Rationale for the Railroad Part 2

After heart surgery, retiring from teaching, and moving from Seattle to the town in which I grew up in Northwest Pennsylvania in 2015, I am planning a model railroad in the attic. Following the ideas of Byron Henderson and Lance Mindhiem, the initial attic layout will be a switching layout with a small yard and an interchange track. While freelanced, it is influenced by the Third Subdivision of the Cascade Division of the Great Northern Railway. I am setting this initial layout  in the early 1950's, based largely on equipment I collected as part of a modular group in Seattle.

BNSF on former Third Subdivision Line

One thing that I have learned from my experiences with modular railroading is that I find switching to be much more enjoyable than running a train around and around. Byron Henderson makes a case for operational "Fun For One" on a small layout to be based on several elements. A central one is diversity in operator roles, hence the inclusion of a small yard and industrial switching in this initial plan.  Henderson suggests that industrial switching and yard switching incorporate two different thought processes, not just two different roles. His other elements: variety, unpredictability, and a fair degree of challenge apply more directly to planning for operations rather than planning the physical layout.

In addition to planning the initial attic layout to be fun to operate, I am intending to use it to work towards the "Master Builder Scenery" Certificate as part of the NMRA Achievement Program. At 33 square feet (plus staging) it will meet the size requirements. The tentative plan includes ideas and locations for background industries, foreground industries, and natural terrain. I am planning a layout height of approximately 48" with 12" backdrops. The benchwork will be open grid, built in sections for ease of construction and flexibility for future changes. While I am making scale track  and construction plans, I am finding the need to start actual work and move towards mockups of the layout in the attic.