I am just too tired today to be productive, can't you tell. Here's the question.
What is the footprint and or sqft of your layout and how many turnouts do you have on it. If you don't currently have a layout, use a layout from the past or timewarp to the future if you have a plan in the works.
I'll have another cup of coffee and wander into the trainroom (if I can remember where I left it) and count my own.
For the purpose of this study, a double cross-over is 4 turnouts and if you want to argue about that, good, I'll have more to read.
Do too many turnouts in relation to sqft mean SPAGHETTI?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Foggy headed Saturday morning syndrome Brent? GUILTY!
I have 19 turnouts on a 51"x87" (30.8125) sq ft layout, the cork laid for them anyway. Close, ...but not quite spaghetti. I don't have quite a long enough noodle to create that
Especially this morning
TF
BATMANuse a layout from the past
Off the top of my head... probably 90% accuracy:
High School Layout: Approximately 15 turnouts, 20 Sq Ft.
Dream House Layout: Approximately 120 turnouts, Huge.
Dining Room Wall Layout: Planned for 60+ turnouts and 40 Sq Ft, never finished.
Master Bedroom Layout: 9 turnouts, 16 Sq Ft.
Relocated Master Bedroom Layout: 13 turnouts, 24 Sq Ft.
Spare Bedroom Layout: Approximately 25 turnouts, about 40 Sq Ft.
BATMANtimewarp to the future if you have a plan in the works.
Final Lifetime Layout: Approximately 50 turnouts, About 140 Sq Ft.
BATMANDo too many turnouts in relation to sqft mean SPAGHETTI?
No, not if scenery and view blocks are planned carefully in advance.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Current layout. 10x17 feet. Double oval with lift bridge access to central cutout. 34 turnouts, the majority associated with a freightyard and roundhouse.
I counted (several times) and 34 was the #.
Room is 15' x 24'.
I started design in 1988, started construction 1990My layout is HO scale 14’ x 10’, 146.9 sq ft, mounted on casters in our two car garage Mainline Twice-Around track 91’ 8”, 3½% grade up to 10”, 3½% Helix downHidden Siding Track 13’ 4” Passenger Station Tracks 9’ Yard Tracks 51'Regular Turnouts 14Curved Turnouts 2Double Crossover 1Plywood weight = 184 pounds, 2"x4" lumber weight = 156 poundsMel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
My "revised" layout is a Walk-in 'C' shape. (The hinged Drop-down became a 'make or break') HO Standard gauge.
12.5' x 11.0' = 137.5 sq ft
24 Turnouts / 137.5 = 0.175 Turnouts / sq ft.
If that's the correct way to calculate it? Paul
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
The layout room is 224 sq ft (14x16) with 50 turnouts and 2 turntables. The layout consumes about 3/4 of that space with point to point operation. Mostly #4 & #5 Walthers c83 turnouts and several #7.5 curved ones.
oldline1
My layout room is 560 square feet, with the original single level of the layout covering 355 square feet. With the partial upper level included, total layout area is approximately 500 square feet.
I counted 87 turnouts and two crossovers, and estimate that I'll need to add another 5 or 6 turnouts for industries on the partial upper level.
Wayne
My layout is very simular to Malcolm Furlow's San Juan. Did not start that way but my space kinda dictated it. My yard is much larger though. 22 turnouts. Space about 11x 12 room but ralroad is a dogbone with a yard running off it so 6 1/2'x11'x12' in a u shape.
At least 77 turnouts in 843 square feet, on a multi-deck layout.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
I've got 17 turnouts, including one three-way, on a 45-square-foot layout. One turnout is a 3-way. Staging isn't included in this count or in the square footage.
The Location: Forests of the Pacific Northwest, OregonThe Year: 1948The Scale: On30The Blog: http://bvlcorr.tumblr.com
When complete, I will have 45-50 turnouts on a layout 16' x 11' (around the walls).
Andy
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Milwaukee native modeling the Milwaukee Road in 1950's Milwaukee.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/196857529@N03/
Interesting topic. My garage layout under construction is 72 sq. ft. The current dogbone plan calls for 15 turnouts. I'm preparing an alternative design with more landscape scenery and many fewer turnouts (probably 6-8).
Tim
Late to the model railroad party but playing catch-up.....
New layout plan:
Room size - 1470 sq ft
Benchwork size - aprox. 910 sq ft
Mainline run - 440' of double track, 180' of that hidden in staging, 260' visable.
Total trackage including staging yards and all secondary trackage - aprox 1600'
Turnouts - total count 140, 38 of those make up 19 crossovers, 2 double slip switches, 1 single slip switch. 89 are controlled by switch machines, the remaining 51 are manually operated. 42 of the 89 controlled by switch machines are in the hidden staging areas.
Staging - 25 hidding staging tracks, most 20' long or longer. 15 are thru staging, 10 are stub end on the wye connected to the mainline. An additional 7 trains can be visably staged without blocking the mainline or limiting train movements.
The design goal was long trains, lots of them, and not a spaghetti bowl.
One turnout for each 6.5 sq ft of benchwork.
One visable turnout for each 9.3 sq ft of benchwork.
Sheldon
I'll probably skew your results because of the size, but 8 sq.ft. (11 incl. staging), 4 turnouts.
Previous layouts:
24 sq.ft., 6 turnouts
36 sq.ft., 9 turnouts
Phil
BATMAN I am just too tired today to be productive, can't you tell. Here's the question. What is the footprint and or sqft of your layout and how many turnouts do you have on it. If you don't currently have a layout, use a layout from the past or timewarp to the future if you have a plan in the works. I'll have another cup of coffee and wander into the trainroom (if I can remember where I left it) and count my own. For the purpose of this study, a double cross-over is 4 turnouts and if you want to argue about that, good, I'll have more to read. Do too many turnouts in relation to sqft mean SPAGHETTI?
I quoted you to help readers in case they need a refresher of your OP by now.
Current layout, at about 85% complete, is my favourite around-the-room folded loop, double track. Room is 9 X 18.
Not including staging, below the layout, accessed by around-the-room hidden grade @ 1.7%:
6 X Peco Code 83 Streamline #6, all out on the main or on industrial switchback;
1 X W/S #6 double crossover, Code 83;
3 X double slips, two W/S #6 and one Code 100 hand laid, all in the yard;
1 X #8 Code 100 hand laid, in the yard;
5 X Micro Engineering ladder system series turnouts;
1 X three-way W/S Code 83 at the yard throat; and
4 X Peco Streamline Code 83 #6 in the yard.
So, counting the DS as four, and the three-way as three, 22 total. This probably is somewhat reflective of my preference to watch trains run in the scenery and not so much ops. Five ladders and other parking tracks up on the layout, and five ladder staging, is way more than I have ever had on a layout.
Got Pfizer today, so I'm getting on with living...hopefully.
Oh, and how many is 'too many' turnouts? Each of us has the duty to craft what he needs/wants for a layout. Anything more might still be a bonus if we end up happy. If we feel we have erred after it's all said 'n done, then, probably too many turnouts.
selectorCurrent layout, at about 85% complete, is my favourite around-the-room folded loop, double track.
Spaghetti Bowl? Is that good or bad?
I like urban scenes, steel mills, coal mines, ore docks big passenger stations. Lots of turnouts.
I guess some modelers like pastoral scenery, long runs between towns, maybe single track with a few passing sidings. Fewer turnouts.
I did a quick review and found that the main layout is in a basement area 24 by 42 feet. This part the layout occupies 660 s/f with another 82 s/f of subterranean staging. I also have a secondary route called the Bessemer which is essentially the "connecting" railroad.
Turnout count:
Bessemer: 58
2 track main line: 37
Engine terminal, sidings, yards: 36
Staging/storage: 22
153 turnouts (counted double slips as four)
PRR at the end of the day by Edmund, on Flickr
IMG_0068_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
IMG_7933_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
Pass the Parmesean! I'm in the mood for some spaghetti
Cheers, Ed
My main layout is 12' x 5'4" (64.5 sq. ft.). It is essentially a double oval with a small yard and an engine service area. Eventually there will be a staging yard added which will be roughly 13.8' x 2' (approx. 26 sq. ft.).
The main layout will have 30 turnouts including one double slip and four crossovers. The mainline turnouts will be Peco Code 100 Electrofrogs and the service area will be Peco Code 83 Electrofrogs. That wasn't my original plan. I have enough Code 100 Electrofrogs to do the whole layout but the track geometry in the service area dictated switching to Code 83s to get the double slip and the other turnouts in the service area to fit. Yes, that sounds like a lot of turnouts given the space, but the plan works for me. Pasta is one of my favourite dishes!
The 'staging' yard will have 13 Peco Code 100 Electrofrogs. I use the term 'staging' but the yard will be visible so it will have a few structures and some scenery on it. The staging yard will also allow trains to be turned using a wye.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
rrebellMy layout is very simular to Malcolm Furlow's San Juan
Does yours also have that terrible switch-back to get to the turntable?
Layout room is 20' x 20' Double deck railroad, two track main. Lower level has about 50 turnouts including staging yards and engine terminal. Upper level has about 65 including freight yard and industries. Layout is designed for operations which includes a dispatcher, yardmaster and 3 engineers to run trains and work the engine terminal as a hostler to/from the freight yard...
Pruitt selector Current layout, at about 85% complete, is my favourite around-the-room folded loop, double track. Are we ever going to get to see some pictures?!?
selector Current layout, at about 85% complete, is my favourite around-the-room folded loop, double track.
Are we ever going to get to see some pictures?!?
AARRGGHH!! Mark, you called me out!!!!
It's nothing to write home about because the remaining 15% has taken me a year, and it's still going. But, okay, here is a hasty photo or two: [quality down after years not imaging a layout]
The bridge was sent to me by the late Bob Hollowell.
-Crandell
Hi Crandell,
The scenes are very well done!
selectorAARRGGHH!! Mark, you called me out!!!! It's nothing to write home about because the remaining 15% has taken me a year, and it's still going. But, okay, here is a hasty photo or two: [quality down after years not imaging a layout] The bridge was sent to me by the late Bob Hollowell. -Crandell
MORE!!!
Maybe start your own layout thread?
Crandell, your layout photos have always been something to look forward to. I would also like to see more.
selectorIt's nothing to write home about because the remaining 15% has taken me a year, and it's still going. But, okay, here is a hasty photo or two:
I am wondering why we never see this layout in Show Me Something.
The pictures look good. I am pretty sure you have shared pictures before.
I'll join Phil with my small 4x6, 6 turnout layout, 2 passing sidings and a 2 track yard servicing an oil dealer, feed store and a team track.
Currently working to finish a 7x14 room for an around the room shelf 68 sq ft layout surface with an entry gate. Not sure of the number of turnouts as the trackplan is still only floating around in the empty space between my ears.
It's difficult to work on finishing a 7x14 room with a 4x6 table in the middle of it, but made progress this weekend.
Have fun,
Richard
My layout, in allowed space, is about 5.5' x 9.5', or 52.25 SF. It is a compact folded dogbone, which includes a submerged arc but I can't remember how to calculate the SF of the arc. It probably involves some cosines.
Without going upstairs, I count 21 turnouts on my control panel photo, including three crossovers (for reverse loops) and one 3-way turnout. Counting the 3-way properly concerns me, as it's not a single turnout but not two turnouts. Walthers would call it one turnout but a loco engineer might call it two? I may toss and turn tonight contemplating whether I got that right.
I'd say my layout is a bit congested but it has been satisfying (and fun to design and create). If you consider this as congested as desireable, one should not exceed 21 / 52.25 = 0.4019138756 turnouts per square foot. Especially if most of them are 3-way turnouts.
IMG_4565 by Paul Ahrens, on Flickr
20200424_083744 by Paul Ahrens, on Flickr
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
The results are in! And it seems the larger the layout the fewer turnouts per SQFT.
There may be the odd exception, however, I should have asked a more refined question and ask what scale was being modeled.
The conclusion is, we seem to be happy with what we have, which is a whole lot of fun that lets us escape for a while.
Carry on.