I am about to start developing a track plan for my N scale layout. I have a basement train room that is 28' x 22' with a door near the corner of one of the 28' walls. I want to have a linear walk-around style layout. The benchwork configuration that I'm committed to will be similar to Dave Barrow's Cat mountain and Santa Fe as he described it in the September 1999 issue of Model Railroader on page 61. The benchwork will be 24" wide around the perimeter of the room with a single 48" wide folded peninsula extending into the center of the room. There will be a duck-under at the door at a height of 54"-56".
I would like to set the layout in western mountainous terrain without creating the appearance of a wedding cake with layers of track. I'm looking for any specific references or suggestions for data base searches that will provide examples of linear walk-around track plans of any scale set in mountainous terrain so I can better visualize how I might accomplish this on my own layout.
Any help or suggestions along these lines will be greatly appreciated.
Bob
The first thing I would say is that if I had space liek thatI would get rid of the duckunder, I think the benefits would be outweighed by the disadvantage, and there are other ways to deal with it. I guess the first obvious question is to ask if you have John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation. I can't think of a better source for layout shape ideas. I also think I'd think seriously about double decking, at least in some sections, and perhaps, if you really want to 'go for it' make a mushroom. Either or both of those would help get elevation changes but separated visually.
Have you looked at Joe Fugates website? He does use a duckunder, well actually a walkunder (you'd have to be real tall to need to duck) and a mushroom, and double decking. Let me look up the site:
http://siskiyou-railfan.net/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.20
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
I think you might want to look at having your bench work 30 inches wide. I have a large N-scale layout in a 14x28 foot building. My bench work in 30 inches wide and I am able to put return loops on the ends without have a very small radius. Also it won't look so cramped.
Craig
Bear "It's all about having fun."
I would like to thank everyone for the input and suggestions so far.
I do have a copy of the latest edition of John Armstrong's book on track planning and will be using it extensively in this new layout. I realize that duckunders can present problems, especially as we age, but I want the trains to be able to run continuously without running thru the same scene twice which I believe would happen if I used turnback loops. Since this is a one-man construction job, namely me, I think I'd rather keep it simple by keeping the benchwork on one level so there's a chance that I can get the layout operational in my lifetime.
Jeff: Thanks for the reference to Joe Fugate's website. I checked it out. It looks like he's put out some interesting DVD's. The one on design and construction looks especially useful.
The benchwork on my layout is 24" wide in the sections around the wall, except for one section that will be 30" where I plan to locate the major classification yard. The 48" wide folded peninsula that extends into the center of the room will be accessable from both sides and will be 24" wide on each side of a scenery divider. The reason I'm trying to keep the widths of the benchwork at 24"-30" is because of the height of the layout which will be at 54"-56". I'm 6'4" tall and should be able to reach 30" into the layout from any of the aisles.
To bearman and pcarrell: Thanks for the reference to the Westcott book and the track planning website. The website had thumbnail pix of the track plans in the Westcott book plus some other interesting track plans.
I appreciate your help!
Thanks for the input on the duckunder. My plan for my duckunder is to build a box-girder-like structure, probably out of 1" x 4" lumber, and securely attach it to the benchwork on either side of the door opening. Since I plan to have the benchwork at a height of 54"-56" at the door and the box girder bridge will only be at most wide enough for two straight N scale tracks, I don't think I'll have a problem getting under it even with my 6'4" height. If it becomes too difficult, I'll use the method suggested in Jeff Wilson's Basic Model Rairoad Benchwork on page 88 which uses a desk chair on casters to get under the duckunder.
I am building a 21 x 13 Nscale and I have learned the following.
I ended up with 2' wide benchwork with 36" wide sections where I wanted a loop in the track. I went for continuos operation with loops on each end and two reversing loops so I can turn my trains around. Have LOTS of staging! You will want LOTS of trains and you need a place to store them. Discard any ideas about helixes, steep grades and sharp turns. The best place to have a gorge is the MIDDLE of the track benchwork. This is the place to place the lowest elevation track with the highest elevation track crossing above. You go down from the highest elevation to the ends and turn around and come back to the lowest elevation. I think 15" radius curves and 3% grades are the maximum I would recommend. If you do mountains, plan your mountains and make your track fit to them, not the other way around. The problem wih realistic mountiains is ending them at the top of the layout realistically. I don't like duck unders either, I went with a U shape and a return loop on each end. Have lots of sidings and at least two yards. Take a class on how to lay track, there are a lot of tricks to learn. Do some research in types of switches. There are lots of options.
Have fun and good luck!
Ditto on the staging. No matter how much you include, you won't have enough. Especially on a large layout like that.
But also don't omit a functioning yard. Some people pooh-pooh the idea of having a yard, but that's really where the fun part of building and breaking down trains takes place. Even if you just use it to stage trains, it can be a cool place to just display them. It's also a good excuse to get some switchers and build an engine terminal.
I have a track that crosses the aisle, but I have it on a drop leaf, hinged on one side. When a train is due out of staging, I pull it up, slide the barrell bolt to secure it, and plug in the modular jack that connects the power. When not in use, it hangs safely out of the way.
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Thanks for the input on staging yards. I like to run long freights and passenger trains so I'll need a fair amount of trackage in staging yards. I have Andy Sperando's book on freight yards which I'll be using as one of my references.
With the space I have available, I plan to have a large main staging/classification yard which will have at least 10-12 tracks each 12'-14' long depending on what I do with a engine service facility at one end of the yard. In addition to this main yard, I plan to have a secondary yard at about the midway point in the main line run which will have 8-10 tracks approximately 10' long. Since I want to make construction and maintenance as simple as possible both of these yards will be located on the top of the benchwork, as in Dave Barrow's Cat Mountain and Santa Fe layout, and not be hidden.
What is the best/user friendly software for track plan design?
If you have a Mac, Empire Express is a good, basic program that is inexpensive and easy to learn and use. If you don't have a Mac ........ you should! :-)
Dante
For free it is hard to beat XTrkCad, http://www.xtrkcad.org
It is a bit unintuitive, so do the tutorial. Then work with it far a while, then do the tutorial again (it will make more sense the econd time). It can't render 3-d, but it does allow elevations, and calculates grades.
Thanks for the reference for XTrkCad. I'll check it out.
RFinch wrote: Thanks for the reference for XTrkCad. I'll check it out.Bob
Iirc, you can only do up to a 4 x 8 with the free version.
Mailman wrote: RFinch wrote: Thanks for the reference for XTrkCad. I'll check it out.Bob Iirc, you can only do up to a 4 x 8 with the free version.
NO, NO, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE!
For at least two or three years now you can register XTrkcad for free, in fact you don't even register it, you jut enter the the codes provided. I think the newer version (it is now open source, and a group has been improving/updating it) does not even require this, but I'm not 100% sure on that. The new version is the one at http://www.xtrkcad.org . Back in a few, I'm going to check on this....
Just checked, and the newer version does not require any registration at all.
Vail and Southwestern RR wrote: Just checked, and the newer version does not require any registration at all.
Cool, thanks for the info. Obviously been awhile since I messed with it.