'Test' operating sessions

It's time to start some 'test' operating sessions, at long last - and to that end I've been creating additional signage around the layout, to help people orient themselves to both the layout and its history.

It's been a fun project.  Anyone who's even glanced at my main website - rgsrr.info - knows I've spent a lot of time research the real Rio Grande Southern.  On the layout, I've tried to communicate some of that history with maps, short text snippets of interesting stories, etc - mostly signs on the stairs leading into the basement, and a few photos and postings around the layout as well.

But for operations, I feel people need to understand the trackplan, how and where the towns and sidings are located, where my hidden trackage leads (the most troublesome aspect of the design for visitors, I suspect), and other details.

So, I first created an overview document with both a map of the real railroad (and highlight the towns I've modeled), a schematic showing siding locations, a few key facing / trailning point spurs), and town sequence.  Here's what that looks like:

At every entrance to the hidden track sections, I also created little notes, which I hope will be clear enough to help de-mystify the hidden sections somewhat.  Here's a couple of those: