Gentleman, I am getting ready to start my fourth layout as I have not been happy at all with my previous three. I have a space that is 11.5" wide by 16.5" feet long on the "left" side and 21" feet long on the "right" side if the layout were to be "split" right down the middle. HO scale and my only "requirements" are...
Thanks for any help guys!
Hi Missouri Pacific BNSF:
It would help us if you could show any obstructions like doors and windows, stairs, power panels etc. Also, show us where the fixed walls are too.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
There are no obstructions (doors, windows, etc.) within the area, and the was follow the most outer boundaries on the table along the lines where the measurements are written.
Stealing a line from Johnny 5 in the "Shortcircuit" movie, we need more input.
1. Is this space the same space where your other three layouts were built? And if so... What made you unhappy with your other three layouts?
2. Do you prefer an "around-the-walls" or an "island" style layout? (in other words, how deep do you want to be able to reach into the layout?)
3. Are duck-unders and/or pop-ups to be avoided at all costs or are they acceptable for the initial construction and/or maintenance?
4. Do you desire a linear-style plan (one pass through any part of the layout) or the spaghetti-bowl style (as much track that you can fit in)?
And now the most important two questions BEFORE you start drawing anything.
What didn't you like about the previous layouts?
What did you like about the previous layouts?
If you don't have good answers to those 2 questions, chances are this one will be a bust too.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
I did not like the alignment issues that came with the duckunder and swing gates on the previous layouts, I did not like the small amount of available mainline, and I did not like the amount of dead space on the deck of the layout.
As for the things I did like, I liked the simple design of the trackwork being on one level, I liked the ability to run multiple trains at once, I liked have the ability to "stage," albeit small in the area of the diesel facility.
Where is the room entrance?
Steve
The entrance is on the bottom side of the drawing as it is being viewed.
Other important questions:
Era?
Location?
What do you want to do? Type of operation? (running, switching, block swapping, mainline, branchline)
Theme? (mining, logging, seaport, heavy duty class one, big city urban, deserts, rural, etc)
I would also suggest not requiring the engine facilites be in the alcove, why not place them where they fit on the layout rather require the layout to fit around the engine facilities.
The layout will be set in the middle 1960's, out west, with a desert theme. All running will be basically mainline runthroughs. As for the diesel facility, I am open to incorporating it elsewhere and open to suggestions. Within that facility I have a diesel house, 2 car shops, a 2 foot transfer table and a 130" scale foot turntable I'd like to include.
40" Radius dogbone in that space will be tough. loops will be 7' across.
Why would a railroad put a major shop in a desert?
I take it the black areas of off limits? Is that the entrance in the lower left, or is the entrance in the middle of the white area?
40" radius dogbone with noo duckunders is going to be very tough. The ideal spots for the dogbone loops would be on the left just above the black square and on the right adjsacent to the 'diesel facility' however 40" radius loops will not fit in both of those space, nor would it allow a reasonable aisle to walk in assuming the door is in the black area. Even dropping to 36" radius won;t fit there. And if you put the loop in the lower left and the other one up in the upper right there will be lamost no straight track connecting them, and a whole lot of space will go unused along the right side.
For that size space, to run full length passenger cars with generous curve radius - have you considered N scale? 22" radius in N scale is as good as 40" in HO and you can get a good bit of track in that space if the curves cna be 22" radius. Plus it would have more of a wide open desert feel if you didn't cram in as much track as possible but rather kept it pretty simple - high scenery to track ratio for those long passenger trains to roll through.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
30"-32" radius with easements should allow pretty much any passenger equipment to run in HO. This would offer much more flexibility in achieving a walk-in footprint.
The perfect is often the enemy of the good (enough).
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
It's late now, and well beside the point, or maybe by-the-bye is a better term...
I wish we had been able to help you to build a better swing up or duck-under. I have built two lift-out and swing-downs, and they work really well. I'm no craftsman, either. What I figured I had to do was to control the displacement from nearly perfect alignment where the gaps were in one axis only. The other axis was the one where I'd have to use wood screws to adjust the height of the matching rail heads across the gap. That approach works, and is how I expect to achieve success on my current build. I'm nearly at the point of laying tracks in that mechanical access point.
I wish you success. Stick firmly to your guns on this one so that you can enjoy finding the solution(s) to the vexations you experienced the other trials.
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16508125_10210424943054212_1627536766821071899_n.jpg?oh=ce888f626aecf5aabcd4b2142dca0eb8&oe=59008C8B
Couple ideas. 29" min radius.