My layout plan. (Not the best quality)

[magicman710]

Ok, ok, I know its not the best quality track plan but I dont have them fancy things all of yall have. So, here is the track plan. 2 mainlines serperated by 1 pair of switches (not seen, I forgot to add them) and each controlled by a zw transfomer. They are seperated into 2 power districts each, and will be controlled by tmcc. Later I might add powermasters to allow conventional tmcc control, but for know, I will only operate TMCC equiped engines. I think its pretty easy to read, the black lines being track and the red being walls, and the bold red being doors, and the green being the layout, and the yellow being the carpet.  Comment if you like, and ask questions or recommendations.  Thanks.

 

(Please click on the open space to the right side of it to get a larger image. I did this in paint.)

 

Grayson

[fifedog]

Your plan shows a lot of open space in the middle.  Are you working around a pre-existing family room?

[magicman710]

No, its a bonus upstairs room in a new house we are building. The open space might not be that big, the plan is that the yard be about 5 or 6 feet wide at the widest point, and the rest of it be 2-3 feet wide. I could rap the yard around on one side, makin it longer, and making the space in the middle smaller, but the middle space could be left open for possible future expansion.

 

Thanks,

Grayson

[raymans]

Grayson it looks good, the only thing I would worry about is the width of the yard and being able to reach across.

It might be easier if you could get at both sides of the yard.

[CSXect]

here is a thought how about the yard being in the middel of the open space with a wye at each end connecting it tow the around the wall bench work this way you can 1) reach both side of yard and 2) have 2 wye(pronounced y) to turn an entire train around with kinda like a reverse loop but more prototypical.

[thatboy37]

i see a couple of options on here. maybe you can add a fair or maybe a coal yard on the 2 corners opposite the yard. it would really look nice. also i wish i would have kept all my coal yard accessories and put them on the layout instead of trading them in for more rolling stock and locomotives. think it out before you make it final. you dont want to do what i did rush into it then take it all down to do it in a different track system. so far so good keep us posted on the layout. also where do the tracks for mainline 1 and 2 crossover

[magicman710]

here is a thought how about the yard being in the middel of the open space with a wye at each end connecting it tow the around the wall bench work this way you can 1) reach both side of yard and 2) have 2 wye(pronounced y) to turn an entire train around with kinda like a reverse loop but more prototypical.

 

Such as this?

 

 

Thanks,

Grayson

[CSXect]

here is a thought how about the yard being in the middel of the open space with a wye at each end connecting it tow the around the wall bench work this way you can 1) reach both side of yard and 2) have 2 wye(pronounced y) to turn an entire train around with kinda like a reverse loop but more prototypical.

 

Such as this?

 

 

Thanks,

Grayson

Yes thats the basic Idea. If you want to draw it out better there is some free software on the Atlas O website its not the best software out there but is free.

[CSXect]

Just a couple more thoughts how about making the yard with a wye at each end go diagonal froma corner to the opposite corner this would give you some more length track wise, also as suggested by another make some sort of industry or station in the two remaining corners.

[magicman710]

I got the software, that is the hardest thing I have ever had to use! I know how to use it, but lining up the track perfectly and the measurements are beyond me!

 

Can anybody tell me how to do the measurements? For a 17ft. x 12 ft. layout?

 

Thanks,

Grayson

[magicman710]

i

[lionelsoni]

Grayson, here is a map of my layout, kindly posted a while back by Reggie, which might give you some ideas:

(A few inches at the bottom are cut off of the picture:  There is an outside main line, with a crossover to the inside main line at each end.  There is also a long single-ended siding between the main lines.)

Note that the main yard sits between the main lines, which is prototypical.  A dogbone (the original layout) embedded in the bottom of the picture gives reversing capability.  Several short spurs in the right-hand loop of the dogbone provide locomotive storage.  Four turnouts in the lower left corner make a compact double crossover.  Curves in the outside main line are no sharper than O34.  The outside curve in the upper right is an O72-O34-O72 spiral.

[CSXect]

An easy way to do a yard is to get two sets of 8 track yard sets(one for each end) from Ross Custom Switches it would give you an symetrical (spelling error???)yard verses a onesided yard with ever shorting sidiings. Ross is compatable with Gargraves and tubular track. I think they also make wyes in o-31 and o-72.

may try this on my own layout if I can make it fit