Explain A Point-to-Point Model Railroad Layout

May 27, 2006

Real railroads go from one place to another place rather than go around in a circle. Real railroads may have sidings, branch lines, and other subsidiary systems, but the main line starts at one point, travels to another point, and stops.

Although a point-to-point system works well on a real railroad, it’s not generally very practical when applied to the average home or garage model railroad layout.

The problem is, that a limited space makes it difficult (if not impossible) to duplicate, in scale mileage, a point-to-point railroad.

On a point-to point layout the trains are turned around at terminals by means of extensive yards, wyes, loops, and turntables. It is usual for the single or double-track main line to go from point to point.

Point-to-point railroads have switches and yards at one end, and a turnaround of some sort at the other. However, most small model railroad layouts would lack the space to accomodate two terminals.