hi all, HO scale modeler with a 10’ x 15’ rectangular space in an open basement. Looking to model Chicago area suburbs in Modern era. Looking for some help from layout designers...
Prefer at least an accommodation for loop running (traverser ok). Not looking for an L shape layout. Want some sort of swing down gate for visitors.
Modern Era with Passenger Station stop or multiple stops (can be Chicago Metra, Amtrak, or both)
One or two local switching industries, plus a transfer junction. Want to model the freight in the hole waiting for traffic to clear.
Too much HO scale equipment to change to N Scale
Layout will be freestanding in an unfinished basement, so Multi level probably won’t work.
I‘ve been kicking around a couple BNSF racetrack plans but the triple track always gets big.
Hi there. Are there any walls in that space?
Simon
Back when you first posted on this idea, I suggested a published plan of mine from MRP as possible inspiration. While it's too large as-is, the twice-around and shared freight and commuter traffic themes might be useful.
cuyamaI used a twice-around design for a model of the C&NW Chicago commute in Model Railroad Planning 2014 that might offer some ideas. But it’s in a larger space and for an earlier era, so not directly applicable. It included a freight yard and some freight switching.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/270172.aspx
I thought that you made an interesting start with a rough plan that you (at least, I think it was you) posted on the Layout Design SIG's Facebook Group in April. It might be worthwhile to post those plans here to help jumpstart discussion, along with what you like and don't like about them.
Good luck with your layout.
Byron
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
snjroy Hi there. Are there any walls in that space? Simon
The OP said freestanding!
10 by 15 ft. is a nice space for a modest, but nice HO scale layout. I find Scott Perry´s Heart of Georgia layout an interesting base. It offers plenty of operation possibilities, especially when you manage to integrate some staging.
http://hogrr.blogspot.com/
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Outsailing8610’ x 15’ rectangular space in an open basement
As others have posted, it would help others help you to know if that area is bounded by walls or if there is a possibility for aisles outside of that space. It also helps to know where the entrance(s) will be.
It’s in the basement, an open space. The floor area is 15’ x 20’ with windows on both sides of the one corner. The basement is unfinished. Layout entrance could be on either the 10’ or 15’ side.
My current layout is based on the Heart of Georgia, but I really don’t like the duckunder or the narrow shelves. I have a yard with an automotive plant, but the one siding I didn’t make the clearance enough and found you can’t shove autoracks in a 24” radius curve.
As far as my other plan I made, I made the curves too tight of radius, especially in the yard. I used 2” offsets. I also didn’t like the Metra having to go across crossovers to the siding to tie up in the suburban commuter terminal.
Is there any reason you can't use the full 15x20' space and have a lift out bridge. Around the walls will give you a good sized layout and there is room for a lobe in the middle that can support 30 inch radius curves.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Is there a reason to not insulate and finish the area? This would open up many possibilities, and make the space much nicer.
Dave
It’s insulated. In the winter it isn't too cold down there. I’ve got overheard lighting that keeps it pretty bright, and I use rubber gym mat flooring for the feet.
Property taxes will go up significantly if I finish the basement, or if I do it myself without permits I’d have to rip it out when we move. Plus there’s the cost of finishing a 900 sq foot basement.
Nope, that option would be available, except the layout would be built on legs with a backdrop, not mounted to the walls.
One thing to consider is working space. From what I understand, the layout will basically take all the 15X20 space if the layout is entirely freestanding. That leaves little room for work space. Is there another room in the basement for that?... Another option would be to finish the walls, as suggested, and to connect the layout to one of the walls to save space on one side for a small work desk.
The rest of the basement is available for assembling. My workbench and tools are in the garage.
Layout size is somewhat self inflicte. There’s no way my wife would be happy with a full basement layout.
you might consider making it high enough so that you can sit in a chair with wheels to work underneath the bench.
and if it's high enough, you can probably fit a workbench (on wheels) under it, if that gives you more layout space in the basement.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Might I suggest avoiding the duck-under. I had tha on my 1st layout and realized how much I despised it once I build the second (current one). Much better with a more open arrangmenet b/c people can walk right up to the layout.
I’d like to avoid a duck under. I’m ok with building a swing down gate.
Layout height would be around 50” (building legs out of 1x4x8’ ) and I’m 6’1”
My Rock Island-themed layout is 12.5 ft x 11.5 ft and has a double-track main, some staging, a yard and yard lead/passing siding, and a fully functional signal system: https://goo.gl/photos/3JVZWi6NgCkk9GNbA
I like your Chicago racetrack idea. I've thought about creating a triple-track CNW suburban layout with Wheaton as the focus (my grandparents lived there). The triple track would circumnavigate the area (with a lift gate), and a track would descend to lower-level staging that would extend around the area except at the location of the lift gate.
The staging would hold the commuter trains and freights that you'd be navigating around the layout from your CTC panel. The signaling would be really fun to do and control. Now that the UP has put some lineside signals on the former CNW, you could do this layout/signaling for either the BNSF or UP. The rush-hour traffic would be fun. This would be more of a dispatcher-focused layout, which is where my interests lie, but you could change it up with sidings for more switching.
Also, Byron Henderson's CNW design is really cool. I study that one pretty often. It's a great combination of city, yard and suburbs in a smaller space. Really creative.
The John Armstrong 'Harper's Ferry Vignette' article/layout from his book 'The Classic Layout Designs of John Armstrong' (Kalmbach, 2001) may give you some ideas on how to create a nice layout in a smaller space.
Yes, I installed a hinged liftout on mine and never regretted it.
I think that the key for a layout with modern equpiment is to keep things simple, wide and long... Complicated layouts don't work well with long modern trains. I would do two parallel tracks, with space on one of the longer sides to store some cars for some staging. A switching site could be placed on the opposite side of the doughnut.
That’s what I’m thinking. Triple track oval race track with a transloading facility and station on the 15’ side. Add crossovers on the 10’ sides, and a traverser on the other side to hold trains.
But to model a single town vs multiple towns is my question
Consider running the mainline twice-around with an elevation difference between the passes. It makes a gate more complicated, but not by a lot. And this creates more locations for towns/commuter stops (as on my published plan).
In building a donut-style layout, many folks miss the opportunity to use all three sides of the benchwork: Inside, Outside, and "Backside" (against the wall) for staging. This might work for you if you wish to keep an aisle along one side.
Here's a not-to-scale sketch. The duckunder could be a gate.
Neat idea! But I see this layout being operated by myself, so going inside for a branch line seems a little bit of a stretch. im thinking about the MR Crystal Lake plan, but I’m struggling with how to make it modern.
How much more can you do with N scale? Assuming two locomotives in N is an HO scale engine, a 6 car HO train turns into a 12 car N scale with two diesels.
My thoughts on a swing down gate. It means the scenery on the gate is subject to damage when you walk through. I am planning for a tip up type gate to avoid such a problem.
Good luck,
Richard
Outsailing86 That’s what I’m thinking. Triple track oval race track with a transloading facility and station on the 15’ side. Add crossovers on the 10’ sides, and a traverser on the other side to hold trains. But to model a single town vs multiple towns is my question
Probably just one town if an entire 15 foot side is going to be used for staging. You could have some different neighborhoods on each ten foot side.
How would this traverser work? How many trains do you need, and why wouldn't a simple stubb ended staging yard not be sufficient?
- Douglas
The traverser works like putting the trains on a drawer, and moving it to align the tracks so the train would come off without loosing the space of the switch ladders.
On the 10’ sides, I figure the straight section would only be 3’, so I’m looking at single town again. Has anyone operated a single town layout? What are your thoughts?
Here is my 10' x 9' N scale layout I am building. Not very fancy. The MRR N scale Burlington Northern Project from 1990 is a nice little layout. That is what I based mine on, wish I would have done a penisula.
Outsailing86 The traverser works like putting the trains on a drawer, and moving it to align the tracks so the train would come off without loosing the space of the switch ladders. On the 10’ sides, I figure the straight section would only be 3’, so I’m looking at single town again. Has anyone operated a single town layout? What are your thoughts?
Ok, I get that, you want to keep all of the train lengths the same.
How broad of curves are you planning, and what is your train length?
Train length 7.5 feet and 30” radius curve
I could see having the terminal on the 15 foot side and maybe the transload/frieght area on one ten foot section and maybe residential/retail on the other ten foot section.
You could scenic the other 15 foot section, but a traverser might eliminate that possibility.
If you built a double ended staging yard using Walthers curved turnouts to start either end, you might end up with 4 fixed staging tracks of at least 7.5 feet. But the inside radius of a couple of trnouts might have to be 28 inches.