I posted a while ago looking for suggestions on switching layouts and recieved a lot of very useful links and suggestions. http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/forums/thread.aspx?ThreadID=182757&PostID=2000615&PermaPostID=2000615
I have been rethinking my original goal of a 5ft length, it's just too short, and I now realise I can just about fit a 6.5ft plan into my upstairs office, still with room for a small detachable fiddle yard off the end.
Setting-wise, i'm keen to model an urban yard, something like a larger version of the "Brooklyn 3am" or a smaller version of "Sweethome Chicago". I'm definitely thinking East Coast as a setting and I want to use soem of those outstanding DPM building kits!
I have downloaded the TrkCad program and had a lot of fun fiddling around with various designs, but nothing has yet hit the jackpot in terms of getting good operation. I feel like I'm going round in circles.
Can anyone suggest a good switching trackplan, no longer than 6.5ft and around 2ft deep (78x24) that will give a good variety of operational switching using HO scale 50ft boxcars.
I'm thinking something like a wider version of this http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/page16/serendip.jpg but with an extra mainline run.
Ideally I'd like to have a mainline that remains free, so eventually (in a larger space, or in an exhibition) a behind the scenes loop would allow mainline trains to be run continuously while switching takes place in the foreground or background.
In the 1990´s, MR ran a series on how to build a switching layout. It was the "Port of Los Angeles" layout by Bob Smaus.
The following track plan is based on this beautifully done layout:
It is 6" inches longer than you have mentioned, but can easily be shortened. It is 28" deep, but you can reduce that by a couple of inches as well. The cassette staging is my addition.
This is the original track plan:
The Port of LA plan is interesting visually and is a favorite of mine from that standpoint, but the convoluted runaround might prove quite frustrating over time. A more straightforward plan such as Linn Westcott's "Switchman's Nightmare" might be a better layout for more prototypical (real-life) switching operations.
This is a useful design, in my view, because one can simulate both railroad yard and multi-track industry delivery activities for more interest and fun.
The key is overlapping model railroad operating functions (industry leads, runarounds, etc.) within a given length.
Byron
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
JL UK I have downloaded the TrkCad program and had a lot of fun fiddling around with various designs, but nothing has yet hit the jackpot in terms of getting good operation. I feel like I'm going round in circles. Can anyone suggest a good switching trackplan, no longer than 6.5ft and around 2ft deep (78x24) that will give a good variety of operational switching using HO scale 50ft boxcars. I'm thinking something like a wider version of this http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/page16/serendip.jpg but with an extra mainline run. Ideally I'd like to have a mainline that remains free, so eventually (in a larger space, or in an exhibition) a behind the scenes loop would allow mainline trains to be run continuously while switching takes place in the foreground or background.
I guess it really depends on your definition of "good operations".
You may mean "track heavy" - like that serendip layout with yet another added main. Or some variety of Linn Westcott's switchman's neightmare - like Scot Osterweil's 6 x 1 foot "Highland Terminal" layout: http://carendt.us/articles/highland/
Or you could go to the opposite extreme and go for something like a subset of the Dave Hill's New Castle Industrial layout: http://oscalewcor.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html - light on tracks, heavy on operations.
You also have stuff like Chuck Yungkurth's 6 x 1 foot Gum Stump and Snow Shoe layout : http://www.carendt.us/scrapbook/page38a/index.html
You got "Shortliner Jack" Trollope's Attleboro layout (and variants):
You got Kelly Russel's tymesaver/inglenook combo "Russel Junction": http://home.earthlink.net/~russell_junction/
Lots of different approaches. But what will work for you depends on what you mean by "good operations".
Smile, Stein
By 'good operation' I guess I mean I'm really looking for a plan that gets lots of switching opportunities, so it will feature several industries/sidings that need to be fed with cars. But, hopefully not one that is a nightmare to operate (the 'switchmans nightmare' sounds like it might be too complex?) :)
I'm also hoping to have a plan that can have two or more engines on it at any given time, so I will need enough space to get a GP38 or similar in there, not just a short yard switching engine.
I based my under construction shelf layout on this track plan; http://mrr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/b/8/a/rb0501_a.ashx
I used it mainly for inspiration and modified it heavily.
JL UK (the 'switchmans nightmare' sounds like it might be too complex?) :)
(the 'switchmans nightmare' sounds like it might be too complex?) :)
"Nightmare" is just a name. Operating that layout is actually more straightforward and realistic than on most published switching layouts.
AlpineModeler I based my under construction shelf layout on this track plan; http://mrr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/b/8/a/rb0501_a.ashx I used it mainly for inspiration and modified it heavily.
Jonathan Jones' 10 foot long H0 scale Mid-Atlantic and Western. A good plan. An guy I know is building an 8 foot N scale (i.e. a slightly stretched) layout inspired by this layout
Track plan:
Cars shown are 60-footers - about the length of a GP38.
Couple of early construction photos:
6 feet in N scale is the equivalent of a 10 1/2 foot layout in H0 scale. You can do quite a bit in 10 1/2 foot in H0 scale.
E.g. Peter White's Tenderfoot Industrial Railroad :
If all I had was 6 feet, and I wanted a layout where I could run two engines, I would have investigated N scale.
as long as your checking out small layout scapbook look at the plan for the gumstump and snowshoe. it was originally designed in the 60's and uses a space of 1 foot by 6 foot