How far along are you on your layout?

[T-Sax]

Well after the Honeymoon, my lovely wife said I could use one of the spare bedrooms to have for a layout...

A 18 months and three houses later, last weekend I finally had it at a point where I could run a train or two. I'm not sure how I'm going to have the final layout set up (or where either) but I'm happy with the current set-up.

Now the photos:

 

 

T-Sax
(My Mind intentionally left blank)

[E-L man tom]

Ulrich, you have been an inspriation to me as you have a story of "starting over", as am I at this (middle-aged) stage in my life. I was in the re-planning stages of my HO scale switching layout which I have in my apartment. I even printed the track plan that you posted on your earlier thread. Although my layout is not configured the same as the one you posted, and it does not feature a "rail-to-ship" port, I did get some good ideas from that plan - - helped me to think outside my own box alittle. 

Thanks

[Anonymous]

 My layout is still in the planning stage - this will be my 7th layout in 47 years, so I take my time to plan it properly within the tight framework in terms of space and budget I have available. I am considering a change of scales, from HO scale "down" to N scale, as this scale seems to gain popularity and the choice of gear n´ stuff gets better year by year.

Again, not yet decided. One thing is sure - there will be a lot more scratchbuilding and kitbashing than before - I am even pondering to handlay my track and turnouts.

[wedudler]

 My layout - Westport Terminal RR - is in the operation era. All tracks are laid. Scenery is done for over 50%. I can operate my trains.

Wolfgang

[1948PRR]

 I have it in XtrkCAD, a open source track design app; I don't remember if I have postable output from it or not.

 I have the staging and main level designed; the top level is only an outline at this point.

 I'll see if I can find it somewhere.

 

Cool.

I have that app, but haven't spent to much time learning it. I did use the helix calcultor, though.

I spend a lot of time on computers at work, so I really don't want my MRR to be too computer oreinted, or more specifically require anything resembling a steep learning curve or writing code..

I did the main yard in it's former confixuration and some basic portions of other areas in RTS. Eventually I will go back and finish. I export the sections into PhotoShop, and modify them slightly for use as control panels.

[TheRock]

1948PRR

It seems we have simillar goals.

Lucky you to have more space!

I'd like to see your track plan.

 

 I have it in XtrkCAD, a open source track design app; I don't remember if I have postable output from it or not.

 I have the staging and main level designed; the top level is only an outline at this point.

 I'll see if I can find it somewhere.

[Doughless]

I am able to use about 35% of our basement for layout; a shelf around the walls of roughly 13x30.  The room is shared with a furnace, treadmill, and storage shelves under the layout.  The layout is a freelanced shortline, kind of a combination of several shortlines located here in Indiana.  Operations and modeling philosophy are simple, since I am too.  I will, at some point, be able to wrap the basement walls and have a more complex approach to things. That's at least five years away.

Most track is complelety laid with a mixture of  code 83, flex (mostly), sectional (came cheap), and Atlas and Walthers switches (work fine for me); with the exception of the destination town where the track arrangement is being tweaked to accomodate some larger structures.  Bus line wiring and drop feeders are substantially completed.  Some ballasting is done but I will wait to complete scenery to do the rest.  I like experimenting with different track arrangements and have changed up the trackplan quite often.

Most of, what I call, the necessary chores have been completed.  Its now on to the fun stuff like building the structures and scenery.  I have been operating the layout for a while now and I am happy to report no derailments occur, with the exception of some blue box hoppers that I need to investigate, or just toss. 

And, I have to replace the masonite backrops in some places, since I did not account for humidity and/or expansion when I butted them together.  They are now wavy.

[1948PRR]

TheRock

 http://richmond-terminal.blogspot.com/

 I'm building benchwork, laying track, wiring, and running trains to test.

 Since I am building a multideck railroad, that is about the only way to do it.

I'm about 60% done with the lower section and that will take me to the halfway point and op sessions can then begin.

 

It seems we have simillar goals.

Lucky you to have more space!

I'd like to see your track plan.

[1948PRR]

My current layout was started in 2005. Originally 1x4 frame "dominoes" with braced foam on 1x4 legs. it was 15'x19' around the walls in a room tha talso functions as a den/office in the center. About 1/2 way around the room, I switched to hollow core door dominoes (bought scratch and dent), on home made shelf brackets screwed to the wall studs.

The original trackplan was doubletrack with two switching districts, an interchange and a yard at either end, and a bridge section across the door for a continuous run. this was built out to the "proof of concept" stage and operated for a while. I soon found that the "West" yard was way too small and difficult to operate as it was bent around a curve. I also found doubletrack too complex and too space intensive to place and operate crossovers for switching the "other side". making a workable doubletrack yard was also a pain. I also found that models had "no place to go" when trains terminated a run, and that physically rotating rolling stock on and off the layout sucked.

last year I solidified my operational goals (see below) and decided to singletrack, remove the West yard, add a second, lower deck with visible staging, and an industry or two, and construct a helix between levels. I also decided to go with double row metal standards and shelf brackets to replace the home made ones. this will allow me to support both decks, and an additional storage shelf, and also allow some adjustment of the level heights.

Currently I have the trackplan for the upper deck back to the "POC" stage on single track, with a small town with passenger station, freight station, house tracks, an industry, and a turn table in place of the West yard. I have mocked up the first turn of the helix, and that is acting as a staging destination for one train. So far I am satisfied with the operation, but have yet to have any guest operators over.

Scenery is currently bare, but key most structures are in place in various states of construction. Think Cat Mountain.

I have one section of shelf brackets installed and matched to the current height, which is 42". I believe I will go with 38" and 56" for the new heights I'm 6'3", but my 5'3" wife can still see the 56" level. this gives me an 18" spacing between levels that seems to be a good compromise between what I have seen elswhere of 16" minimum and 20". It also makes my helix come out to 2.2% on 5 1/2 turns, to get a decent grade and the orientation I need. Additionally, I can stil lkeep my office desk, workbench and guitar amplifier under the lower level

Goals: my original goals were to have a decent mainline run, to have 2 trains moving at the same time, to have an "acceptable" length of train, and to have a decent ammount of operational activity including classification, car card routing, etc.

My new goals retain train length- 6-8 cars for locals, 12-15 cars for through freights, and classification and routing, but now in lieu of 2 trains circling, I have substituted through freights originating in lower staging, traversing the lower level, climbing the helix, stopping at the classification yard, dropping/adding cuts for the "branch", then continuing over the branch (with a possible stop or two) and returning to staging via the helix. This allows locals to originate in "the yard", and run the branch making set outs and pick ups, arrive at the town that replaced "West", turn, and return to the yard, where those cars destined for staging can be swapped out for a frsh set from the next through freight. I can also dispatch a local to work the industry on the lower level, and some through freights can turn at the upper deck yard, and return in the opposite direction. Singletracking the yard neted me more capacity, and removing the second yard actually increased the operating potential, including opening the door for passenger ops. I am retaining the interchange, and both other switching districts, but added passing/runaround tracks.

All in all I think I have a very flexible plan. As soon as I get the rest of the shelf brackets in, I can build the Helix base, and have a raising party. Then i can start work on the lower level, and start the scenery on the upper. I'm starting the helix out on the back porch, and I'll bring in what I have done when the base is built.

Hopefully I can get a track plan done with Right track or something. I'd love to get feedback from this forum. Even though I enjoy that aspect of the hobby I find it tedious.

[vsmith]

Finished carving the blue foam, added the base coat of paint ready to do the detail coat of paint then add the ground covers.

I'd show pics but doing G scale on a 6'-6" x 5'-0" layout means alot of "selective compression" and I'm not quite sure how some of the more hardcore types would react, dont want to be responsible for any epileptic seazures when they see it

[liquidcross]

 I started my layout (and the model RR hobby!) in early 2004. I worked on it the most during that year and 2005, then I slowed down a bit. I stopped in early 2008; I had lost some interest, plus I was recovering from major illness at the time. I've just recently jumped back into the deep end, and I swear, I'm going to finish it this time! :)

[yellowducky]

Happy to say I have a new 13 foot loop in operation on my O gauge layout. I used O-36 Lionel Fastrack so I could run my Hogwarts Express. Bench work is complete for this section, and the top is painted. Scenery and buildings to follow later as the year progresses. This will be part of an around the room (13x20) layout and connect to my incline and two around the room upper shelves (which have been complete for around 15 years!).

Also, last summer I completed the bench work on my permanent 5x10 Christmas theme HO layout.

[TheRock]

 http://richmond-terminal.blogspot.com/

 I'm building benchwork, laying track, wiring, and running trains to test.

 Since I am building a multideck railroad, that is about the only way to do it.

I'm about 60% done with the lower section and that will take me to the halfway point and op sessions can then begin.

 

[wdaleb]

I began building my current layout about four years ago.  It was origanally designed to span a double bed in a spare room that had to be available for occasional use by house guests.  Thus, portability was a prime issue.  Four by six feet was about the maximum size, and for light weight, I chose the foamboard construction used by Model Railroader’s Jim Kelly for the Cripple Creek Central (HO Railroad from Start to Finish, Kalmbach, 1993).  For extra rigidity I added an L-girder sub-frame made from 1”x 2” and 1”x3” lumber.  Before the benchwork was fully completed, my wife graciously agreed to make a corner of a much larger “spare” room available, so the layout could be at least “semi permanent.”

My layout is based on the ATSF junction at Lamy, NM, where a 15-mile branch connects the city of Santa Fe to the mainline.  The period is the early 1950’s, and  I wanted both passenger and freight trains, along with a mixed local for the branch-line service, all with first-generation diesel power.  In fact, passenger rail service on the branch was replaced by busses in 1926, but a mixed local is much more interesting!  The track plan incorporates the essential Lamy features:  The station, with the ATSF main and a passing siding on one side and the branch line spur on the other.  A spur disappearing off the back side of the layout represents the mainline south to Albuquerque.  How is all this possible in a 4’x6’ space?  Eighteen inch-radius curves and an active imagination!  My passenger train is the ATSF “Grand Canyon,” an Intermountain F3A hauling a set or four Wathers 60-ft heavyweight cars (RPO, baggage, combine and coach), which negotiate the tight curves with no problems.  Freight traffic is an Intermountain F7A hauling some combination of the five cars of various type that I have aquired so far, with a Walthers ATSF caboose.  Motive power for the branch is an Atlas RS1 pulling another Walthers combine and one or more freight cars. Progress to date (see http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae302/wdbreshears/IMG_1718.jpg):Benchwork complete.  Trackwork (Atlas TrueTrack) complete.  Power and wiring (DC; 5 blocks) complete.  Scenery:  Hills (foam with Sculpta-Mold); Backdrop The next step is the Lamy station.  I haven’t found an exact kit or built-up structure, and scratch-building is beyond my 70-year old fingers and eyes.  So I purchased a Walthers ATSF Mission-Style Depot kit, which at least captures the Southwest style.  Further scenic work includes Pinon trees on the hills (Woodland Scenics light green clumped foliage; painted on the backdrop) and a few Cottonwoods near the station; a blacktop road accross the layout at the base of the hills; numerous small details that add life to a model scene.  I hope to covert to DCC sometime in the future.

I tend to work on the layout in irregularly-spaced spurts; so who knows when it will be “finished,” if ever.

 

[Packers#1]

My layout is currently in two different stages of completion. There is a yard side and a town side. The yard side is waiting for second stage scenery (mainly trees), while I have the town wired up and will hopefully begin ballasting soon.

[Sailormatlac]

@ Cass Shay: "Don't worry about your scenery, people have imaginations."

 It's exactly what my fellow members always say about scenery. We focussed on good track laying and operation over scenery and never regretted it. We are actually building an extension with scenery that will compensate our desire to build gracious trees and finely scratchbuilded wood structures.

The layout will celebrate its four anniversary in Febuary.

It started as an harbor railway U-shaped layout about 8' x 11' and expanded along the walls of the guest room with a locomotive shop, yard and passenger station. The layout is completed except the scenery and we are actually optimizing the track plan as we got feedback from operation. Buildings are about 60-70% completed but no scenery was applied yet on the Homasote. Other club members don't feel ready for permanent scenery.

 

I'm actually building an extension which is a logging and mining railway branchline. I intend to experiment scenery with it. It is a 4' x 5' HO layout. It started as a small run over layout for my nephews but it interested my fellow club members to integrate it to the main layout. I'm trying to show that there can be a lot of realistic operation on a small layout. The track is functionnal but the wood warren-truss bridge is under construction. We almost completed the styrofoam mountains and will soon start plastering everything. The lower tracks are partly ballasted. It is linked with the main layout with a 10-feet long movable "interchange bridge" running through the basement corridor to the garage!!! I would never think 20 sq. ft. could give so much challenge and fun...Cars over 36' are prohibed and only small locos are allowed there (18" on mainline and 16" radius on few sidings).

 

Matt

[acelachaser]

My  HO scale Philly - Harrisburg, PA line (Amtrak/ NS present day) was originally single level and had 3/4 of the benchwork done and 1/2 of the track laid. (12x60 ft in an old converted mobile home). I originally omitted the ruling grade town of Gap, PA for space. But then I picked up Tony Koester's book on multi deck layouts and now I'm lowering the main benchwork and building the top level. Gap will be at the helix connecting the two levels and justify helper service.

It was REAL fun moving a 24 ft yard from a center peninsula to a wall in one piece! The yard is 90% completed with scenery and a few tweaks still left and the lower level main is moving along. Still not looking forward to building all that catenary! good thing thats a ways away! 

As is this time of year the layout takes a backseat to the holidays, but the Christmas decorations are finally down and it's back to "steaming along" before yard work season starts!

[tomkat-13]

I model a freelance bridge RR the Missouri & Arkansas Railway used by the CB&Q & MKT that takes place in Eastern Missouri. The line starts out at Old Monroe Mo on the Cuivre River at MO. State Highway 79, then west to Hawk Point then south along MO. State Highway 47 across the old Wabash / Norfolk & Western RR line near Warrenton Mo. thru Missouri Wine Country to connect with MKT near Marthasville Mo. on State Highway 94. Since this is "my" railroad most places will have the "flavor" of this area but may not be perfect to the prototype.  Time is pre Burlington Northern (1970). The location & time frame gives me a lot of room of equipment I can use plus freight cars from so many different Railroads from all over the country. As with many railroads built in the 1800’s they never reached all the way as planned. So they never made it all the way to Arkansas.

  #1 This will be a point to point RR built on Hollow-core doors (about $24 ea) along two walls, so it will be in sections. 

#2 It's going to be less track, no yard, no switch machines, open staging, & simple engine service area.

#3 Just a few small towns with one or two sidings.

#4 More open scenery between towns.

#5 Interchange with RR on each end.

 

Here is my first section or "domino"

 

 

 

 

 

[kain687]

i have a 15' long dog bone layout

i broke my lay out into 3 segments and i am about half finished with it. i did stop about 4 months ago  do to not knowing what i wanted to do " let my train run around with nothing to do or give it a job". i ended up ripping track out and replanning on a 1/3 of my lay out, so that i have places to go and things to do

[cahrn]

I probably wont start building a layout until after I finish college. Building a layout now just doesn't make a whole lot of sense for me. My family lives on the west coast but about 8 months of the year I'm at school in Pennsylvania. For now I'm collecting rolling stock, installing decoders, and patching some locomotives.

[E-L man tom]

Well, thanks again for all the insight, ideas, struggles and successes; it's been very informative for me. As for those of you who do not think they have the time or the money for a layout, all I can say is where there's a will there's a way. With the limited space that I have available to me at the present time I have found a way to get some railroading in. I think the great inspiration to me was the "Urban Corridor" article by Jonathan Jones in the May, 2001 issue of MR. His layout is even smaller than mine. It is a testament to how much one can fit into such a small (2' x 10') space. Now, I have been collecting HO scale equipment since 1993 and I have accumulated quite a bit of it- - probably the majority of it will never make it on the rails of this layout. The key here, however, is to hone my modeling skills so that when I do move into a house (hopefully with a basement) I will have a more advanced knowledge of the hobby when I build that "dream" layout; that equals fewer pitfalls and mistakes and better efficiency, meaning less money spent, less time on construction and more time to enjoy the trains, although I do get a tremendous amout of joy out of certain types of construction, such as building structures and working on scenery and scene details. At any rate, thank you all so much and remember - - this is supposed to be a fun venture that takes you out of life's challenges and often drudgery. Have fun!

[rxanand]

• I designed my current layout in the fall of 2007 (check out my blog about this link below)
• Started construction around Thanksgiving 2007.
• Finished benchwork by approximately April 2008
• Put down the sub roadbed by Fall 2008
• Spent the first half of 2009 laying the tracks
• Wired up the layout Fall 2009
• Currently installing train detection sensors

[mozetti]

Hey everyone. Just registered here the other day as I'm just getting ready to start a layout. This will be a learning experience the whole way - carpentry, rail, modeling, scenery. I never really got past putting down an oval and building a few models with my dad when I was a kid.

 I've certainly soaked up a lot of info already and am doing some planning ahead of time. I'm working in HO scale and the room I have available to me is 43" wide by 84" long. I want to run it continuous with an elevated bridge. I was never really exposed to a solely switching/siding/operations scenarios but, I will be building those into my layout to get some experience and see how I like it. I imagine that, given my space limitations, some below-grade staging/turnaround areas would be ideal.

 Here is a link to some of the layout shape options I've dreamed up: Layout options.

1. The bottom is the entry and it is open, the sides and top are drywall
   
2. Each square represents 1"x1"
3. The vertical yellow lines just separate one option from the other
4. The black-shaded area is my access so there is no benchwork or platform.
5. The gray-shaded area is a second access area (pop-up, drop-down, or hinged -- probably pop-up)
   

As I get started -- not sure exactly when -- I'm sure you'll see me more often.

[K4s_PRR]

I'd be well along except that I still have to build a wall to make my RR room.  Problems beyond my control prevent me from finishing it for the while.  It will be a 17x17 ft space.  My plan is for a PRR branch based on the Turtle Creek branch which is just SE of Pittsburgh.  I plan for a round the walls with peninsula setup. 

Charles Sanchez

PRR-Perfect RailRoad

[Raylora]

The only thing left to do on my HO scale 8 x 11 ft Yardley and Hilton is to run the trains. Lately I have been improving a few scene details. Now I need a bit of help operating.

RayLora

[JEDDIJOE]

 

[Cass shays]

            I think I'm working on my final layout. I started with a bare room in February of 04. Ten  months ago I finished the benchwork on a 1,400sf layout. 99% of both the track and wiring is complete. Once I get Walthers blast furnace assembled, I will lay the last 15 - 20' of track in the steel mill and then I will spend the rest of my life building scenery and running trains. I believe that getting the trains to run smoothly is more important than scenery. If your trains won't run smoothly or stay on the track you have a major problem . Don't worry about your scenery, people have imaginations. I have been blessed to have the support in its construction from many places. God willing, I'll continue.

[tugboat95]

Started building my second last November.  My first was as a teenager into my early 20's.  I have built the the benchwork basically two set of industrial grade metal shelves (compromise with the wife, she gets the storage).  It is 11' down one wall and turns down the other in an L for 8'.  I then laid 1/2" plywood on top  slightly larger and expanded on both ends to accommodate a dogbone design. Average depth is 30" with the ends being 40".  I am discovering that I will probably have to put a a leg under them for support.   Then covered in foam.  I went with plywood since the end turns are not fully supported.  I have purchased and built the track for the mainline, currently using DC as I already had an MRC from earlier days, but I plan to use DCC by the summer.  Using my models from 25 years ago I have laid out my urban area at one end of the track and the trainyard at the other.  I have also bought two engines (one steam) and about a dozen cars of various stuff.  Namely pretty colors to keep my 12 yr interested.  Not worried about a roadname right now, just wanted to run a train with my son.  The only industry for sure will be a small oil refinery as I work in transporting oil between them on the water.   Wanted a pier,but just don't have the room.  The 2 of us are in negotiations about just where to put the bridge he wants.  I want it on the back up for depth perception, etc.  He wants up front where he can see it.  We both had a very good Christmas and I am out of money, but if nothing else I can run two trains right now in an old style block system.  The main line is pretty much set as its the only configuration that will fit.  But everything in it as well as the hills and a river somewhere and such is still up for debate.  My son and I have had a ball doing this so much my father has decided to build one himself at his place.

[hon30critter]

I am in this for the long haul. In other words I don't think I will have a layout for several years (anybody out there paying for kid's tuition will understand). I have a detailed track plan designed using 3rd Planit (I have tried very hard to listen to the many cautions offered by experienced modelers about the pitfalls of CAD design and functional layout practises) and I have built most of the structures (some from kits, many scratch built). I have a reasonable selection of rolling stock, all weighted and gauged to NMRA standards and with Kadee couplers and steel wheels. I have installed decoders with sound in 3 locos including an SW9 switcher and I have kit bashed several pieces of rolling stock including an HOn30 critter from an N scale 4-4-0 drive mechanism. I have also acquired most of the turnouts needed for the layout. Quite frankly, even with a layout way down the road, I am having a ball! My better half supports my involvement in the hobby and has accepted the fact that she will never be able to park her car in our garage despite our Canadian winters.

Dave