Good day everyone! I am returning to the hobby, after a 10+ year hiatus. I started with a scenic ridge layout (never again) on a door in my office, but due to a divorce all those years ago, and consiquently losing most of my stuff, I am starting over. I have been given permission from the boss, to use our spare room for my layout, and have started throwing some stuff to gether with AnyRail6. I have modified the scenic ridge plan with better radii, and have used another door layout I found on the internet, and made it fit my dimensions.
Here is where my hiccups start. As I was new to the hobby back then, I still know very little about it. I have not chosen any era, nor can I decide on what exactly I am going for, but I do like the industrial/coal/logging aspect, but I also like to watch trains run. This is why I have tried to "marry" these two plans together, unfinished, and more of a strating point. I was hoping that some of the veterans can chime in with some advice, which I know might be difficult given the fact that I cannot commit to anything inparticular.
As I stated, I am interested in the industrial/coal/logging, and watching trains run, I love steamies, especially the big boy, hence the minimum radii incorporated. I will have to buy new loco's and cars regardless, but I do still have my NCE Power Cab, with an SB3a Booster, a bunch of Peco code 80 electro frog turnouts were found, BNIB, this is why everything has been designed with Peco track on the layout. Anyways I am rambling now, please, if anyone has any thoughts on the current state, and can offer some advice, that would be greatly appreciated. I can also share the AnyRail plan, if someone can tell me how lol.
https://imgur.com/QIm9gvU
Hi NuHeathen.
Your first few messages will be moderated. Please be patient.
I am not the one to give advice on track plans. Others here are 'better qualified'. What I can say is make a definitive list of exactly what must be on the layout. Many a modeler sees a model and 'Oh that will look good on the layout'. A purchase is made and after a few buys it is a mish-mash of a layout. (Been there. )
As I say, make a must have list. Not 'That would be nice list'. A must have list will, you will find out, too big anyway.
Here is the trick. Say it is a logging camp you want. It is too big. Then make it smaller by representation. Having representations of what you really want gives you a working layout that has a certain satisfaction.
If you get it right and the possibility of a larger space, all you will want to do is have the same layout with a larger logging camp etc..
Whatever layout you make, have fun with it. Any mistakes, 'don't beat yourself up'. Just an excuse to do it better next time. It is not a race. Just one winner.
Keep us posted on your progress.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Welcome to the forum, NuHeathen.
David's advice is good. "Must have" first.
From my personal experience, sometimes one can over think something. Planning is necessary, but after a reasonable amount of planning, get started. You can change things once you start and find out something you did is not what you wanted or that it won't work.
On imgur, you can click on your image and copy the "BBCode". Then paste the BBCode into your post. Don't use the link image button in the menu, just paste the code into the post. The picture won't appear in your editing box, but will appear once you post the comment.
Here is what I believe you have worked on:
Good luck, and check back often. Your posts will begin to appear immediately after a couple of posts.
York1 John
Hi there. Here is my worth on this.
If you like operations, your plan will provide you that opportunity for really simple, go-around running. The good news is that you have space for a lot more. The figure eight configuration takes a lot of space. More advanced operations involves sites that feed cars to each other - for example, there is space for a logging operation, and a mining operation in a wood/mountainous area, in the south-east section, and a mill, yard and industry sector in the north part. So operations become more interesting, with flat cars and hoppers going from one section to another, from the resource to the manufacturing sites.
I also think that your yard design under-utilizes the space. If you want your Big Boy to pull long strings of cars, your yard should have space to store them. By the way, steamers don't like high grades - which you may have with your figure eight.
There is also room for a passenger station - again, more variety for operations.
Also, there is no track feeding the roundtable...
My suggestion would be look at a few sites that provides plans and see what are the possibilities. The Kalmbach publications are great for that too (101 plans, more plans, etc.).
Simon
Hello snjroy! Thank you for your insight, a lot of things are missing dfrom the layout, as this is just what I put down to see if these to plans could work together. I really like the idea in the SE section, and more industry in the north. As I have never designed a layout, I will ponder this and see if I can lay something down. Thanks again for the suggestion!