My first layout in 25 years, please give me feedback on my ideas and layout.

[elec_tron42]

Greetings all, this is my first post. I'm 42 and looking to start my first model railroad in 25 years. I actually saved my old stuff but it is hopelessly out of date and probably doesn't work anyway.

Anyway, I want to start small since I have a budget, have no practice, have a small space, and will probably move is less than a year. I'll tell you my plans and I hope for lots of feedback and ideas and people to point out the dumb things before I pay for them.

Some details:
I like HO scale and transition era. (40' cars)
The layout must be sectional and lightweight for a future move.
The area I have available is a 13' wall in my diningroom and I don't want to hit both corners.
The width is more political (wife) than physical.
I'm a bit of a railfan so I want a mix of ops and continious running.
My wife and daughter want the hogwarts express eventually but I suspect their interest is only passing.

I am planning a 3 phase project in HO scale with code 83 nickel silver. Phase one is a shelf switcher, two 1x5' sections with a possible 2' sceniced center extention between them. Structure will be 1" extruded blue foam on a 1x2" rectangular frame with 2x2" legs. Very lightweight and not meant to be permanent.(see phase2) Micro engineering pre-weathered code 83 flex track, atlas #4 turnouts (except the 3way) with atlas undertable switch motors. 18" radius curves. cork roadbed caulked to foam. DC power until I add track for continous operation. I am aware I can only run tiny trains with 3 or 4 cars each.

Phase 1a is a little industrial park with 3 sidings. I originally planned this section to be a timesaver but I want it to be fun, not hard. Worse case senerio it can stand alone like a timesaver, perhaps with a 1' extenstion. Here is the track plan, sorry its so crude but I work on graph paper and have no skill drawing on the computer. The blue grid are 1" marks.

http://www.mindspring.com/~tron/phase1a.gif

After studying http://www.housatonicrr.com/yard_des.html I created a little yard for phase 1b. The yard lead extends off the section on to the next. It's not very good but its the best I could think of given the small space. Here is the track plan.

http://www.mindspring.com/~tron/phase1b.gif

Phase 2 is a switchback based off of the famous Gum Stamp & Snowshoe. The tables are 2x6' each now with 2" extruded pink foam caulked to a frame made of 1x2" with 2x2" legs with a 1x2" centerline support running the long way.
I'll fill in the table with 1" blue form to mount the roadbed and I can carve down for scenery. The now upper industrial area would be 5 inches above the tabletop. I know the first slope will be steep but with only 4 cars the engine should do fine (I hope). A long chord bridge spans the 2 tracks below (my wife would like a dramatic bridge). The tunnels and track within are for hidden storage of trains in this phase and part of the mainline in the next.
Here is the track plan. Note the areas in red are the phase1a and 1b sections with no changes other than being removed form the 1x2 frame. I'll carve out the pink foam for the switches in the yard, the upper industrial area needs low profile switches thus the atlas under table. the grey is hidden track, the green is tunnel mouth or bridge. the blue is the table joint.

http://www.mindspring.com/~tron/phase2.gif

Phase 3 adds a continious loop and a return loop, and 18 more inches to the table width on the ends. I would remove and rebuild the pink foam sub table and replace it with a larger one, again adding a layer of blue foam to the top OR add a second layer of 2" pink foam under the old one and fill in the blue outlined areas. Note minimal changes to the previous switchback layout. Here is the layout.

http://www.mindspring.com/~tron/phase3.gif

Please critique these ideas and layouts. The more feedback the better.
PS, I'm sure I messed up the images but the links should work.

[HAZMAT9]

I'm in the same boat as you getting back into railroading after 20 years or so. The plans look good.
I really like your Phase 1b yard, how much area does that section take up? I'm looking for a revamp of my yard in a small area and I'm looking for ideas. I'm playing with only about 1'x7' for a yard. Steve

[elec_tron42]

The yard is 1x5', not counting the yard lead that backtracks along side the incoming main. It will only handle trains 5 cars long i think.

[MisterBeasley]

I pulled my trains out of storage after 40 years. I cleaned up the wheels and lubricated the insides, and most of my ancient HO locomotives are running. The headlights even work. My freight cars are functional, too. Some of my buildings can be used, some can be repaired, and the rest will become spare parts. Until I upgrade to DCC, I'm still using an old Atlas powerpack. So, don't throw those old trains away!

I'm slowly converting my fleet to Kadee couplers from the old horn-hooks, which is proving difficult since I have so many off-brand cars. Also, the old track is good for drawing templates and practicing soldering, but not much else.

[ARTHILL]

I too am back after 23 years. One of my old brass worked fine and one didn't. The less expensive engines worked as well as they did when I stored them. Some needed cleaning but the old Shay was great. I finaly have a permenant spot, so what I dreamed of for 60 years may happen. I am having a blast leaning new ways. The tortose switch machines are nice. I will post a picture if I ever get any scenery down. I am kitbashing the Berschtahl bridge kit. It is awesome if I don't wreck it.

[ndbprr]

In phase 1 I'd add one more run around track to the left of the others connecting the two industry sidings. That way there is a place to put some more cars like empties when you clear the sidings.

[grandeman]

This won't help ya'll much from a practical standpoint, but WELCOME BACK to the World's Greatest Hobby!!! [8D]

[SpaceMouse]

You are putting a lot of railroad into very little space. So you have room for the industries you are servicing? Personally I like both the switching puzzles you are using, but to have to work them over and over again to run your rail road might become tedious. In the proto types, they work to make the moves as easy as possible. I'd be worried about making a layout that becomes a drudge 2 months, 6 months, or a year from now.

I'm making a shelf swtiching layout as well. I'll post it tomorrow. It has a lot of action, but doesn't have the puzzles. It is not necessarily better, just a choice I'm making.

[CNJ831]

Tron42 - I tend to agree with Spacemouse that, at least at the Phase 3 stage, there seems to be an awful lot of complex railroad going into a very confined space.

While I've always been a great fan of the Gum Stump and Snowshoe (as I recall, cited by Linn Westcott in the pages of MR as the the greatest small/shelf layout ever designed), I question your grades and turnout spacing as suggested by your posted trackplan. Given the necessary elevation to be gained, the transitions from incline to flatlands looks very severe, especially when dealing with that turnout near the bottom of the grade. Likewise, the double-slip toward the top of the grade (this is a physically long turnout) is going to be difficult to fit in successfully. I'd also suggest cutting back on the size (width) of the yard portion of the layout (stage 1b) or you will find yourself with absolutely vertical walls between levels.

In fact, my overall suggestion would be to build the phases largely in reverse, starting with the Gum Stump and Snowshoe as your basic layout. Such would allow a much clearer picture of what space is truly available for the two smaller modules to fit into. Modifying their dimensions would be easier than altering those of the GS&S.

CNJ831

[elec_tron42]

Thanks for the inputs, it's back to the drawing boards for me.

[SpaceMouse]

I posted my layout ideas on here and went back to the drawing board many, many times. What resulted was pretty cool. But at the time, it could be frustrating.

[selector]

I went full-tilt on my layout over a short 10 week period and did not have the benefit of on-line scrutiny from these fine folks, Electron. Looking back, I wish at least one other experienced person had been able to ask me a few questions and get me thinking about some deficiencies. As Space Mouse and CNJ have said, it could have been a holdback and a source of frustration, but I agree sincerely with all their advice: slow down, and find a nice balance between simplicity and complexity. It has to be fun, yet not so simple that it ceases to be 'involved" over time. On the other hand, if it becomes a task to get yout dream to work in a fun way, you're hooped!

Welcome, and good for you for submitting your plans to this forum. You will be richly rewarded. [:D]

[tigerstripe]

Just a suggestion but, 2" pink foam is the greatest thing since the remote control. Never again will I use plywood. A Woodland Scenics "hotwire" is $20; cheaper, faster, and better than any circular or jig saw.

[Leon Silverman]

The general rule of thumb is that nothing on a layout should be beyond a 30" reach. You may want to add cut-outs or access holes to your layout.

[dinwitty]

your on the same angle as me, operatability and portability, my solution is 100% shelf layout design in a modular form like the modular groups use, but your really not going to be interchangale with other modular layouts, just using the modular concept.So your tracks can curve and angle anyway you want on the edges, as long as you can make the connections.
The shelfs are supported directly on wall shelf brackets, no floor supports, construction designed light.
12-18" width, but corner modules made by simply hacking 1 foot off the edges making an angled board to form a curve. from 2x4 plywood sheets and homosote.
A nearby home store sells them like that (surprising me)
Loop trackage will somehow be floor supported, but removeable with ease. It's still a design in progress.

If you didnt want turn loops taking up space they can be removeable.