I'm looking for some layout design ideas from anyone who enjoys creating them. I'm not very good at creative vision, but I've seen so many wonderful things on here that I know many of you are. Here are the criteria I have in mind: 1) HO scale using DCC 2) C&O during the steam to diesel transition era. I'd like to do southeast Ohio/Kentucky/West Virginia area (around where the 3 meet) 3) Double track mainline with the ability to run trains "roundy-round" (don't really want point-to-point) 4) Double track bridge to simulate the Limeville Bridge in Sciotoville, OH 5) Good sized yard 6) Coal mine Other than this, I'm open to suggestions for other things to have. I have two mid-sized room options, which I've attached drawings of. Anyone with creative vision who is willing to throw some opinions at me, I'd love to hear them. Thanks in advance.
Are there aisles to walk around the layout? You do not want to have to reach more than 30" to any section of the track - The harder it is to reach track, the more likely that area will be prone to derailments. With HO, you are probably looking at a minimum radius of 20" (a lot of people will say that is not enough ...) so you peninsula would need to be close to 48" wide. With 30" aisles, the top and bottom sections would be 18" wide. I will sketch your diagram with AnyRail and post it later. Here is a rough layout based on your diagram with aisles
I like the second room for a double decker, a helix with less than 30 inch curves will give you room to walk around it into the room. I'd loose the door or put in a sliding type door. So a helix as you walk in leading to a reversing loop on the other side of the room, double or triple decked.
Thanks for the replies. Couple of other questions... What do most do for layout height (Waist-high, chest-high...) and what is a common width for around the room tables/shelves (18", 24"...)?
The height question has been going on since and before I entered the hobby 20 years ago and articles have been written about it. Two considerations - your height and your guests height. If you are 6' 5'' then logically you would have higher deck(s). Its not a real "problem" until you install a second deck. So if you put in higher decks and the top deck is above 60'' can all your guests work the second (higher) deck. And space between decks is a consideration, many come up with a number they feel they can live with, then forget fascia will be going in and eating more visual room as the modeler tries to hide wiring and lighting on the top deck. My two decks are 40'' and 60'' with 20'' inches of separation which goes down to about 16'' visually after my fascia goes in. But the numbers I've seen for others are all over the place, some go really low which to me is logical if its another deck for staging, but not so logical if it is an "operational" deck. This is one of those, you really have to work out what works for you deals.
Here is a quick sketch. 30" minimum radii. Steve https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...81576307.1073741828.1662755162&type=3&theater
