Planning for building new layout/ one whole room.

[ChiefEagles]

Room is 13' X 13'. One door entering room from hall [main entrance] with that door swinging out into hall [not room]. This door is 3 feet from one corner and near a chimney [2' X 3'] sticking out into room. Other door goes into a walkin closet that also accesses a attic over part of house. This door swings into room but can be replaces with accordion type door. Two double windows are on the right wall when entering the room from hall. These are kept closed and blinds can be pulled. Want to run layout around room. Want a 72 inch main track and reduce to small radius for switching, yards and sidings. At times, must be able to remove sections of track at doorways to carry items through. Also playing with going to a section of raised track above main layout. HELP!! Ideas are welcome. Glad to email basic room floor plan.

[lionelsoni]

Here are two ideas that I have found useful:

Put the complex track--switches, yard throats, etc.--in the corners, and join the corners with straight track. This way, if you ever move the layout to another room, all you have to adjust is those straight sections.

Unless you are going to run stuff that really needs O72 curves, consider using spiral curves instead. These start with, for example, one section of O72 (22.5 degrees), but then go to a section of shorter radius (45 degrees), then back to O72. They have several advantages: The spiral looks gentler than it is. The curve fits much closer into the corner, saving room for the inner trackwork. And having the long radius at the ends of the curve allows you to put the straight track much closer to the wall, since long models do not develop significant overhang until they have left the first O72 section and are about 2 5/8 inches farther from the wall.