design hopes

[train lover12]

please forgive me for i shall stoop out of desparation and annoyance to a place i hoped never to go: i need layout ideas.i keep coming with flukes, hundreds of them, so, either i have no vision, my vision is seriously flawed, or i just suck at track planning.  please help, my space is 8'x13', i am using bachmann eztrack, i want coal mining, logging, passenger service, and local industries.  i want continuous running and over and under tracks. any help? please?

[Anonymous]

Is 8' x 13' space the size of the room itself or the size of the space you have within a larger room?

The plan that you submitted in an earlier thread made me think you were planning or restricted to a table based layout.

Give us a plan of your space, with windows, doors, and any other restrictions.  There are a number of people out here who might help you get started once we are sure of this type of information.

-John

 

[train lover12]

hare is the space:

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the layout area is outlined at the top of the plan.  the grid squares are 6" the door is 30" wide

[ratled]

Here is my favorite that you could squeeze from 9' X 11' to 8' X 13'.   The "pit" would be a little narrow but you could always just place a swivel chair in the middle and spin around with your train

Looking a the drawing of the room I would open to 9' X 13' (if at all possible) to open the "pit" area for wider isle ways no matter what paln you come up with.  This true for just one operator let alone for more than one.

 http://cs.trains.com/forums/1229526/ShowPost.aspx

 ratled

(scroll to the bottom to see the diagram of the layout)

[fwright]

TL12

Since this is your first real layout, and given the limits on your time, $$, and skills, I would recommend starting with a 4ft x 10ft table butted up against the SW corner of your space, and the front 10ft edge along the bottom of your space.  Expand your favorite 4x8 plan, and give it a go.  Build one town with a small yard on this section.

Later, as your circumstances permit, expand into the NW corner, then along the North wall with an 18" shelf.  With the shelf built add a branch line that dead ends in the NE corner.  You now have a G-shaped layout with 30" aisles, no duckunders, and an orderly progression for construction as time and $$ permit.  When the branch is built, you have the potential for point-to-point operations from the main section to the end of the branch.

The other feasible options - a donut shape with center pit or a U-shape water wings - commits you to a build-it-all at once scenario to get continuous running and anything beyond shelf switching operations.  If you run short of time, money, or skills building the more complex benchwork and track designs, you are in trouble.

my thoughts, your choices

Fred W 

[train lover12]

TL12

Since this is your first real layout, and given the limits on your time, $$, and skills, I would recommend starting with a 4ft x 10ft table butted up against the SW corner of your space, and the front 10ft edge along the bottom of your space.  Expand your favorite 4x8 plan, and give it a go.  Build one town with a small yard on this section.

Later, as your circumstances permit, expand into the NW corner, then along the North wall with an 18" shelf.  With the shelf built add a branch line that dead ends in the NE corner.  You now have a G-shaped layout with 30" aisles, no duckunders, and an orderly progression for construction as time and $$ permit.  When the branch is built, you have the potential for point-to-point operations from the main section to the end of the branch.

The other feasible options - a donut shape with center pit or a U-shape water wings - commits you to a build-it-all at once scenario to get continuous running and anything beyond shelf switching operations.  If you run short of time, money, or skills building the more complex benchwork and track designs, you are in trouble.

my thoughts, your choices

Fred W 

i think im going to follow your advice so this is my idea:

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what do you all think?  the left side is the yard/servicing area and the right has 3 industries, 2 small, one large, the yard has a yard lead, a/d tracks, 3 yard tracks and a servicing track. the two switches at the top of the plan will go against the wall and will provide for expansion.  any flaws in the trackplan?  any more ideas of any kind?

[steinjr]

please forgive me for i shall stoop out of desparation and annoyance to a place i hoped never to go: i need layout ideas.i keep coming with flukes, hundreds of them, so, either i have no vision, my vision is seriously flawed, or i just suck at track planning.  please help, my space is 8'x13', i am using bachmann eztrack, i want coal mining, logging, passenger service, and local industries.  i want continuous running and over and under tracks. any help? please?

 Look at Scott Perry's "better beginner layout" - the 8x9 foot HOG (Heart of Georgia) RR.

 Normal web page for layout is down - no idea what happened to it, but the newest track plan from the yahoo group HOGRR can be found at this link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HOGRR/files/

Yahoo HOGRR group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HOGRR/?m=0

 If you go over there and ask, I am sure someone has kept a copy of the plans for benchwork construction etc, and maybe can guide you to how you can make your own plan.

  I also think I drew something based on the HOGRR somewere around here sometime - mmm. Nah - can't find it right now by searching for posts by me that uses the obvious search terms "HOG", "Heart of Georgia", "better beginner" or "Perry".

 Anyways - the HOG RR layout probably could be adapted to your track and wishes.

 Smile,
 Stein

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Fred.  Start with a basic layout and expand from there as your experience increases.  BUT you could and should have an overall game plan for the future so that you won't try to cram everything you want into too little space.  Your overall plan does not need to have all the details worked out now - just concepts.

My suggestion would be to start with the standard 4 x 8 layout area but again plan for how the whole room might be someday.  This includes leaving enough space for aisleways and working space around your layout.  You cannot reach all the way across a 4 x 8 layout so you need space on all sides.

Below is one idea (one one out of hundreds of different concepts).  Since you are using EZ Track now, all curves are limited to 22" radius.  As you expand later, you may want to try something besides the Bachmann product.

In the above concept, you only need to concentrate on a city with some switching industries for now.  You know that you will have a yard and some country running coming later.  Again, there are dozens of ways to go from here.

Good luck,
-John

 

[train lover12]

this is my latest benchwork:

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it would be built in stages the 4x9 area first than moving clockwise till the duckunder last.  so wat do yall think?

[fwright]

I think you have a good, workable plan.  The big thing is it's achievable over time, but gives some fun right away.  You may want to trim the northeast corner of the 4x9 to a 45 degree angle for about 4-6".  Could be a lot less painful to bump into or lean over, particularly if you are a little clumsy like me.

This will give you good experience with the basic table top layout, then shelf layouts, and finally a liftout.  When you are done - probably about the time you are ready to leave home - you will have a very good idea in what you want for your next layout.

Have fun and enjoy - and, oh yes, keep us posted.

Fred W 

[Texas Zepher]

Since you are using EZ Track now, all curves are limited to 22" radius.

 That is really old-information.   EZ-Track has come in the following radii for quite a while:  15", 18", 22", 28", 33.25", and 35.5".   In addition to the original curved departing rail turnout, it now also has #5 & #6 turnouts.