Let's see what you can do with an oval on a 4' x 6' board. The first step toward variety of train operation is a pair of switches. They usually come in pairs, a right-hand and a left-hand switch.

You can tell which is which by looking at one from the end that shows only two rails. If the curved section turns out to your right, it is a right-hand switch, if to the left, it is a left-hand switch.

Some switches are made to work by hand, with small throwing levers on each switch. Others are actuated electrically by a control lever any distance awayon a control panel, for example.

Remote-control switches are more expensive than manual switches and are worth the extra cost when a single operator must handle everything on a pike, including switches at some distance from his train control on the transformer.

If switches are within reach of the transformer, however, they can just as well be manually controlled. If in addition to the "engineer" there is always a "switchman" available, he can handle manual switches at some distance from the transformer.

If you buy, in addition to your long oval, a pair of switches, two more curved sections of track, and four straight sections, you can make add two sidings to your oval.

With this layout you can have two freight stations on the sidings, with cars sitting on them waiting to be picked up by the locomotive.

If you attach uncouplers to the sidings, you can detach cars without touching them just by pushing a button on a control box placed near your transformer. Uncouplers can be attached to either straight or curved track with two-rail S-gauge trains.

If you like switching operations, you can buy another pair of switches, two curved sections of track, and two half-length straight sections, and sidings to your sidings.

The shortest sidings here are not very long, but they can hold a freight car or two, which will make for complications and complications are what make model railroading interesting. (That's just another way of saying that there is a great deal to do!)

At the risk of appearing a bit ridiculous but for the purpose of showing just how much switching you can go in for on a 4' x 6' layout, you can even fit 5 levels of sidings on both sides of your oval.

Sidings are not, however, the be-all and end-all of railroading. You can use your first pair of switches, if you wish, to make an inner curve on your oval.

But you would like some sidings? Then add them to the oval with the inner curve.

Or you can add a second inner curvemaking an oval within an oval.

These are a few ideas for things you can do with a simple oval layout to make it more interesting, while keeping the space required to a minimum.

(Visit http://www.modeltrainreport.com/layout-examples.php to see diagrams of all the layouts in this article)