Have you considered building a shlef style layout? It could be 12.5 X 8 with an open center to stand in. Shelves would be 24" wide all the way around. You can fit larger radii reduce grades nore of a linear look to the main line easier to reach expandable in the future.
Steve
Any opportunity to connect loops with a helix (under/over) Industrial village or Rural Valley?
Tim
Are the inside and outside loops connected anywhere?
Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.
- Photo album of layout construction -
hon30critterI'm going to assume that you can get to the outsides of the layout on the left and right sides. If not, reach in will be a problem.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Hi SpartanCook:
Your plan looks like it has potential.
I would consider adding a siding for a passenger station, and possibly another spur or two servicing other typical Alaskan industries. Lumbering is one possibility if that is appropriate for the area.
I'm going to assume that you can get to the outsides of the layout on the left and right sides. If not, reach in will be a problem.
I'm sure others will have lots to add.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
http://imgur.com/rrKtS4b
Hey Guys the link is to my layout design I made using AnyRail 5's free trial. (I ran out of track pieces on the trial so i had to use a line function to complete it). I am looking on advice to make it a little more interesting or for any ideas.
The outer rail radius that goes up into the mountains will be 26" min curve radius with a 3% grade. The inner curves that do not change grade are 22"min curve radius. I want to add a switch so that my trains can run on both large U shaped loops. I wanted to have the 26" loop so i can buy the WalthersProto alaskan passanger cars, these would only run on this line as the non grade loop is too tight.
I will be trying to make this look like Alaska and will be getting my first Athearn Genesis SD70MAC in may.
This will be a long work in progess but want to plan it out well to start. My benchwork is basically done. I have two 5x8 tables joined in the middle by a 30" section that is about 24" wide.
I am really excited to make the Ravine section at the top of the U which will feature 4 bridges and two very large mountains. I envision it will end up looking like two valleys surrounded by hills that rise the trains into the mountains.
Thanks for the input!