Hello all. So I purchased a house and finally have a train room again. I haven't modeled HO since I was a kid (I'll be 40 in a few months). I've known what I've wanted for awhile, but still have no idea on how to accomplish my goal.
The train room is approximately 10' by 14', although there is a 3' bump out to make the length 17' (The room is 10x17, but has a closet on one end). If I knew how to post pics, I'd do so.
I live in Michigan and will be basing my scenery on my surroundings. I'm focusing on late 30's - early 40's. Streamlined locomotives, with maybe some steam here and there. I'm thinking Depression era rural scenes with possibly a city detail. Looking at logging as the main industry. I'm starting out with nothing, so will be purchasing as I go along. This winter I only hope to accomplish basic benchwork.
My interest is in the modeling of an historic era, not really into switching cars and such (although I might get into that someday).
Finally, I'm 6'4" and have a long reach, so depth isn't a huge problem. I'd love a grade change, but it's not a priority.
Any thoughts on a layout plan? I'm perfectly ok with using someone elses plan. I found the Glass Rock and Eastern layout on here, but didn't really find any others I thought would work well. Any help or suggestions as to previous layout designs that you have would be appreciated.
You might try looking thru some "HO trackplans" on google images.
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
Alright Dutch -
Welcome
I hope you figure out how to post photos and trackplans and whatnot. There's a sticky that provides instructions. Lots of help and info and advice on this forum. Clear descriptions and sketches keep your new helpers on track (as it were).
About being tall . . . I've got some bad news you might already know. No matter how tall and no matter how great your reach, there's always gonna be something 2" farther away. Sorry.
Good luck.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
There are trackplans under the Model Railroad: How To tab. I don't know if you will find one that plugs into your room.
John Armstrong's Planning a MR for Realistic Operation is a must read for everyone starting a new layout.
I agree with Robert, eventually a picture will cut to the chase quicker than two pages of posts that sound like the blind men describing the elephant.
Welcome to the forum.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
In basic terms, you will fit the most in a room that size if you do an "around the walls" layout. If around the walls, you will probably need a lift out bridge so you can walk in without using a duck under.
My last layout was 10x18' and here are a couple of photo's of what I squeezed in - which included an 11 track staging yard underneath the main yard and 32-inch minimum radius curves:
The track from the tunnel is the bottom level coming up to the top at a 2.9% grade.
Vew the other direction:
Track on the outside goes down and under to the 11 track staging yard.
So you can squeeze in a good amount or something less ambitious would be just round the room once on one level.
Here are some deconstruction photos showing part of the yard throat of the bottom level staging yard after I removed the turnouts and other views of how the 2 level part was built. I have photo's of both staging yard throats fully finished but not handy right now.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Don't neglect the extensive track plan database on this website.
http://mrr.trains.com/how-to/track-plan-database
You don't need to fill your available space, at least not right away. So don't ignore plans for smaller spaces.
As regards reach, I am 6'7" so I too don't have too many reach issues BUT ... it is one thing to reach 24 or 30 inches into an area to place a structure, apply scenery, or re-rail a car. It is quite another to reach that far to lay track or worse yet, solder a feeder wire to the side of a rail.
And when thinking about reach don't forget to look up. Regardless of arm length and height it is no pleasure to try to replace a flourescent light tube which is more than a foot or so away from directly above your shoulder.
Dave Nelson
I agree with RioGrande Jim. With your space, an around the room configuration will probably work best.
However, depending upon how much of the loggin theme you want to go with, a logging themed layout in the depression era, tighter radius curves won't look unprototypical when running shorter trains and cars. You should also consider a true walk in design with two turnback loop blobs in the corners. You will still want to keep the curves as broad as possible regardless.
Also, if you're into prototype history, logging in Michigan was slowing down in your era, at least from a railroad perspective. Lumber rather than pure logging might be a more adaptable theme for the equipment you want to run.
- Douglas
riogrande5761 My last layout was 10x18' and here are a couple of photo's of what I squeezed in - which included an 11 track staging yard underneath the main yard and 32-inch minimum radius curves: The track from the tunnel is the bottom level coming up to the top at a 2.9% grade. Vew the other direction: Track on the outside goes down and under to the 11 track staging yard. Here are some deconstruction photos showing part of the yard throat of the bottom level staging yard after I removed the turnouts and other views of how the 2 level part was built. I have photo's of both staging yard throats fully finished but not handy right now.
I'd like to see those photos of your yard throats.With your staging tracks down a considerable distance under the main deck, didn't you have to provide for a considerable distance around the layout to get that 2.9 percent grade. Any additional comments about the grade?
The 2.9% grade was from the outside of the yard throat to the top the lead in to the upper yard with transition grades or easements; it started at slight grades for a few feet, then transitioned higher until it was 2.9% for around 16 or 18' - I don't recall how much. That was the minimum I could keep it using a no-lix design. The separation was a fairly tight 7.5 inches from the staging tracks below to the top of the sub-road bed above. It was just enough room to reach over trains to access trains on the tracks in the back. Granted, 11 tracks was quite a lot but I wanted the ability to store a bunch of trains on the rails.
Here is the lead into the staging yard under construction - #8 left hand code 100 Shinohara curved turnouts were used at the lead-in and in the throat to squeeze in as much length to the staging as possible. Track length ranged from as long as 22 feet to as short as 13 - so pretty generous for a small room:
Other end of staging:
Here you can see the track coming out from west staging underneath and popping out coming up grade:
Wide shot showing the levels:
Here is a fairly clear view of the separation of the two levels while under construction:
Dutch,
All good suggestions.......Across the top of the page there is a black stripe with various headings. Click on help and you will find topics for beginners.
EDIT
Click On How To not help
Happy railroading
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
riogrande5761 The 2.9% grade was from the outside of the yard throat to the top the lead in to the upper yard with transition grades or easements; it started at slight grades for a few feet, then transitioned higher until it was 2.9% for around 16 or 18' - I don't recall how much. That was the minimum I could keep it using a no-lix design. The separation was a fairly tight 7.5 inches from the staging tracks below to the top of the sub-road bed above. It was just enough room to reach over trains to access trains on the tracks in the back. Granted, 11 tracks was quite a lot but I wanted the ability to store a bunch of trains on the rails. Here is the lead into the staging yard under construction - #8 left hand code 100 Shinohara curved turnouts were used at the lead-in and in the throat to squeeze in as much length to the staging as possible. Track length ranged from as long as 22 feet to as short as 13 - so pretty generous for a small room:
Thanks for that explaination, & the photos.
Perhaps you can lend some advice on my plans for staging that I will post soon over here,...http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/265524/3000759.aspx#3000759
Brain,
My layout experience is limited to fairly standard layout construction techniques - namely open grid benchwork with framing constructed with 1x4 lumber and 1x3 cross section. Legs are 2x2 with braces.
Since my upper level was being kept with a minimum separation to the lower level to keep grades minimal, I used cross members 1x2 lumber - which is visible in some of the photo's above. It supported the sandwich of 7/16 OSB and 1/2 inch Homasote for the yard while maintaining a clearance of at least 5-inches.
If a layout had a greater separation, 1x3's could be used, or thicker.
I'm hoping to plan a new layout in a new location this fall/winter and may use shelving for an upper level and legs on a lower level depending on what I come up with for the space available. In that case I'd probably still use open grid framing and support it with shelf brackets fastened to the studs behind the wall. I might switch to 1x3 framing for upper level if it isn't very wide. I like to use spikes and nails rather than glue track down so I don't use foam for subroadbed, but may for scenery. Your call on the foam.
When I was taking down the layout last July, as I was removing the top OSB/Sandwich level which was 30 inches wide by 8 feet long, I was surpised how heavy it was. But the supports using 1x2's with 1x3 riser supports was pretty solid so I don't think there was ever any danger of anything dropping down. I used plenty of long drywall screws to hold everything together.
I can't really speak to some of the other techniques in the other topic when I looked.