My holiday layout for 2004 (Updated)

[MartyE]

Here it is folks...posting this on a couple of forums to get the most feedback...

The spurs are elevated for space considerations but hopefully grades leading up to them will eleviate the severity of the slope. I am locked into the 7x12 space requirement due to space limitations. I am hoping to leave this up for a while after the holidays. Any suggestions are welcomed. The figure 8 is completely elevated as well and will use mountains to elevated it.

[spankybird]

Hi Marty,

Looks like you have a lot in a small space. Is your figure 8 a cross over or over and under [?]

BTW, you are still invited over the next time you make the Cleveland area.

tom

[Anonymous]

looks cool. my only sugestion is to start building it today.............

[MartyE]

Make no mistake about it this layout is in an unfinished basement. I wish I could put it upstairs with the tree but the Polar Express will carry those duties with the supplied track.

It's been a tradition to put something up in the basement of all the men of the family.

[spankybird]

Marty, you didn't answer my question on the crossover. If this is an over-under, is there enough room for the proper grade [?]

tom

[MartyE]

Opps sorry Tom

Yes as of now it is an over under...Once I get playing it may end up being a 90 degree cross elevated. I am hoping to see how it actually falls over the rest of the layout to see if I can add track to it and decrease the grade as much as possible. Another reason I am starting early to "play" with it a bit.

[Anonymous]

Marty,
One little suggestion: If you can, add crossovers between the various mains, so you don't have to pick up the train every time you want to run it elsewhere. Also, you might be able to use the figure-eight as a reversing loop. Just a thought [:)].

-Daniel Parks

[MartyE]

For now I can't connect the 2 without more O72 switches. But I will definitely keep that in mind when I can secure more switches. I'm trying on the larger loops to stay away from anything smaller than O54 as I will be running larger engines on them.

[MartyE]

Added some changes using some input ...



And 3D...



Added O72 curves in front, moved one spur to the inside to make it longer and one the other way on the out side.