change of plans

[train lover12]

Hey again,

so i was getting ready to start construction of my planned layout when a (good) wrench was thrown into my plans: I'm moving next summer. i have been to the house and know that there is not enough room for the layout. I also would like to be able to start construction here and move the layout. i would also like to be able to take the layout back with me when i move back here. (the move is only until i finish high school so 2 years) I will have access to trucks to move the layout so it doesn't need to be tiny just maneuverable. 

Givens:
light
fit into bed of pickup

Druthers:
N scale
continuous run
simple wiring
relatively large turns
small yard
2 towns
enough switching to keep me busy for a long time
proto-freelanced

Vision:
a small branch or secondary line of the NY,NH&H RR from its interchange in a mid sized city running through a small town.

here is the plan as it stands now:

it is on a 36" x 80" hollow core door.  

the min. radius is 14.8"

turnouts are peco mediums, 2 curved, and one wye

the cassettes at the right are 3' long enough for a 6 car train pulled by an RS-1

designed train length is 1 RS-1 pulling 6 50' cars 

so what are your opinions? any flaws?

[leighant]

Wiring- looks like it would be easy to wire for two-train running with good old fashioned 2-throttle cab control.  I see six blocks to be set up with 2 position block selectors, and some 15 "blind"  (dead-end) spurs which could get their power from whatever block to which they are connected, and which COULD if desired have on-off switches so one loco could be parked "there"... or the on-off function could be handled by power-routing turnouts.

(The above woiuld not allow two train CONTINUOUS round-and-round running.  But it allows one to switch either side of the layout while a second train runs through.)

If you use a live-frog crossing,you would need a switch to determine which direction of the crossing is being used.

The orientation of the tracks leading off the "main table" have S-curve connections that seem to imply that is not the "mainline,"  but that the roundy-round loop is the mainline.  Yoiu might consider having the track run straight without the S-curve, and the curved leg of the switch carry the oval route at that point.  Just a thought...

I wish I had used 14.8" minimum radius on my 3 x 7 foot layout.  I might not have abandoned it.  I am going with 18 inch min radius for N scale on my around the room layout.

 

 

 

[cowman]

Since you are building ona hollow core door, the only possible moving problem I can see. Will the full size door fit through the doors, go around the corners and any other obsticles getting it in and out of your current and new locations when the scenery is in place.  To get things into and out of my future layout room I am going to take some full size 2'x8' sheets of foam and see how they move in and out.  I am thinking that I will probably make each section no longer than 6', but may have to go shorter if experimentation doesn't give me plenty of room with the larger sections.

Good luck, 

[train lover12]

leighant,

i see your point about the s-curves.   How's this?:

 

[RobertB.]

One question I have here. Looking at your layout, the curve on the right hand side of the track appears to have individual section, exactly what is your plan on the hidden section? Or, on the left side the section of track appears to run under the creek, are you setting up multiple levels on the scenes? What are you doing in the rear section, scenes of open land or shipping yards?