Thanks for the replies and reassurance to move forward. I have spent a lot of time planning the bench work to best fit my space, and around the obstacles I have.
A big move out of my comfort zone will be eliminating continuious running and making it switching only. But why not try something different.
Thanks again.
doctorwayne For anyone really bored, or wanting to be really bored, there's a layout room tour, with lots of pictures, HERE.
For anyone really bored, or wanting to be really bored, there's a layout room tour, with lots of pictures, HERE.
Is the layout room a basement or simply a room in your home, or something else?
Is it a single room or more than one room?
Can you provide the length and width of the room(s)?
Rich
Alton Junction
Dave, I built my benchwork without having a trackplan, and based it mostly on the aisle-width which I thought would be appropriate. I then cut two sheets of 3/4" plywood into curves (30" minimum, and in 2" progressions up to 38", I think, so very little waste in a sheet). I then placed the cut-out curves at all 10 corners of the room, jockeying them around in placement and position until they seemed to be where I wanted them. I then connected the curves with straight-ish track, adding passing sidings where each town would be, and industrial spurs whereever there was room. As mentioned, no drawing, but a vision in my head about how it should look.I spent way more time trying to figure out where to put the grades so that I could later add a partial second level, and not exceed 2.5%...if I had tried to do that based on a drawing, I'd likely still be looking at the drawing. While the layout has a few sorta "finished" areas which look pretty much as I had envisioned them, I spend too much time working on locomotives and rolling stock for both myself and others to make much progress on the layout. When it does happen, I can usually accomplish a lot, though.
The layout, with the partial second level in place, is point-to-point-to-point, and I then added another point, in another room, representing an interchange with another railroad. All of the points mentioned are staging tracks/yards, and all represent interchanges. Operation is a one-man affair, with one train running at a time, and most trains switching the industries in the towns through which they pass. Because of the many curves and grades, many trains are doubleheaded. The timeframe is late '30s, and mostly all steam, with DC operation.
I'm probably not the best example to cite with regards to planning, Dave, but I do appreciate your kind words.
Wayne
basementdwellerSo is it ok to worry about track planning after the benchwork is completed? perhaps then i can visualize it all better.
Simple answer: YES!
I believe that one of our premiere modellers, i.e. doctorwayne, did exactly that and it worked out just fine. Hopefully he will chime in to the discussion.
I would suggest that you do a little bit of track planning if you want things like reverse loops so you can have continuous running. They require space, i.e. you can't install a 24" radius loop on a 48" wide section of benchwork.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Sure...just lay it all out with stick pins or track nails to hold things in place temporarily, and play with that arrangement for a few days to see how it goes. You could even temporarily power it and try the switching routines. If all your possible/likely shoves and trailing moves work smoothly, I'd begin to make it permanent and have fun.
I posted on here a little while ago about wanting to start a new layout. I have one or two basement issues that need addressed anyway. My basement has some awkward pillars that i need to work around, so i came up with a benchwork plan first.
I have measured my basement and collumn locations and i know this much, I am going to build an 11' x 10' L shaped switching layout. It will have have a hidden yard approximately 65" long on the longest track. One leg of the L will be 24" deep and the other 30". That much i know.
I despise track planning, frankly i know i am no good at it. I have read the Realistic Track Planning book. I have been looking at switching track plans looking for something that fits my space, that helps some. I know i dont want a switching nighmare but i do want it interesting enough. I know i need a run around track big enough for the longest train i plan to run (3 - 4 cars hopefully).
So is it ok to worry about track planning after the benchwork is completed? perhaps then i can visualize it all better. But i know i don't want to start blindly nailing down track, i have made that mistake in the past.
I appreciate any guidance.