Alright,
My "module" style 20" x 12ft layout has benchwork in place, which will likely get painted this weekend. I'm ordering track and turnouts this weekend, and will be laying track within the next couple weeks.
The return loop is not scenicked, runs over a workbench, etc.
The spurs at the top of the plan will be a couple industries. The spurs at the bottom will be maybe an industry, or team tracks.
I'm trying to decide between the first plan shown, in which the upper through-track represents a siding, and the second plan, which has a very short siding.
With the double-track-ish plan (in which the 2nd track will represent a siding), I can have trains as long as I want sitting on the "siding" while a 2nd train runs past. This is obviously very rail-fan-ish.
In any case, I'm looking for thoughts from the operator types who might see some issues with the plan. I'm basically keeping it very simple so that if I get into operating, it will be a sensible plan. I realize there's the one switchback, but on a layout this small, to get enough spurs, I ended up with one switchback (which *might* add some operating interest).
Which direction will you run the trains? I think the switchbacks will be bothersome depending on the traffic along those tracks in that area. Also how much room do you have for the buildings? Roads?? Seems like a lot of track for the space to me. But only my opinion. I like the concept though, good luck!
I hear you Mike, I hear you. I might eliminate the switchback on the bottom, and maybe turn the "double spur" on the bottom right into a single spur.
You know how tempting it is to add more track!
SBCA, I can see significant potential in a slightly modified version of your second trackplan. Although you did not indicate what sort of location you intend to be modeling, let's assume for the moment that it represents a highly industrialized area from sometime between the 1930's and the 1980's. Accepting this premise, here's how I would approach the layout.
I would first extend the track at the upper right back beyond the turnout and to the right all the way to the shadowbox righthand wall, to allow for additional industries. The spacing at the rear looks wide enough to allow a number of perhaps 1/2 to 2/3's-depth, large (4-5 story) industrial structures to be placed side by side, backed by an industial area photo backdrop (pictures of even larger warehouses peeking over the 3-D background buildings. Large commerial building kits, like those from the Walthers' Cornerstone series, or Atlas' new factory building, if cut in half length-wise and then reassembled as broad low relief industries, would be perfect here.
I would then eliminate the parallel track at the bottom right of the trackplan and move the track at the very bottom of the plan forward to within about 2-3" of the front edge of the shadowbox, thereby gaining a bit more room for structures. In this new, wider space, I would place a number of smaller, era appropriate, industries. Potentially, here you might have a commercial coal/oil/ice dealer, perhaps a propane facility, a scrap yard, lumber yard, or similar series of modest operations created through using available kits as is, or by combining Walthers, DPM, Bar Mills or other structures...you get the idea.
The resulting 20"x12 foot shadowbox-type layout, comprised of a foreground with detailed, gritty, smaller industries, overshadowed by larger, aging structures toward the rear, could create an extremely impressive presentation for visitors and in many respects would be similar to what John Grant has done on his show layout. Likewise, there would be a great deal of varied operating potential to this busy arrangement.
Just some food for thought.
CNJ831
CNJ,
I am planning on nearly present-day, like maybe late 90's (then I could run some SP diesels). I appreciate your comments!
This weekend turned into priming only. It seems painting that much benchwork (the carts, plus the shadowboxes, plus the modules) takes a long time to do by hand. In fact, I'm going to borrow / buy a paint sprayer to finish the job (will have to do 2 coats of paint, which will take forver with a paintbrush).
I'm leaning towards eliminating the essentially double-track scheme from the modules.