QUOTE: Originally posted by Texas Zepher As promised here is the double track version. I threw in a couple of spurs and I didn't shrink it so small, so one can get a better idea of what I was thinking. I wish I could sketch in some scenery stuff, and I wish I hadn't tried to add text, but oh well. I'll continue to work on the dog bone design, but this weekend is pretty booked.
QUOTE: Originally posted by grandpacoyote Did you draw up the trackplan using RTS? I'm not sure if I read that right.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Texas Zepher Here is the dog-bone saga. I did my initial idea (sort of an "E" shape) only to find out there was not enough space to do it maintaining the 24" / 26.25" minimum radius curves. So I just dog-boned the original design (below). I did not find it so interesting. So with a major change in thought I came up with dog-bone two (a most primative version also below). The problem with it is that to get this shape I really had to pinch some of the isles down to two feet. Very crowded, especially if one is trying to show off the trains to a group of people. Dog Bone 1 The separation of the two tracks at the one point is due to a picture I have where at one point the Santa Fe only had a single track over a river. When they added the second bridge for the second track is was down river about 100 yards and at a slightly different angle, making a quite dramatic scene. Dog Bone 2 Here the dog bone "loops" (upper right and upper left) would be in tunnels under the other trackage. The boring long straight track along long straight edges of the layout could be replaced by sweeping curves. And then my final thought. On the original design simply replace the loop in the lower left (just past the staging area) with two loops one on top of each other and Walla dog bone layout. The problem with that is the train would have to pass all the way through the layout twice (once in each direction) to get back to the staging yard. Or if you're up to the engineering add a helix and have a layout that can operate as a loop or dog bone layout.
QUOTE: Originally posted by grandpacoyote Im not sure I followed the discription you gave on the second drawing in terms of where the tunnels would be,
QUOTE: Originally posted by Texas Zepher QUOTE: Originally posted by grandpacoyote Im not sure I followed the discription you gave on the second drawing in terms of where the tunnels would be, Did you know if you click on the picture it gets bigger? When you do that you can see a couple of places where there is a single loop of track that overlaps the double track. It is those two single track loops that would be hidden.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Larry NMRA Coyote, one thing I've not seen mentioned is the height of the layout. Usually wiring and other items are located underneath. And being over the hill myself I know it's difficult to work underneath sometimes. Try to make it high enough so you can sat on a short seat and work at a comfortable level for you. This is from past experience on a large club layout and a home layout also. Also keep main wire runs near the front with feeders back to the track. I know this is past the track design stage, but needs to be kept in mind as you design. If you can't wire a beautiful section of track or service it, it becomes a static layout. Good Luck. Larry NMRA
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.