an urban industrial area like the 18x72 inch plan posted does seem pretty nice. I haven't found my 101 Track Plans book yet, but I have paged through my copy's of Idustries Along The Tracks and a few did "catch my fancy". The brewery, small mill, coal gas plant, dairy plant, lumber yard, coal dealer, and of course team track and freight house all seem really interesting.
And there are a few kits already out there that I really like and would work with some of these industires, like Walthers Hardwood Furniture, Red Wing Milling, and concrete silos, Monroe Models coal elevator, and NJ International horizontal "fuel" tanks. I know my favorite local hobby store, which not so coincidentaly specializes ONLY in model trains, has a few of these kits on the shelf. I am pretty sold on using Peco code 80 track, and at least at first DC power since I already have a DC power pack, but will likely wire the track to be more DCC friendly using power leads and main power lines. I don't like the idea of soley depending on track connectors for power transmission.
I hope these idea's incorporated some of the advice and suggestions given already, or I will really feel like a donkey's rear.
Catt One thing I've never understood is why modelers have the idea that only track plans in their chosen scale.My Onandaga Sub. in N scale is actually a HO track plan (The Yule Central) right out of Model Railroader.
One thing I've never understood is why modelers have the idea that only track plans in their chosen scale.My Onandaga Sub. in N scale is actually a HO track plan (The Yule Central) right out of Model Railroader.
Oh shoot, sorry guys I had to write a couple of drafts and in one of them I must have accidentaly deleted the size. I am looking at two area's in particular. In one our spare room I am looking an 80" area along a wall but I could also add a kick out up to 36" to make an L. I also have a second spot where I can fit a 60" long shelf for sure possibley a little more.
Now that is has been mentioned, I remembered I do have a copy of 101 Track Plans somewhere. My wife got it for me a last year as a birthday gift along with David Popp's little book about building a layout (his Naugatuk), which I already had. I will have to look for it and take a read through it.
Wismodeler,
Cuyama mentioned the "Switchman's Nightmare" layout from Linn Wescott's book. You can get his book, "101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders" used on Amazon for a couple of bucks. Its a great tool if your new to model railroading. there's another layout in there that might have possibilities for you. Plan#8 Port Ogden & Northern. If you do it in N scale you might be able to do every "industry that catches your fancy!"
Tim
Sir MadogIf the OP was really serious about his question, he would have done a web search using the same key words as in the tags he has assigned to this thread. The search would have revealed hundreds of interesting suggestions, making this thread completely redundant.
While I agree Google is your friend but, I will maintain when it comes to switching layouts it can be overwhelming and there's those nasty "Time Savers" that crops up as well as the advanced ISLs that uses less is best approach that uses 3 industries with several spots for different type of cars plus "off spot" cars. These types of ISLs can be overwhelming to some old timers that doesn't fully understand "plan your work ahead" method of switching-no! its not a puzzle nor is it three industries crammed on one industrial track but,the idea follows the prototype for multi car spots at a single customer.
On my last ISL one customer got boxcars of scrap rubber,tank cars of compound and empty covered hoppers for loading rubber pellets. Some days a off spot car had to be spotted or a car pulled in order to get a loaded hopper then the car had to be respotted..
In real time it took around a hour or just a little over to switch Slate Creek.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Sir MadogAfter we have unloaded a ton of solicited and unsolicited advice we expect to get some feedback, which is most likely not happening.
Ulrich, perhaps we should be a bit more patient. Since the Original Poster is new to the forum, his initial posts are moderated and it may take time for us to see a response from him.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
Steve,Bill's Kingsbury Branch was one of the most advanced N Scale switching layouts of its time. Even today there few N Scale switching layouts that can surpass it.
IMHO Bill set the standard for period urban industrial switching layouts in all scales.
Bill Denton's Kingsbury Branch layout is based on an article and trackplan that appeared in the April '75 issue of MR. That was the first issue of MR that I ever bought. I'm not sure what happened to Bill's website, but here's a short article about it.
http://mrsvc.blogspot.com/2008/10/dentons-kingsbury-branch-inspirational.html
The website Chicago Switching has some photos from that area.
http://chicagoswitching.com/
Steve S
I hate to be the party pooper (again), but this is one of those typical first posts of a new member, saying, "I don´t know what I actually want, but would you please make dozens of suggestions and point me towards the right direction". After we have unloaded a ton of solicited and unsolicited advice we expect to get some feedback, which is most likely not happening.
If the OP was really serious about his question, he would have done a web search using the same key words as in the tags he has assigned to this thread. The search would have revealed hundreds of interesting suggestions, making this thread completely redundant.
I don´t intend to be unfriendly, especially to new members, but over the years I have grown a little weary of this type of thread, in which someone is asking us to do his homework.
To the OP - do your homework first, then come back and ask the right questions!
tgindyThe Highland Terminal is a good "visioning starting point" with little provided information.
It's a shame the Arendt site doesn't properly credit that layout design, which is a small modification of Linn Westcott's "Switchman's Nightmare".
As others have said, the actual space you have available will determine what might be recommended. And most designs in any scale may be adapted to N.
M.C. Fujiwara did a terrific build of my N scale Alameda Belt Line design, seen in this thread.http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/195425.aspx
A few folks have built variations of my 18"X72" N scale switching layout inspired by San Jose locations.
If you have more linear length than these ideas, there are lots of possibilities.
Good luck with your layout.
Byron
John, I fully agree when it comes to switching layouts. In the case of the Highland Terminal 1x6' isn't much room for HO and therefore that same plan is better suited for N Scale.
Here's another 1x6 footer but,in N.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1V7CoanfMc
tgindy The Highland Terminal is a good "visioning starting point" with little provided information. Note this plan is in HO Scale, which would scale back well to N Scale on a hollowcore door, or even a bi-fold hollowcore door.
The Highland Terminal is a good "visioning starting point" with little provided information. Note this plan is in HO Scale, which would scale back well to N Scale on a hollowcore door, or even a bi-fold hollowcore door.
I fully agree. The Highland Terminal is bettered suited for N Scale in the same space and less of a switching headache.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
How small a room or shelf are you talking about?
Without any dimensions given, it´s kind of hard to make any suggestion.
With the future purchase of a Walthers Proto N SW9/1200 next week joining my collection of Atlas GP9, Kato RS2, and Kato SD70ACe I decided I needed to have something to run these on. I have done some model operations and enjoyed it all but got the most fullfillment from switching. So I have decided my first layout should be a switching focused, easy to operate, quick to build shelf layout.
The SW switcher and smaller will be the main operating locomotive, but this leaves me at a bit of a short fall. I don't really know what industries to model! I want to build the layout as something believable and not a spaggehti bowl of track serving every industry that catches my fancy [which are a lot]. I like the Mid West scenery, but would not limit myslef to that. Also not limitging to CBQ. My GP9 is a MILW unit, RS2 is Santa Fe "Zebra" unit, and SD70ACe is UP "Missouri Pacific" Heratige unit.
So the shorter story of this post is I'm looking for idea's on what to model. What would fit nicely on an N scale sized shelf layout with little to no room for staging?