Here are my Given’s and Druther’s for my Dream SR&RL layout:

GIVEN’S:

• SR&RL of 1912 – 1912 because operations were great, time of the MEC takeover, logging was prevalent (but in decline), pulp wood (coordwood) was increasing.  Locomotives consisted of predecessor locos, and some of the 2-6-0’s had not yet been converted.  I will take some liberties to incorporate MEC improvements as needed.
• Locations: Farmington, Strong, Kingfield, and Bigelow.  Phillips is desired but not threshold.
• Locations: In proper order for critical locations and proper orientations.  Would like in between locations to be correct too.
• Operations:  Reproduce the junction excitement of Strong.
• Operations:  Stub terminal operations into and out of Kingfield station area.
• Operations:  TT&TO operations in such a way that operators get the feel of operating in the dark and checking their time tables.  This is best done if I can include a significant portion of the F&M/K&DR (Say Strong, Salem, Kingfield, Carrabasset, Bigelow) or the P&R (Say Phillips, Madrid, Readington/Reeds, Eustis, Rangeley).  Freights ran on these segments as extras and would having 4-5 locations would give one the feeling of being out on the line.  Freights are on the SRRR (Farmington, Strong, Phillips) were run as turns from Phillips to Farmington, so there is little feel of being out on the line, much of the time is in the terminus.
• Branches:  The SR&RL had a number of branches, I’d like to reproduce that feel of trains going departing the main lines.
• Min Radius = 36″
• Turnouts = #8 all
• Scale = Sn2
• isle Width = 36″ preferred
• Walk around operation – Only exception would be to handle junction operations at Strong.  At a junction, one line can not be followed.  This is minor if F&M is the line not followed as most F&M trains terminated at Strong.
• Provision for continuous run or runs.  I like to sit around and watch trains go, when not operating.
• Sufficient distance between towns (passing sidings).  The distance should be at least 3 times train length (say 15′)
• Prototype trains from Phillips to Farmington might have been 15 cars, So I’d like to run 10-12 cars.  Grades and siding should support that.
• Prototype trains north of Phillips and Farmington were probably 10 cars or less, so I’d like to have 8 cars.

DRUTHER’S:

• Farmington: To model all three yards
• Strong: Prototype layout of the town, including basic curve and direction of F&M departing main.
• Kingfield:  Would like to have all 3 yard areas modeled.  Will concede to that flipping Kingfiled might be required.
• Bigelow:  Should include the tracks to the saw mill and have a representation of the Sawmill.  That was where the real RR switching occurred.
• Mostly visible track.  However to represent branch lines, it may be required to hide the branch or hide the main.
• Scenes reminiscent along the way.
• Prefer a single level layout, but some double deck acceptable.
• Doubling the hills – The prototype often had to double the hills.  I’d like the layout to have locations requiring doubling the hills of long trains.  It’s acceptable if the doubling is not exactly in the prototype locations.
• No Helix.  I do not like trains out of view for a long time, I think a helix will eat up lots of space in the layout room. A helix could be hard on the trains.
• MEC:  Operating MEC at Farmington would be cool but not required
• Social space in the layout room.  I want a place to congregate and talk about the layout.  I’d like to be able to hang out with friends in the presence of the railroad (see continuous run desire)
• Reuse some of my Free-mo modules (Bigelow, Salmon Hole Bridge are the two most desired).
• Valance is nice but not required.  Some design types do not make valance easy.  Good lighting for the whole layout (that would mean lights for low levels) is desired.

I’ll continue to update this list as I progress…