Here is what I have to date

[hubbards98]

Just starting my very first train layout and wanted to share with you my progress to date.

I have decided on these variables: 

HO Scale

DCC

Coal Industry

1940 - 1960 

Diesel Loco

CN Rail

Atlas True track

 

Just thought I would share that with you guys and as well I bought 6 new books:

The model railroaders guide to Coal Railroading from Kalmbach

How to build a Model Railroad benchwork

Track Planning for realistic Operation - J Armstrong

Complete Atlas Wiring Book - Atlas

Basic Model Railroading : Getting Started - Atlas

as well I bought a basic oval True track set to see how it looks and how it goes together.

 

Paul 

 

 

[FerroEquinist]

You Cannot go wrong using John Armstrong's "Track Planning for Realistic Operation". One of the best writers in the industry. The well worn copy I have is about 25+ years old and I still pick it up and re-read sections, always picking up something new. Everything else looks super, post photos to show your progress. You can always get some constructive comments. Above all, have fun!!

[hubbards98]

I'm really starting to get excited but the last thing I want to do is just buy some loco's and start, so I have decided to read all these books and try to find a layout that suits my situation and I imagine the Loco will be my last purchase as I want to get my DCC system first and get it wired and then start playing

[SpaceMouse]

IT won't compare to ARmstrong, but it won't hurt to read my begiiner's guide. Takes all of 5 minutes and you click to it from my signature.

[Red Horse]

I highly recomend SpaceMouses Beginners guide, it's free to read right here and it helped me get a better handel on my first layout which I'm still working on also.

Paul, sounds like your off to a good start, I've seen some awesome coal trains and coal based layouts right here on trains.com.

Also If you haven't picked up this months copy of Model rail Roader you should, it has some great ideas on layouts with limited space and how to weather rolling stock, I picked up my first copy yesterday and it is invaluable for us as Modle rail Roaders.

Good Luck, and from a new guy to another...best of luck on your build!

Jess Red Horse.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I highly recomend SpaceMouses Beginners guide, it's free to read right here.

Ditto on that! It'll save you money, trouble and aggravation.

[rogerhensley]

Permit me to recommend the NMRA Beginner's Pages. There are several of them that can answer a whole lot of questions.

 http://www.nmra.org/beginner/

 

[hubbards98]

Thanks everyone especially spacemouse, great tutorial, I am almost busting with excitment just waiting for all my books and True-Track to show up in the mail (should be any day now), so for now here are my dimensions for my available space.

I am using a "U" shape, It will be

10.5 feet wide using 4X8 and then (1) 4X8 on each side (sorry if this is confusing but I can't seem to show you the pic from my Run RTS 8.0 software.

[Anonymous]

I am using a "U" shape, It will be 10.5 feet wide using 4X8 and then (1) 4X8 on each side

Before you get too far in your design you need to consider the ergonomics of your situation.

Ergonomics

Those factors or qualities in the design of something, especially a workplace or equipment used by people at work, that contribute to comfort, efficiency, safety, and ease of use.

One cannot easily reach across a 4 foot span, especially if that span is high off the ground.  So you may need to allow space on all sides of your layout for access or narrow the span of any one section.  Layout height is a factor here.  This is a personal preference but the trend today is for higher layouts so that you view your trains as if you were on a hill - not in a helicopter.

Let us know more about the room or area that your layout will be in and that will help us visualize your situation.

-John

SPACEMOUSE:  Ergonomics would be a good chapter for your excellent Beginner's Guide.

[leighant]

Boy I sure guessed wrong about your topic. "Here is what I have to date."

I was being silly and my first thought was, it might mean the availability of members of the opposite gender to go out with romantically.  .."to date."

But I figured it was really much more model railroad oriented...  the resources and procedures at hand for verifying the time period of a particular prototype... to "date" something the way a historian or industrial archeologist dates it.

So I got fooled.

[MisterBeasley]

It sounds like you've been doing a lot of thinking and planning.  That's a great first step.

May I make a suggestion?  Reconsider the True-Track.  Yes, it's a lot easier to get up and running, but it has a lot of drawbacks.  Since it's sectional, you are kind of limited in your layout planning.  It's also more expensive, and in the long run it will not look as realistic as other options.  It makes it much harder to use non-Atlas turnouts, too, which will again limit your layout options.

For my layout, which I started about 3 years ago after 40 years without trains, I went with Woodland Scenics foam roadbed and (mostly) Atlas flex-track.  After a short learning curve, I've found this to be a good combination, and I can make the curves the way I want them, not the way Atlas wants them.

Ooops, another suggestion:  There's nothing wrong with buying one locomotive.  In fact, you can't really check out your trackwork and DCC wiring without one.  From experience, I think the right one to buy would be an engine with DCC and sound already installed.  Comparing prices, you'll find that it's actually cheaper to buy an engine factory-equipped with decoder and speaker than to buy a DC engine and do the electronics installation yourself.  And yes, you really should seriously consider sound, even for your first engine.  Once you've got one sound engine, well, the others just sit quietly on a siding while the sound loco gets all the run time.

[hubbards98]

Here are some pics of my area, I have decided to leave 1 foot around the sides and back to allow me to squeeze in the back side if needed, as well as I am building to a height of 3 1/2 feet as I am a bit vertically challenged

 

Now, it measures 12.5 feet wide and I can go as long as another 14 feet as well on the left side of the pic I can go another 6 feet across and as far as 20 feet longer if needed (but I don't plan on using that part yet) as well I can build another 12.5 feet behind me for a perfect square if I am so inclined to do so.

Make sense

 

[hubbards98]

If I am not mistaken I believe that is 175 Square feet

[hubbards98]

OOHH...Me thinks I just had an idea, I am building in a "U" shape so instead of using the backside of the wall I will just flip it around and build behind me (in the pic) that way there is tons of space to walk around and I still get my "U" shape I wanted and someday if needed I can just extend on the wall side

[pcarrell]

Paul,

You sound to me like you've done some thinking about this thing, and you're looking to avoid some of the common beginner mistakes.  Thats great!  I think you'll be all the better for it in the end.  The books you've selected are all excellent books that are loaded with good stuff, particularly the John Armstrong book.  Don't lose that one!  I've had my copy since like forever, and it has pages falling out, but I still break it out from time to time and learn something new almost every time I read it.  It's the perfect book for the throne room, ya know?

I do have to echo the others about the table size selection.  Take a peek at this and it'll become quite clear I think.  This explains it well: http://home.earthlink.net/~mrsvc/id28.html  The good ole 4x8 does have it's place, but it's typically not the best solution.  It sounds like you have a good deal of room to work with, and in that case I think you'll find that approaching it from a more shelf style of benchwork will give you a much more usable and user friendly layout.  And some things to keep in mind as you plan and build.......typically your max reach is about 30".  Anything beyond that is probably not a good idea.  Also, 2' isles are about the minimum that you'd want to use for getting around.

You say you've decided on DCC?  Thats probably a smart thing to do right off if you know you're going to do it eventually.  I know that when I switched from DC I had a pretty big cash outlay right off because I had to get a bunch of decoders and then take the time to install them so that I could keep some trains rolling.  It was hard on the wallet, ya know?  But by doing it your way you could spread that cost out more, so it wouldn't be such a hit.  Just buy 1 decoder with each loco purchase and you're good!  Have you decided on a DCC system yet?

[hubbards98]

That was a great site Phillip, thanks, I haven't decided on a DCC system yet but I have it narrowed down to a Digitrax Zhephyr or a NCE Pro Cab, I would like to see them both in action & see how they both work, I am considering joining the local model train club & introduce myself & ask questions & see some of this stuff in person to really get a feel for it.

I quess I am just going to have to read, read & read some more & eventually I will come across the exact layout for me & go from there.

[pcarrell]

I think you'll probably find that as you know more, a layout plan thats already done most likely will not satisfy you.  I mean, you have a dream of what you want "your" railroad to be.  Why build someone elses dream?  And once you learn about stuff a bit, you'll realize that designing your own track plan is not only not all that out of reach, but it actually can be quite an enjoyable aspect of the hobby.  It's the one time when you can really let loose with the dreaming and then transfer the best parts of that dream to a workable plan for building.

[yougottawanta]

Couple of pointers when you start to finish the area.

1. When "framing" the exterior walls fire stop the top of the wall with plywood or sheetrock (plywood works better ) That is installed first at the top of the wall between the bottom of the floor system and top plate of the wall
2. I see  mechanical equipment in one of your pictures , I assume you will frame around this area. If you do , you have to supply air for the equipment to function. This is accomplished by one of several methods. First is to install a "louvred door" to the mechanical room which allows air to pass thru the door or to install "grills" in the wall. One high and one low ,generally 18" by 18"or 14" by 14". The last way and this is to be avoided at all cost is to install metal pipe (duct) to the exterior wall and to the outside and then into the mechanical room.
3. Plan your control area and provide a dedictated electric circuit with multiple plugs (outlets) 
4. There are many more pointers I can give if you need more help.The three items listed above are the ones that the average Joe does not think about or know about and these usually trips him or her up and creates problems at some point in time.

[hubbards98]

I recieved my True-Track in the mail and as someone stated above I think I will get a piece of 4X8 and level it and get it wired for DCC and use it only as my test track and then buy Flex Track and use that type of track for my actual lay-out, but one question I have:

Keeping in mind that I can hardly hammer a nail in straight, what kind of roadbed should I use, Cork or rubber? 

[BroadwayLion]

Here are some pics of my area, I have decided to leave 1 foot around the sides and back to allow me to squeeze in the back side if needed,

 

Well you do have some wisdom. On my previous layout I built 36 inch wide tables right aginst the east and south walls. And then built a layout on it. Then I decided that I couldn't reach the back and I'd have to move the table.  At this time there were two 5'x9' loops at opposite ends of this table. 

I got 30 guys into my train room and we MOVED the table.

My present lay out is in the same room, and now the layout is again against the north, east and south walls, and there are two island extentions into the room, one is 5'x18' and the other is 6'x20'. Fortunately, the table against the wall is only 1' wide but is now on three levels.

As an added benefit, there is NO wiring under any of the tables. Hey! I'm getting old, and I don't go under tables anymore.

 

[hubbards98]

Boy, It's weird how fast things can change, after finding the coal company for the Northern Nova Scotia Region (Which I thought was CN Rail) but turned out to be Cumberland Rail & Coal Company & they didn't use Diesel but Steam engines, as well I have decided to use true-track ONLY for my test track and my main layout I am using Flex-track, so there will be a few little changes:

HO

DCC

Coal Industry 

1940-1960 

Steam Loco

Cumberland Rail & Coal Company

Flex-Track