Hi
My name is Erik
I'm new to this wonder full hobby and are about to start my first layout.
I live in Sweden and therefore have no experience of US railroading and to ad to this I also do not have much space to build on, namely I only have my bedroom thats only is 15x10Ft.
And I have made the beginners mistake to chose a to big scale (H0) for my available space.
Because of this I have chosen an around the wall style design with a staging yard on a second level and I have chosen to model a small shortline somewhere in the eastern US.
Type: Small Shortline (Freelance)Era: 1970-1990
Scale: H0
Freight only
Locomotives: 4 axle Diesels and 2x 6 Axel SD40-2 locomotives
Focus: 1:Operations 2:Scenics
Rolingstock: 40-50Ft cars
Train Length: 1-8 Cars
I would like to have the ability to do continuous runing.
And another beginner mistake, I have all ready built my bench work.
And unfortunately at the time I built it I was all about Scenics and had no plan on Operations , but this has changed.
And because of this I have a 4 inch foam base, thought was to be able to have an underpass without having to elevate the rail but this has proven to be a bad idea.
Trying to install switch machines to 4 inch of foam is challenging to say the least.
So now I'm gonna build it for Operations and add beautiful scenics to it instead.
And also adapt the bench work to better work with Operations as per your suggestions.
Down below are three pictures of my track plan,
I do my trackplaning in AnyRail 6.
First are the main layout and the two second pictures are two suggestions for a staging yard on the second level.
The second level are calculated to be 15 inches below the upper shelf thats why the ramp down are so long.
Its not built yet so I'm open for suggestions on this.
Place have a look and tell me what you think, if it will be a fun track plan or a total disaster.
And off course please come with suggestions of how to improve it.
Thanks in advance!
Kind Regards
Erik
Hi Erik and to the forum! It's great to have members from the other side of the pond, we hope you stick around. Your first few messages will be moderated, so please be patient.
I looked at your plan. Looks good overall. By now, you probably realize that a duck-under is a bit of a pain, but what is done is done. My only comment would be about your yard in the south end (main level). Right now, there is only room for a few cars in each sub-section. There is room to add longer sub-sections in the yard by simplifying the trackwork, such as by only using a single ladder (not a double one). Since you are interested in operations, you will soon realize that having more storage space for cars will be easier to operate and will allow, well, more cars. And you may soon realize, for example, that passenger cars add variety to a layout - you may want space to store some of these too.
Anyway, thanks for sharing and keep us informed of your progress.
Simon
PS: I see there is a bed near the benchwork - will you be sleeping under the layout?
Hi SimonThank you very much for the welcome And Yes the duck-under is a bit of a pain, I had planned to have a swing out at first but it would be to large to be practical. And I need every inch I can get in sutchs a small space.
The benchwork is quite high at 51 inches and Im short so its not that bad.
So I added the duck-under and cut my bedroom door so it opens underneath the duck-under (Of course it opens inwards, Murphy's law you know ) and added a window on the upper half so the layout is visible from the living room.
About the main level yard, I planned that second lader as a run around track to save space so I could add some industries at the back.
And you are right, I will probably want more rolingstock, it's gonna be hard to resist.
I could lengthen the yard stub tracks a bit to accommodate a few extra cars.
And Yes I do slep under my layout.
Thank you for your help and thoughts, I will keep updating. Kind RegardsErik
Hi Erik!
Welcome to the forums!
I had the opportunity to visit your beautiful country many years ago. I have many fond memories!
I am no expert, but I think your track plan looks fine. However, there are a couple of things to think about:
- I know that you said that you wanted scenery, but you can't operate scenery. For that reason, I would consider extending the yard tracks on the main level as far to the left as you can even if the yard interferes with a planned scene. (Edit: I hadn't seen your comments in the post above until after I wrote this). Right now you can only accommodate short cuts of cars on the yard tracks. If you want to receive an 8 car train you will have to use the two longest yard tracks which will leave very little space for the cars needed to build a different train. If you can get your 8 car train onto one yard track (or at least most of it), you will have lots of space to put different cars so you can make a different train.
- Your lower level yards offer two different options. The first one with the run around will allow you to build trains whereas the second one is more suited to just storing trains. If you want to have operations in the lower yard then obviously the first option is the best. If you just want to store trains and do all of your operating on the main level, then the second lower yard option is the best, with the following caveat:
I think you need to add one additional feature if you are going to use the storage only lower yard option. You need a run around on the track leading to the yard so that you can switch locomotives from the front to the back of a train. Otherwise, if you go into the yard locomotive first, your locomotive will be trapped in the yard. The other option is to back the trains down the incline so the locomotive can get free. However, that means that the lower yard can only be used by trains going counter clockwise on the main level.
The problem with putting a run around on the ramp leading to the lower yard is that the track is sloped. It is difficult to park a train on a slope without a locomotive attached. There are several ways to solve this. The simplest is to put a few stiff brush fibres between two of the ties where you want to hold the train. When the fibres touch one of the axles of the freight car, the car (theoretically) won't roll any further until the locomotive is hooked up to the other end of the train and can push the cars over the fibres. This is easier said than done. There are lots of variables like the steepness of the grade and the weight of the cars, and the fibres have to be flexible enough to bend out of the way when necessary.
A more reliable way it to place a piece of wire up through the subroadbed with a lever and handle attached so the wire can be raised and lowered as needed. This can even be done with a Tortoise switch machine mounted on its side.
- I would also consider a run around on the ramp leading to the lower yard if you are going to operate the lower yard. The run around in the yard is too short for a locomotive to escape an 8 car train.
I tend to give long answers and this is no exception, so I'll quit now.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Nice looking track plan. Should have some nice opportunities for scenery and well thought out operations. As you just noted, you can extend the yard tracks to the left to make room for a few more cars on each track. To get the 15" separation it looks like you might have some 4% grades. That shouldn't be a problem with your planned locomotives and train lengths.
Ray
A couple of things.You didn’t mention your age or how long this layout would be around. Age and duckunders don’t work very good together.It looks like your grade will be approximately 300 inches long climbing 15 inches that equals a 5% grade. I have 3½% grades and that is as steep as I would attempt. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California Turned 84 in July, aging is definitely not for wimps.
Hi again Erik,
Mel brings up a very good point regarding the grade. I agree with his math i.e. you will end up with a 5% grade. Your plan might result in a lot of frustration when you are trying to get up that slope. You also have some rather tight corners which will increase the effective grade considerably.
If you were to reduce the distance between the two levels to 10" then the grade would work out to about 3.3% which is much more workable. Obviously that will make operating the lower yard a real challenge, so my recommendation would be to just use the lower yard to store trains.
Hi Erik.
I am not one that looks at track plans. What works for one, sometimes doesn't for someone else.
Just two pieces of advice.
Have some sort of padding under the duck under. No matter how low you think you are, it hurts. Been there.
And. Ensure that once scenery is in place, track cleaning and maintenance is easy to access. I know many a layout owner to be disenchanted by not being able to access parts of the layout.
Looking forward to seeing you progress. Keep it fun and it will give great enjoyment.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
I think the shape of the plan is fine.
You can change the benchwork around the duckunder. You'll want it just deep enough to hold the track, so you dont have to keep your head low for several steps. Move the Blue freight house to a location in front of the wardrobe by reversing the direction of the spur. Make the duckunder thin.
If the freight house will not fit under the upper level, I would simply sacrifice the freight house to be able to make the duckunder thinner, but that's a personal choice.
The pensinsula has what looks like two grain elevators. But the runaround track needed to serve the cut of cars that will be spotted seems too short. You can use a curved turnout in the curve that leads into the peninsula to double the lenght of the runaround.
The yard along the south wall has short holding tracks that can be made longer without creating any issues. Longer storage tracks are better than shorter storgage tracks, even if you never use all of the capacity. It simply looks better.
You can also use a curved turnout to start the yard ladder in the upper level yard. Again, longer storage tracks.
That's all I got. Good luck.
- Douglas