HO Layout in 10 x 12

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Need comments and inputs from the experts here. This is my first HO layout plan using XtrkCAD. Here are some of my goals

1) Location of prototype Taylor Texas, (points north of Taylor are Hearn, Calvert and on towards the Dallas area) to points just south of Smithville Tx. Further east of Smithville are LaGrange and on towards Houston and the ship channel.
2) Time period will be early to mid 80's.
3) Switching and ops more interesting to me than just running loops
4) Railroads are the Southern Pacific, Missouri Pacific, the Katy and some Union Pacific
5) Will be diesel although will consider a steamer as a leftover for tourist rides (something similar to the Texas Flyer running in the town I live in to points further west)
6) Trying to keep radius at 24" for mainline. I have a little adjustment to do over the bridge and yep, it looks like a duckunder.

All of these towns are close to me, so I plan some excursions to go see what is left of the real thing.

My personal feeling about this layout at the moment are:
A) Grade of 3% from Smithville just to the left of Coupland is a bit steep, however, as you can see space is limited. Layout will be at about 58" but obvously need to get below that elevation by about 3" to get "under the deck" and from there it's only 0.9% grade down to the lower staging area. So I have a 3% grade for about 9-10ft.
B) Getting trains back into staging after running will be somewhat of a hassle unless I run them backwards.
C) The Smtihville and LCRA yards are real. I got luckly and found some aerial photos that show them about the 80's.
D) While Taylor does did have an old MOPAC yard, I have no clue as to how it was really laid out. So, what I have here is copied from Track Planning for Realistic Ops (forgive me father for I have plagerized) [V]

Link to layout
See new revision below

Anyway, I'm sure I've not considered many things. Any and all inputs are welcome [:)]

[skiloff]

I'm not sure I understood the grading down to the staging, but it seems to me if you increased the grade a bit, you should be able to get much more staging tracks. It doesn't seem like there is much for staging there for such a large layout, but perhaps you don't need it.

[Tom Bryant_MR]

I've labeled the drawing - see new revision below

1) On the grading down to staging, the layout is at 58" at point A. From there I have it droping 3" to clear the track entering Coupland at point B. This distance of ~ 9ft gives a grade of 3%. The lower staging, at point C is at 53". From B (55") to C (53") gives a grade of 0.9. The lower staging is 5" lower than the upper staging @ Hearn/Calvert/Franklin and in front of - sort of like a drawer or shelf pulled out.

2) On available staging, you may well be right. I will re-calculate the number of cars in staging vs the number that can be handled on the layout in total.

Thanks for the inputs. [:)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

You have a difficult situation there with a pure point to point. As drawn there is no way to turn an engine. The "S" shaped bench work makes for a nice mainline, but it leaves you with a duck under, and no good way to have a return.

You might do better within your space to wrap around the walls, then have a peninsula stick out into the middle of the room. This would take the duck under out, and possibly give you a return to staging.

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Thanks for the suggestion Big_Boy. I'll give that one a try tomorrow.

[Big_Boy_4005]

You're welcome Tom, that bridge near the door is optional of course, but including it might give you what you are looking for. Because that peninsula is so wide, I envisioned a backdrop down the middle so you could seperate your towns. If nothing else it will lengthen your mainline, remove the duckunder, and give you more real estate for scenery and structures.

The peninsula should be wide enough to do some kind of turn, albeit hidden. I realize that a continuous run is not priority for you, but if you use the bridge (actually 2 tracks upper and lower) you could make a connection between the 2 yards.

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Okay. Revision C online - see new revision below
Still have some work to do on COUPLAND and SMITHVILLE. Need to add some passing tracks and not real satisified with yards in those two.

Interesting thing about the staging area. I had actually changed this last night to using a split ladder as recommended in Track Planning for ... however, I actually get more staging area with the pinwheel yard arrangement.

And Christmas has come early !! I have half of my garage cleaned out and have space for 10 x 17 [:D]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Well Tom, I think you are getting a better bang for your buck, now you have an "out and back". That wye is nice, and you have a small loop for test running.

Coupland is going to need a runaround, unless you plan to switch that one industry on the way back. You may want to widen the benchwork there a little to make room for structures.

Smithville is going to need longer tracks. It's just too tight to be workable. You have the space.

You will probably want to add escape crossovers on your end yards.

Keep tweaking. Better now than during construction.

[selector]

Tom, it is a nice plan, However, I am wondering why you want the extension from Sasuage Factory to the Wood Flooring set the way it is..crossing the spur to the Fertilizer Plant? I would much rather it came from the Fertilizer Plant spur. Additionally, if you ever wanted to just admire your train(s) working in a closed loop for 10 minutes, you could do that at the lower left of your layout by completing the partially drawn loop already there. Just a thought.

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Thanks for all the inputs. Revision D is online - http://home.austin.rr.com/tomsandy/Bedroom3_Up_Down_RevD.pdf

Big_Boy, on the COUPLAND run-a-round. I was thinking of a local from Taylor to work the Fertilzer and Wood industries in COUPLAND. These would be goods delivered from up north via HEARN and beyond. I'm still playing with this. I appreciate your inputs as the island has worked out better than I hoped.

Widened the benchwork as COUPLAND is booming now! Maybe too much. Let me know what you all think. Getting too crowed ? [?]

The WYE is real. I found a plan that showed the WYE actually in SMITHVILLE but I've taken some liberty here.

Selector, thanks for pointing out the Sausage factory. The crossing is really the interchange from San Antonio and is really located in SMITHVILLE - again I take artistic liberties [:-^]. Rev D has changes in this area.

I'm working that bridge across the door as you suggested Big_Boy. I can evision this really looking cool as someone enters the room. The only thing spoiling my view is that nasty sign saying "Watch yer head mister!" hanging from it. Well, maybe I can incorporate the sign - just like adverts on the cars LOL!

Really do appreciate everyone's thoughts and inputs. [^]

[ereimer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tom Bryant_MR

Widened the benchwork as COUPLAND is booming now! Maybe too much. Let me know what you all think. Getting too crowded ? [?]

as long as you can still fit the industry buildings in between the tracks and make a realistic looking town , it's not too crowded

the plan is looking great !

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tom Bryant_MR

Thanks for all the inputs. Revision D is online - http://home.austin.rr.com/tomsandy/Bedroom3_Up_Down_RevD.pdf

Really do appreciate everyone's thoughts and inputs. [^]

I didn't see the original but it seems to me like there are piles of extra double ended spurs (run arounds).

Coupland has one through the town back toward Austin, and another just south toward Smithville. The three industries sausage, iron, and floors all have their own run around. This takes up a lot of space were cars could be spotted. Seems they are all so close together that one run-around for all would be a better use of space. Might even uncrowd it a bit.

Seems like Smithville has two run arounds (one really short) when one would do the job.
I would keep the one by the "times publishing" and ditch one of the crossovers by the "local switcher track.

While the LCRA might be real it seems to have an extra excape track or runaround.

Does the last leg of the two ladders in Hern & Houston really buy any space? Seems like the usable space created is only 12". That much space is lost to the preceeding leg by the turnout & new foul point.

In Taylor I don't understand the "through south track" at all, seems too short to even create an effect of having another track there? The switching lead is much longer than all but the "local north" classification track. Even then, if you put the "local north" track off the same lead as the "local south" it will have a greater capacity.

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Thanks ereimer. I feel the same. I will see about spreading this out a bit.

And thank you Texas Zepher, I've been looking at that plan for so many hours I missed some of the obvious. I'm glad I labeled everthing; makes it easier to follow everyone's inputs.

Really appreciate the advice ! [^]

Thanks again. Will take all of your inputs to heart and put a new one out there later this week. It's Monday and time to get back to the salt mine.