Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Design a dbl-deck layout for installation in its own Hand-House shed

41231 views
104 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Thursday, October 5, 2017 9:03 PM

Turn Outs, Templates, Updated Layout Dwg

I found many of my turnouts from my stowage trailer,...all but my Peco ones. I also discovered some full scale templates for Peco turnouts. As you might see I have a large number of very nice Fleischmann Pro-Track ones

 

Thought I would run a quick experiment to see if I could duplicated one portion of my layout design with actual turnouts I had in stock. Updated the layout dwg first , with some scaling lines(boxes),....each box represents 1 foot (12 inches) in full size.

 

And here are a couple of examples of the entrance tracks to the freight yard.

(BTW, that piece of plywood they are laid out on is only about 3 feet wide, rather than the 53" I have on the layout dwg).

 

 

 

 

(It seems as though my posted pics and dwg have been edited down in width such that they are distorted. Can you extract a full size dwg??)

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 7, 2017 10:21 PM

railandsail
(It seems as though my posted pics and dwg have been edited down in width such that they are distorted. Can you extract a full size dwg??)

When you click reply they go back to normal size, also clicking and opening in a new window allows viewing normally.  

Is the third turnout up the ladder on the first photo a Peco 24" radius Y turnout?  If so that will create an s-curve that you may find problematic (I dont remember what size equipment you said you were running).   If you have one I would consider a PECO short turnout LH (also nominal 24" radius) in that location instead.

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Sunday, October 8, 2017 8:02 AM

You are correct that is a 'Y' turnout I put in there,...mainly to try and turn the ladder a bit more to the right. In reality I may not need to do that on the actually layout. I will discover more about this when I try laying out the paper templates (and/or actual) turnouts on my full size cardboard mock-ups.

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Monday, October 9, 2017 9:53 AM

Metal Benchwork

I intend to utilize some form of metal benchwork to support my subroadbed, whether it be foam sheet or plywood, or combo of the two.

I started a separate discussion on that over here:

Metal Benchwork
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/265524.aspx

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Thursday, October 12, 2017 1:18 PM

railandsail

You are correct that is a 'Y' turnout I put in there,...mainly to try and turn the ladder a bit more to the right. In reality I may not need to do that on the actually layout. I will discover more about this when I try laying out the paper templates (and/or actual) turnouts on my full size cardboard mock-ups.

 

Updated Track Plan for loop and freight yard entrance

Before I take this cardboard mock-up down in order to install the 'masonite' wall coverings, I figured I would do an update on the double track loops I now want around the turntable area, and a little more accurate model of the turnouts leading into the freight yard.

 

 

 

 

(I eliminated the dbl 'Y' I had in the first edition, and included a second dbl-slip down at the end for that last combo turnout)

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Friday, October 13, 2017 10:50 AM

Lower Deck/Shelf of my Layout

Here is an interesting illustration of what I have in mind, except this example utilizes wood extensions added to the wall brackets.

 

 

 

 

 

I like the really clean look of this arrangement, and the lack of big thick wood framing structure one might have if utilizing L-girder. or open grid, or cookie cutter support of that shelf.

 

Well one ask, how about attaching the risers to this arrangement? I reply, can't the risers be fashioned of foam blocks, or similar 'blocking' to attain the heights of tracks desired? And can't the depressions be cut out of the flat plywood (or foam) deck where desired. Its all be done in foam board construction.

 

Since my lower deck/shelves are considerable 'wider/deeper' in some areas, I want to replace those wood beam extensions shown above with metal beams,...attached to my wall brackets. The choice of the metal extension beam will depend on the depth of the shelf at any particular location. I think I would choose this angle iron for the very large width areas under the two loops at the entrance, and perhaps under the peninsula loop.....

 

 
As the deck/shelf narrows down I would chose these alum square tubes (probably the white colored ones since they are of a greater wall thickness....(probably only need single tube, rather than 2 side by side, as it is quite strong)

 

For this lower level my subroadbed will likely be a good quality 1/2" thick plywood firmly attached to those alum beams,...such as to decrease its chance of warping, and to add a 'skin like' support to the whole structure of 'beam & skin'.

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Friday, October 13, 2017 10:56 AM

Staging Tracks

 

Forgive this depiction as the tracks are upside down from what I intend. This illustrates the width available for 4 tracks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I have found a way to add more staging tracks,...maybe 8. Simply add another one of those square sectioned alum beams to the wall bracket at a lower level,...

 

 

 

 

 

The use of this metal beam substructure results in a staging area that is not as far under the surface of the lower deck roadbed, thus it might climb to that upper level with less grade, and perhaps without a helix?

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Sunday, November 5, 2017 2:29 PM

Another Track Plan Consideration

Its been a while since I posted to this subject thread, but I wanted to let folks know that I have NOT totally abandoned this trackplan idea.

Its just that I found another interesting trackplan that I wanted to spend time investigating prior to making a decision as to which one to build. I started a new subject thread on that other plan so as to not confuse matters by mixing the 2 up.

Interesting Plan, Tupper Lake & Faust Junction
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/3004238/reply.aspx
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx#3005127

Moderator
  • Member since
    April 2013
  • 187 posts
Posted by Steve Sweeney on Thursday, March 7, 2019 3:43 PM

OK. I'm curious. Have you done anything more on this? -Steve

Steve Sweeney
Digital Editor, Hobby 

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Friday, March 8, 2019 8:33 AM

Steve Sweeney

OK. I'm curious. Have you done anything more on this? -Steve

 

I eventually decided (thru many postings on several forums) that my radii turns on several of the loops was going to be a little too much for many of my steam engines,...so I began to look at alternatives.

This is the next layout that inspired me,...
Tupper Lake
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx#3005127

progressing to
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx?page=6

 

So I am building this now, and I have resorted to full size paper templates/plans,..
Full Size Paper Templates of Trackplan
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/273575.aspx

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: CAPE CORAL FLA
  • 511 posts
Posted by thomas81z on Friday, November 20, 2020 7:37 PM

railandsail

since im in fla also , i just finished reading your thread with great interest & man do i have a ton of articulated steam , so whats the update ??

 

 
Steve Sweeney

OK. I'm curious. Have you done anything more on this? -Steve

 

 

 

I eventually decided (thru many postings on several forums) that my radii turns on several of the loops was going to be a little too much for many of my steam engines,...so I began to look at alternatives.

This is the next layout that inspired me,...
Tupper Lake
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx#3005127

progressing to
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx?page=6

 

So I am building this now, and I have resorted to full size paper templates/plans,..
Full Size Paper Templates of Trackplan
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/273575.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by railandsail on Thursday, February 16, 2023 8:02 AM

thomas81z

 

 
railandsail

since im in fla also , i just finished reading your thread with great interest & man do i have a ton of articulated steam , so whats the update ??

 

 
Steve Sweeney

OK. I'm curious. Have you done anything more on this? -Steve

 

 

 

I eventually decided (thru many postings on several forums) that my radii turns on several of the loops was going to be a little too much for many of my steam engines,...so I began to look at alternatives.

This is the next layout that inspired me,...
Tupper Lake
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx#3005127

progressing to
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx?page=6

 

So I am building this now, and I have resorted to full size paper templates/plans,..
Full Size Paper Templates of Trackplan
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/273575.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ran into a problem on this forum with posting pictures. The forum itself did NOT host photos themselves, but rather required one to link to a third party site,......but that site could NOT be another model rr forum. That created too much work and complication, so I just abandoned trying to post new photos of my new layout project here.

You might be really excited to see what I have come up with. Just weeks ago I was finally able to run 3 trains simutaniously on my two deck layout using only DC power. I am presently installing DCC power.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, February 16, 2023 9:00 AM

I'd like to see it Brian, is it on MRH ?

Mike.

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 219 posts
Posted by Lakeshore Sub on Friday, February 17, 2023 7:17 PM

Hi Mike.

I noticed that Brian has not gotten back to you yet but he has all sorts of pictures up on MRH.

Scott Sonntag

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: CAPE CORAL FLA
  • 511 posts
Posted by thomas81z on Thursday, May 18, 2023 7:43 PM

railandsail

 

 
thomas81z

 

 
railandsail

since im in fla also , i just finished reading your thread with great interest & man do i have a ton of articulated steam , so whats the update ??

 

 
Steve Sweeney

OK. I'm curious. Have you done anything more on this? -Steve

 

 

 

I eventually decided (thru many postings on several forums) that my radii turns on several of the loops was going to be a little too much for many of my steam engines,...so I began to look at alternatives.

This is the next layout that inspired me,...
Tupper Lake
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx#3005127

progressing to
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265819/3005127.aspx?page=6

 

So I am building this now, and I have resorted to full size paper templates/plans,..
Full Size Paper Templates of Trackplan
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/273575.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ran into a problem on this forum with posting pictures. The forum itself did NOT host photos themselves, but rather required one to link to a third party site,......but that site could NOT be another model rr forum. That created too much work and complication, so I just abandoned trying to post new photos of my new layout project here.

You might be really excited to see what I have come up with. Just weeks ago I was finally able to run 3 trains simutaniously on my two deck layout using only DC power. I am presently installing DCC power.

 

i tried to open the layout links but they are broken ,I will go to MRH  to see it 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!