First Design of new layout plan

[HObbyguy]

Wow you really did move things around.  The general footprint looks great, a dogbone with a bunch of straight running room between the ends.  You probably don't need 30" on the straight runs but reach won't be a big problem if you keep it that way.  Looks like around a 16x12 area?  Enough space to keep you busy for many years.

I would still finalize the plan and decide how you are going to manage elevations and turnouts before building all that benchwork.  Better yet start at one end and build the layout in phases, learning as you go.  That's what I am doing.

Here it is.  To post, first first right click on your picture on Imgur, then select view image.  That will bring up the web page for the image by itself.  Copy the address at the top of your browser.  Then back on this site in the editor you should see the little icon for insert/edit image.  Paste the address you copied into the source and set the width at around 600.  Should work.

[SpartanCook]

So i have been working on the design in portions. This end of the dogbone will be the yard since i can walk around it on all sides. The outer loop is 26" radius then 22 then 18 inches. This will be the freight and engine yard. The passanger train will have its own siding later in town.  I dont have any books or anyhting on layouts, what do you guys think could this be functional?

[HObbyguy]

I hope others jump in because I am hardly a track plan expert.  The guys here recommended Track Planning for Realistic Operation when I was designing and I found it helpful especially for yard design.

But that said, the yard tracks to be straight so that you can couple and uncouple cars, so the turnaround is not a good place.  I would try to put a yard somewhere at the front of the run against the long wall.  It looks like you have enough room to have a double-ended yard which would be great.

I would build the turnaround with only one or two tracks, run it around or through a mountain, and use it as an opportunity for a dramatic walk-around scene.

[cuyama]

As noted in Track Planing for Realistic Operation, the longer straight run of benchwork would be a better location for a yard in most situations. Place it along the edge of the benchwork (set back 3-4" or so) and then it won't matter that you can only reach it from one side.

[SpartanCook]

So guys i wanted to start anew in my attempt to design my layout. Below is the space i am working with.

This area is 149 square feet and i want to build a dog bone style layout so that i dont have to duck under or a movable bridge. I am going to freelance model a scene from the alaska railroad. Most likely looking like turnagain arm headed to seward. I am going to attempt to make the walkway appear to be part of the inlet. Going for scenes like this. 

I am going to run both freight and the large passanger trains on this route. I need a yard, but a pretty small one maybe 4' by 2'. A few small industries. (Oil or mining). A small fishing town. And mountains. Here are the only to configurations i can come up with for benchwork that will allow 26" curves at the end of the dogbone.

I dont like this one since the large area by my tool box i wont be able to reach and walk all the way around.

This one seems like a better use of the space since i will be able to walk around each of the larger areas for the most part. I want one of these large ends of the dogbone to cricle around one of the mountains to wind the mainline from the coast up into the mountains. This is where i will incorporate a few tunnels, a spur for mining, and multiple bridges. 

What do you guys think? I want to make the most of all the space i have

[wickman]

Simple and quite doable. Bet there's going to be terrific scenery.

[DSchmitt]

OP has started a new thread to discuss this design.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/254173.aspx