How long is too long?

So whenever I discuss my layout plans it always seems to come back to the same thing. No its not that my minimum 40 inch radius curves are too broad and reducung them could make more layout fit in a smaller space. Nor is it that the #8 turnouts aren't necessary and #6 turnouts would work just fine. The topic that is constantly brought up is that my train length might be on the long side and by decreasing train length I could decrease siding length and fit more layout into a smaller space.  Now I am not saying that these people don't have valid points as I do see where they are coming from. That said it appears I need to layout why I have settled on the train lengths I have.

"What we have here, is failure to communicate"

As the great line from "Cool Hand Luke" states part of the issue may be a breakdown in communication between myself and readers. Also it should be noted that the communication problem encountered here may be of my own doing, after rereading some previous posts I noticed I was using the term average train length. This was a misnomer on my part as in order to be average there would have to be equal number of trains longer and shorter than that length. Standard train length would be another misleading term as I do not plan on having every train be the same length, some will be shorter and on occasion some might be longer.  A more appropriate term would be maximum length for standard trains; anything longer would require special considerations from the dispatcher.

Using the accepted 50 foot car length as my standard I had set this train length at 25 cars plus the appropriate motive power. Having developed a spread sheet that stated the number of locomotives needed based on number of cars and the train length of a 25 car train is approximately 20 feet long. Also since I am modeling the end of the caboose era I needed to figure lengths for trains with and without a caboose.

The helper set length should read 142' scale (1.75' actual) it has since been fixed on the source spreadsheet

So do I really need trains this long and the sidings long enough to handle them? I say yes and here are my big three reasons.

Prototype operations

I consider myself a prototype modeler however I recognize that we must make exceptions and some exceptions are easier to make than others. Some people are rivet counters, where as I dont really worry about some of that stuff as long as it looks passable. I am not adverse to stand in cars on the layout while other people I am good friends with cringe at the thought of this.  Where I draw my line in the sand is train length.  I model the 1970s through 1990s  and during this time frame an average mainline train was around 100 cars. If I was modeling 1950s Colorado narrow gauge then 10 to 12 car trains would be appropriate but in the 1980's that seems short. The Kaiser ore train was exactly 100 cars and employed at minimum two sets of helpers to get over Beaumont Hill.  Now I know I am not going to run 100 car trains and that is my compromise, however I still want the length to feel long. If my train length is too short a large locomotive consist on point with two helper sets would seem like overkill.  When I set my train length I actually used the ore train as my maximum length.  I figured since the ore cars are approximately half the length of a standard car then if I set my train length to 25 standard cars I could run a 50 car ore train or half size.  In this half size train I could accurately reflect operating practices. Instead of placing the swing helpers 40 cars back, they would be 20 cars back which would still leave an accurate 2/3 of the train behind the swing helpers.

Number of locomotives

As stated previously one of the trademarks of Southern Pacific was heavy trains pulled by large locomotive consists.  If there are four locomotives on point then it would look silly to only have 8 cars trailing. This is especially true when you think that the yard switcher would appear to be more powerful than the road locomotives, which is surely not the case.  On my locomotive chart I have set a minimum number of locomtives needed for number of cars. That ratio is one 4 axle locomotive per 5 cars. if a solid 6 axle power consist is available then it is the number of 4 axle locomotives required by train lenght minus one locomotive. In other words three 6 axle locomotives equal four 4 axle locomotives. In a mixed consist the 4 axle rules would apply. There are pictures of trains on this line being pulled by 10 locomotives on point plus rear helpers but the most locomotives I see puting on point of the train would be 6 four axle locomotives and that would be one of those special trains. A standard helper set would be two locomotives although the ore train and some of the beet trains would dictate different arrangements.

Modern Car length

The final reason is for these longer trains is modern car length.  While I set the standard car length at 50 feet, modern TOFC flats, auto racks and passenger cars are rather close to twice that lenght. A 15 car 1981 steam heated Sunset Limited would be close to the length of that 30 car freight train.  Now car length is the second place I do not like to make huge compromises.  In a recent Trainmasters TV episode Joe Fugate suggests shortening a TOFC flatcar in order to make it conform to the layout specs.  I disagree with this move whole heartedly, if I wanted shorter out of proportion cars I would have stuck with O-27 toy trains. The lure of scale length cars and locomotives is what drew me to HO scale in the first place. Naturally the length of passenger trains must be reduced somewhat proportionally to freight trains. Like the ore train I figure I will model passenger trains at half length so that 15 car train would be 6 to 8 cars long.  Another consideration is that in the late 1980's SP began running Sprint trains; these short no more than 20 car TOFC trains ran on priority schedules. I figure the Sprint trains on the layout when the op session is representing those years would be 4 to 5 cars long which is still 8 to 10 standard cars long.

So in the end I am running 10 to 15 car trains its just some of the cars are longer than the standard measurement used to set siding length. So I guess I am happy running a 10 to 15 car train if the cars are the appropriate length.  Once again thanks to all those who poked and prodded as with out comments and discussion this journey could end up being rather boring.