouts look even smaller. But I'm guessing that some will find it is not really a micro-layout then. One rule of thumb could be that an FY/traverser should not be larger than the layout. However that would still allow for a layout which effectively is 2x4 sq feet... Edited August 7, 2021 by Mikkel To clarify 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 Gentlemen. We're soon going to be in danger of severely overthinking this. Ian 2 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted August 7, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) Hi Jim, Yes, that's how it later developed, as seen below. This was the traverser Mk1, another more sturdy one has since appeared. Anyway, back to the Dispatch. I was quite taken by Bob's "Book End" micro. Whatever next. Bog Roll? Edited August 8, 2021 by Mikkel 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 I enjoyed a brief browse of the preview, but would note that Birkenhead is not a suburb of Liverpool! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkenhead we had trams before them too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnaby Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 Really Simon, but all the horses have their noses painted RED, don't de. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Legroom Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 I’ve only just spotted this thread and had a quick look at your online magazine. I was a big fan of Carl Arendt and his original website and I’m thrilled that you have produced something in the same spirit. It’s made my day! All the best Max 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted August 17, 2021 Author Share Posted August 17, 2021 On 16/08/2021 at 16:34, Max Legroom said: I’ve only just spotted this thread and had a quick look at your online magazine. I was a big fan of Carl Arendt and his original website and I’m thrilled that you have produced something in the same spirit. It’s made my day! All the best Max Thanks Max. I'm glad you like it. If you've anything you'd like to submit, that would be great. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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