riogrande5761 Thats fine for you of course but it may not be fine for the OP. It's evident people can use a space in more than one way and no one way is necessarily correct. You have 18x12 and limited trains to 7 cars, I had a smaller space and ran 20+ car trains and with 32-inch curves it looked pretty realistic. Sure, the run wasn't long and it was designed basically as a "rail fan" layout with yard and industrial switching in mind. What is pleasing to one person is obviously going to be different than what is pleasing to someone else. It's good for the OP to see that and decide what works for him.
Thats fine for you of course but it may not be fine for the OP. It's evident people can use a space in more than one way and no one way is necessarily correct. You have 18x12 and limited trains to 7 cars, I had a smaller space and ran 20+ car trains and with 32-inch curves it looked pretty realistic. Sure, the run wasn't long and it was designed basically as a "rail fan" layout with yard and industrial switching in mind. What is pleasing to one person is obviously going to be different than what is pleasing to someone else. It's good for the OP to see that and decide what works for him.
And that 20 car train in a smaller scene looked like a longer train I'll wager, different than if that same train was fortunate enough to traverse a 50 foot wall.
I think the the thread deserves to talk about layout theme, which tends to be the first step before even thinking about train length. I don't think that has been explored yet.
With the footprint presented, OP could model a modern dieslized railroad over sharp curves and elevated terrain. He might want 4 GP40s lashed together pulling 30 cars. If so, I would devote the entire layout to modeling one scene, like a mountain pass. It would represent not even a mile in total length. If he wanted a different theme, where his consist travels from town to town to town, I don't think he has enough space.
If he wanted to represent more mileage, I would suggest modeling an older era where the cars and trains are shorter. Again, a 1950s coal hauler with a 2-8-0 pulling 10 coal hoppers and caboose could represent more mileage traveled.
If he's modeling multiple trains, he will need to devote more footprint to staging.
Pelle Soeberg has roughly the same square footage. His layouts have about half the trackage devoted to staging, with the visible portion modeling one scene on one 20 foot wall, and another large scene on another 20 foot wall. He models modern era. Longer trains means the scenes use more linear footage to look right, IMO. Shorter cars and shorter trains need less linear footage.
Are we modeling few scenes or many scenes?
If OP wants neither, the space is great for modeling a branchline, like the famous SanJacinto District concept, modified to his space.
What does OP want? What theme?
When that is answered, then train length is determined. Then the trackplan is developed as well as scenery requirements and the benchwork footprint comes with it. I don't think those factors have to be addressed necessarily in a particular sequence, but they do need to be harmonious.
- Douglas
Doughless And that 20 car train in a smaller scene looked like a longer train I'll wager
And that 20 car train in a smaller scene looked like a longer train I'll wager
Weeeeelll, if you read back through the topic, the OP has sort of complained about being pressured into well, not quite a theme, but something kind of akin to a theme, such as a particular RR in at a time. Ok. Maybe that isn't necessary but he seems to want to keep things kind of open ended; maybe I'm wrong. Boy, are we a long way from the "free standing benchwork" title!
With the footprint presented, OP could model a modern dieslized railroad over sharp curves and elevated terrain. He might want 4 GP40s lashed together pulling 30 cars. If so, I would devote the entire layout to modeling one scene, like a mountain pass. It would represent not even a mile in total length. If he wanted a different theme, where his consist travels from town to town to town, I don't think he has enough space. If he wanted to represent more mileage, I would suggest modeling an older era where the cars and trains are shorter. Again, a 1950s coal hauler with a 2-8-0 pulling 10 coal hoppers and caboose could represent more mileage traveled.
See, now your trying to box him into a corner! Just kidding.
What does OP want? What theme? When that is answered, then train length is determined. Then the trackplan is developed as well as scenery requirements and the benchwork footprint comes with it. I don't think those factors have to be addressed necessarily in a particular sequence, but they do need to be harmonious.
I think this is why some of us were beginning to wonder if the OP should start out with something less ambitious because all those factors you mentioned above, may gel over time as the OP tries things and finds what it is he finds works best for him. Or he could build a John Armstrong style list of "givens and druthers" and that might help with that "theme" thing.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I really love the conversation here as it's making me think about the possibiltiies.
Although we should really be talking about this stuff in my other thread at http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/260185.aspx because there I have all the details, including updated Givens and Druthers, and more. :)
I'll post there with more background and addressing what was said above here.
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TrainzLuvr. I could tell by the quality of your carpentry work looking at the pictures in the beginning of your thread that you know what you're doing with your hands and your tools. Like I said your concept was really cool. It's just that you had a little bit of Jenga going on there.
I could see by the description of freestanding bench work that you want something unique different from everybody else's tabletop railroads. No Fasteners in the walls floor or ceiling creates a challenge.
I have been a custom remodeler designing kitchens and bathrooms for 33 years. The last 10-12 years I can't stand doing everything straight. I like curves and angles that's why I stay busy.
I took the liberty to design you layout benchwork that would be perfect for your 22 by 12 foot room. I kind of envy you If I had a free room like that I would start building this layout tomorrow. I'm not going to continue on and go into all aspects of it and heavy details I think it's pretty self-explanatory for starters. I'll just let the blueprint do the talking. My door is always open
Edit correction. I forgot to mention the 38 and 3/16 size for the helix is because 3.2 ft x 3.14 pi equals an exact 10 ft circumference. A quarter inch rise per 1 foot is nice to work with for a 2% grade. An 18 inch radius for N scale is pretty nice too.
No Fasteners anywhere free-standing benchwork kind of like a table. That's a beautiful hardwood floor in that room. For starters I would put down a couple of layers of red rosin paper after the floor was nice and clean. Then you center a 38 3/16 by 8 foot three quarter inch piece of OSB in the center of the room. Then you take a three-quarter inch piece of OSB and cut a 38 3/16 radius circle and cut it in half and put each half on either side of the 38 3/16 by 8 foot OSB.
Now you have your base no Fasteners. We're going to build up from here.
Where are you TrainzLuvr
@Track fiddler
That blueprint is beautiful, my SO and I are both mesmerized by it. We love the simplicity and the organic flow it has and how it incorporates, and hides, the two helices. Layout like that would make one heck of an installation piece in a gallery space, especially if the decks were built with a shadowbox look.
The only catch, and that is really my fault, it's design is for N Scale. If I wasn't flip-flopping around the scales so much, it would've been clear from my posts what direction I'm taking (it's H0). :(
In the other thread I got up (http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/260185.aspx?page=4#2980557) has the most recent plan I have in mind. It's a more traditional look and hopefully simpler benchwork to build. I grow weary of spinning my wheels anymore, and just want to start building before I lose interest. I have been in this planning stage for quite some time now, frustrating many people on multiple forums along the way.
I'd love an opportunity to tap into your vast experience - should we continue through email, or keep it public here so others might benefit from it?
We're all good here. Let's continue here.
Now you have your three-quarter inch OSB base. You buy 3/4 inch drywall screws. They sell Stait mending brackets you attach both half circles on each end of your 38 3/16 x 8 OSB base.
Both Menards and Home Depot sell 20 packs of small angle brackets. You will need about six packages of those. These little angle brackets will attach onto the OSB base where each stud goes the stud base will rest on the floor and attach to the angle bracket.
Edit. Now you have attached 18) 7 foot perimeter studs a little vulnerable standing in the breeze. Carefull nothing is solid yet but it will be soon.
Whoops I just seen on your reply you're going ho I don't think an 18 inch radius is good for ho. Bummer
Best of luck with your project though.
Track fiddlerWhoops I just seen on your reply you're going ho I don't think an 18 inch radius is good for ho. Bummer Best of luck with your project though.
Uh oh, so now you'll just leave me hanging because I chose H0 instead of N? :)
I'm just kidding, though I have been thinking about that blueprint past couple of days, I must persevere and stick with H0.
TrainzLuvr Track fiddler. I must persevere and stick with H0.
Track fiddler. I must persevere and stick with H0.
No worries trainzLuvr. If I had a room that size at my disposal for trains I'd pick HO too.
If I do say so myself I would have to say the design I came up with was pretty cool from the standpoint of your original guidelines. I would also have to say I'm not surprised nobody else has become interested in the design. It would take a room the size you have available to do it. At that point it's not very practical.
It's good to see you better utilizing your space you have to work with from the advice of the other forum members and apparently the approval of your better half. NICE !
I'll look forward to seeing your updates in the future