Layout planning please help

[Anonymous]

I'm looking to build a layout .
Size: 2ft X 8ft
Type: Point to point logging rail road.
era: Steam
track: code 100 flex track
Industry: River front logging operation with dockside yard and loco service.
Motive power: Penn Line K4 4-6-2, Bachman 0-6-0, lifelike dockside 0-4-0 (Hope to add a few Shays and maybe a porter)
track plan: NONE ???????? please HELP

I know I want a shunting yard some where around the water front that will serve a small river boat dock .
Is it possible to make a 2x8 a multi level layout?
Or is there a way that I can give the perseption that the logging train is in the mountains?
I may just leave out the mountain for now and do that as an aditional 2 x 8 section making it an L, and leaving me with the bottom end of a logging operation for now.

I've seen so much about designing a layout, its getting overwhelming. I'm half temped to just start laying down track, But I would like to plan ahead and make this work as smooth as possible.

seen any good track plans, or got any good ideas?

thanks

Scott

[dehusman]

You have to focus a little tighter on what you want. Are you modeling the just the sawmill at the river? Are you modeling just the dock at the river where the RR brings the finished lumber from the sawmill to the dock? Are you modeling the portion from the lumber camp to the river log dump (no sawmill)? Are you modeling the portion from the lumber camp to sawmill?

Take the Penn Line K4, polish it up and find a nice mantle to put it on. It will be waaaaayyyyyy too big for any 2x8 logging switching line. In 2x8 you will be doing good to keep 2 engines occupied so if you have more, plan engine facilities to park the extra. You won't need a turntable, a logging line would operate the engines so the steamers are pointed "uphill" and wouldn't worry about turning them.

The two general options are to build a large switching area based around a sawmill. Have 2 or 3 staging tracks with loaded trains of logs, bring them onto the layout, switch them up, switch around the cars of outbound products (cut lumber, bark for tanneries, clothespins, lathe, turpentine, charcoal). If you are going to have a dock, I suggest a small car ferry. that would give you a way to get box and flat cars on and off the layout. The whole emphasis would be on switching.

The other general idea is a sawmill with a switchback line to a lumber camp. A switchback is a "zigzag" where the railroad goes back and forth climbing up a hillside. That would give you some "mainline" run and some switching at the cost of a much smaller sawmill facility.

I would also suggest using code 83 instead of code 100 track. Logging lines tend to have marginal track at best, and the smaller the rail the better.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

I've been thinking about your post for a while. Your theme and your 2'x8' space is nearly exactly what I had in mind earlier last year but abandoned as not being enough space, and I am modeling in N Scale.

I'm assuming you're modeling in HO. 8' is just not enough length to consider a point to point layout, especially since the 2' width doesn't allow your track to turn and double back over itself.

If it's at all possible to include the second 2X8 leg right away, I would do it.. Much of Dave's suggestions will work if you get a bit of length to allow for a switchback up the mountain.

Picture an L rotated 90 degrees clockwise. At the right end of the top leg, towards the front is the docks. Track runs to the left, around the corner and to the end of the left leg. That's where I'd put the sawmill. Then back up a train length would be the spur track climbing the hill around the bend at the corner of the legs and on to the logging camp which is on the hill just above the docks at the right end.

You would need a runaround or passing siding on the lower level to accomplish your switching moves. As Dave said, locos could often back up one part of the round trip. Across Lake Champlin from here, The Rich Lumber Company would back their Shays up the 6% grade in their switchbacks up the Green Mountains.

The mainline track at the sawmill could represent a continuation of the mainline for some off-layout staging. A carfloat at the docks could bring traffic that would be destined to continue off the opposite end of the layout. Thus, all your traffic wouldn't need to be logging/lumber related.

Email me know if you'ld like a sketch of what I'm rambling on about.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

hello:
i have a area of 17 x 26 does anybody can help me find some layouts for this amount of room in HO.
thanks

[Anonymous]

[bow]

I have nothing to offer this thread accept appreciation for some of my fellow forum-goers. I wish I had just a fraction of the knowledge these guys have.

MuddyCreek...get your thinking cap on! I see that you model in N scale, which I what I plan on doing. I'll be posting my layout in the near future, and I hope you can offer some advice. [:D]

[Anonymous]

Hey Scott,

See if you can find yourself a copy of "Small Smart & Practical Track Plans" by Iain Rice.

He has lots of creative ideas for what can be accomplished in your space, including ideas on how you can make it multi-level.

John
Underhill, VT