Help guys, i need some opinions please!

[Anonymous]

hey all, i just recently got to a point on my layout that i thought i never would....stuck! i have run out of ideas. when i built this layout, i was building according to an atlas track plan. now it seems that all my locos do is run around in circles. boreing[B)] i was wondering if anyone could look at what photos i have and see if theres any way to spice it up? i want desperatley to add a few bridges to it, nothing big, but enough to use my pier girder bridges. like over a river or something. the base of my layout is 3" extruded styrofoam, so modifications should be easy... i hope. i can post a complete set of pics showing all aspects of my layout if need be. any ideas would be really great.

thanks!
steve

http://gallery47343.fotopic.net/show_collection.php?id=124411

[Big_Boy_4005]

Well Steve, these are some of the hazards of a 4x8 layout. What you have looks fantastic so far. The question is where to go from here.

Is there a place where you could branch off the mainline and create a yard or some industries? If you could create a wye in the process that would allow you to turn an entire train. I think you are ready to "move up" since circles no longer hold your interest.

These suggestions don't have to take up a lot of space, but they will help to spice up your layout.

By the way, the coffee mug and the paint brush are out of scale.[:P][:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005


By the way, the coffee mug and the paint brush are out of scale.[:P][:D]

Yeah, the paint brush is too big and the coffee mug is too small! [:D]

[ndbprr]

Well if you don't mind moving it away from the walls you could put a viewblock down the center and put a couple of industries to switch on the other side. In and out industries like a coal mine and a power plant on opposite sides allow you to input loads to the power house and pull them out of the coal mine while taking the empties from the coal mine and inputting them to the power house.

[fiatfan]

Another option would be to operate it as a division point, where you would change the motive power.

[Anonymous]

If it is possible, maybe put a second level under what you have now and use it just for staging. This will allow you to run multiple trains on your mainline. You could set the visible portion of your layout up as a division point with some industrial switching . This will give the illusion of trains coming from somewhere and going somewhere else. I tried this sometime back following an article in MR.. For the limited room I had this did give me the opportunity to run trains, do some switching, and not get totally bored. Maybe it will work for you, maybe not, Offered just as "another" suggestion.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Greetings,

Looks great. Curious to what type of switch was used on the outer 3rd track leading to the engine house? Is it a curved or a wye switch?

Mark in Texas

[Anonymous]

hey guys, thanks for the input on my layout, and the encouragement, it means a lot. i still want to find a way to create an elevated track on it, but maybe in time. by the way, the curved switches i used, i ordered from Peco, there item #'s are ST203 FOR LEFT AND ST204 FOR RIGHT. they are really nice curved turnouts, and the radius matched up to a 18 curved track. there code 100 and nickel silver, very good piece of track from Peco. anymore suggestions, i could really use, so thanks to all of you!

steve[:)]