At A Loss - Searching For A Layout - Ideas Welcome

Thanks Paul. I'll give it some thought.

 

Thanks Jim. It's a fine line getting everything you want in a layout. Usually it's a string of compromises. This certainly gives me the ability to run consists and switch when I want to. I also like the modeling aspect of model railroading, all the detail and animation. Doing all I can to bring it to life. That's what I liked about Dave's layouts.

 

Did David come up with a plan, if so are you going to post it.

 

If you look Dwyane on page 2 of this thread, you will see that I posted Dave's version. It has the Intermodal Dock.

 

New Landscape for Layout Design

I've been playing around with elevations. It's a bit tricky on this layout as both loops are grades. The lowest elevations is around the water feature. There was a water feature in the center, but I took that out to allow for a station by the siding. The bridge on the curve has me concerned as it has to be a curved pile trestle and have a grade.

 

Another revision. Modified the road to a bridge crossing over the mainline. Added rock walls.

 

This is a revised layout. Removed corner track and spur. Moved station on siding. Added lower level water feature in center to allow for better visuals.

 

This is looking good!

 

Hi RTOBYS,
some last comments.
This is a one train only layout with some issues:
1) switching the intermodel yard will be difficult, you might need a device to anable parking cars on the grade at the left.
2)the intermodel yard needs way more space for storage and access for trucks since the river is way to small for barges.
3) very expensive bridges over what is just a mudpool doesn't look prototypical at all.
4) the lead of the switchback at the right is pretty short, alternatives are possible.
IMHO adding some form of staging would be an asset.
Smile
Paul

 

What if you made the inlet in the center go all the way through the layout? The track down at water level would need a bridge as well, but you could make it look like a canyon being crossed by the main and the spur..

Just a thought.

 

There are plenty of bridges IRL that go over a "mudpool". However, I think inktomi has a good idea about making the inlet go all the way thru the layout. However, the station location is now in such a place that you will only have a single car at the station, and the rest of the train will be stretched across the bridge (and inaccessible to passengers loading and unloading).

 

Help with rending earthworks, waterways, etc.

Frustration knows no bounds. I am now building my benchwork and have most of it installed already. Now I'm having second thoughts on this layout based on comments. The rendering was a "rough" approximation of landmass, waterways and roads as a guide. But now I'm not to sure about several things.

The station is in a bad spot. Do I just get rid of it? I can't really see any other logical place for a station.

The waterway is smaller than Dave designed into it. He created a larger "port" waterway to the lower left. I can make that larger to be more of a bay than river. Or just make that some sort of industry and not an intermodal yard.

The water at the center could go through the scene completely somehow, but not sure how that would work. I'd have to move the tunnel to the right more.

Anyone want to take a stab at rending earthworks for this plan? Let me know.

 

Revised waterways.

 

Here is a link to the AnyRail file: Layout

It would have been nice to have an additional parallel line for running two consists, but I guess not possible? I think it also may be better to remove the intermodal yard for something else? Other water front industry?

 

So I've made more iterations. As I wasn't to keen on the intermodal dockyard anyway, I removed it in place of general industry. This also solves the problem I would have with finding a swinging or bascule bridge. I also moved the station to the central left. It is represented somewhat large, but I think I'll find a smaller station to fit in that area.

Thoughts?

 

Normally I keep my layout critiques to myself, but the availability of an Anyrail file has allowed me to mess around with your design a bit. In general, this looks like a good plan. I think John Armstrong would call this a "waterwings" shaped plan. I could not resist tinkering and the attached image is the result. I was concerned that the area that (I think) you had the intermodal yard and then changed to become an industry appeared to have an s-curve at the turnout. I swapped the straight turnout for a curved one and used it to lengthen the industry/yard track. I reshaped the waterway to suit. If nothing else, this area could simply become a stub-ended yard rather than an industry. I also enlarged the access area, because i was thinking that you intend this to be a removable or pop-up area for the hidden track.

I am not a fan of the industry you'll have to switch by the lead, since it will be something of a switchback, but that may be OK with you. Here's the image of my changes. Note that I inserted a rectangle and added the image of your original layout picture to it so that I could look at the picture while I worked. Good luck with is layout. I really think that this has potential and it may be best to start building and see where it leads you, rather than design everything before building. if you like, maybe I can send you the modified Anyrail layout.

 

Thanks for taking a stab at this plan. I worked with David Smith yesterday and came up with a revised plan. Interesting that it's referred to as a "waterwings" plan by Armstrong, didn't know that. You are correct in changing out some of the straight turnouts for curved turnouts.