I've been sitting at work the past two weeks doodling over a layout for a hollow core door. I have a stack of paper sitting at my desk with layouts I'm not happy with. I'm planning on using a door of the 36" wide variety. Seems the more I try, the more fed up I get with my lack of creativity. I think its the lack of space that is holding me up. I talked to the future wifey-pooh about using the entire upstairs for my little empire, but I got The Look.. so, I'm stuck with the door until we move to a bigger place. I'd like to be able to have at least one train just running, and in the meantime do some switching and whatnot. Does anyone have a creative streak in them that could whip something to suit me? I've been digging all over the place looking at what seems like hundreds of layouts, but I just can't get "boil" them all down to get a design that I'm happy with.
First off, go to rail images and look at some peoples layout pics on there. There are lots and lots of door panel layout photo's on there. Maybe i'll put on my thinking cap and see if I can think of anything later. What kind of layout? scenery type? time period? etc. what else do you know about your layout?
There are variations on the Grey and Grandure: (I know you dont' curretnly have room for expansion but I'm really tired)
OK..start at the start. Do you want maximum mainline run, or lots of operations? How about a folded dogbone, so you get 'twice around' mainline running? The increase in elevation gives lots of scope for scenery / bridges etc. Bang an inglenook puzzle into the layout somewhere (its just a 3 track siding that you can use 'virtual limitations' on) for some immersive operational shunting. How about a door-on-a-door double decker? Just ideas to get your juices flowing.....
folded dogbone is a good idear. definately would like some mainline running, but not so much that I can't have any operations taking place. i wanted some type of elevation... forgot to include that as to era...maybe something transitional since i like to run both steam and diesels the double decker idea really got things going now as well.. i never even considered that. that just opens a world of possibilities. *ponders some more*
An excellent thing to do. It may not seem that way right now, but this time of thinking, sketching, asking questions, will prove well spent in the end. Boxcab E50
Do you have any objection to us submiting plans? It'll give me a chance to use XtrkCAD some more. I am also working on a hollow core door 36" x 80" , as I know several other people are also doing on Trainboard. I must admit though I am a novice at all this. [ May 13, 2005, 12:04 AM: Message edited by: in2nascar ]
Any suggestions are definately welcomed, in2nascar. Maybe it will help to get my brain in gear. At work now, going to start doodling a bit more..
LOL I doodle track plans at work too. Hope the boss doesn't catch me. It's just that my most alert waking hours are spent in the office.
Another point to ponder. Since it does sound like you would eventually like to have more space, and knowing that life will bring moves, consider future expansion. A lot of time and effort goes into 24 square feet of layout. It can be the beginning of something much bigger. A well placed turnout or two that lead off the edge of the door right now, can be used for a staging lead later, the end of an even larger loop, or even the end of a point to point with another door. Hollow core doors, by their nature, lend themselves to modular design and can be used either with or without Styrofoam scenery (light weight for moving later). The variety of widths can be pretty flexible. The 30"-36" wide doors work nicely as peninsulas while the narrower 12"-24" wide are well suited to shelf style extensions around the walls. There is always the argument against the straight, parallel lines, but I feel that is a personal choice that can be addressed with how you actually lay your track. Modular, or Domino, or N Trak, or whatever you want to call it, planning for flexible growth helps you plan for the unknown.
Just since you asked, here's my hcwd layout. Has a bit of elevation change, main line running while I switch the yard using the drill track, and a pair of interchanges (leading to the right hand edge) for future expansion (I should be so lucky) or removeable staging yard. Transition era with small steam, first generation diseasels {{{agghhh}}}, and mostly 40'cars (with cabeese, of course). This probably isn't 100% exact, but close enough for government work. Regards, Ed
Actually, thats a very nice layout Ed. Bit of a spaghetti bowl, but huge potential for operations, and a decent mailine length with the folded dogbone. I'd probably add to the spaghetti a bit by adding another 5 car siding to the 2 track one center left and play inglenook on it (because the one at the bottom center fouls the mainline passing track on the lead). Still, theres potential there to keep 3 operators happy (at least), and all in 36x80"... Mighty fine.
Here is a quick sketch of an idea: Or a variation on Ed's plan: Basicaly a mountain becomes a flat heavily industrialized area. (Ed, hope you don't mind). [ May 14, 2005, 06:02 AM: Message edited by: Grey One ]
Ed, That IS a great plan. I like how there are multiple directions you can expand (never surender ). There is definately enough to keep you busy without having to though. Steve's variation of Ed's plan illistrates how a few simple changes can alter the whole personality of the space.
Disisme: I'd probably add to the spaghetti a bit by adding another 5 car siding to the 2 track one center left and play inglenook on it (because the one at the bottom center fouls the mainline passing track on the lead). I'm not sure which one you’re referring to. The one just left of the yard (coming off the end of the drill track) is the team track. The one coming off the bottom and going to the right is the engine house. As it is the double spur (center left) barely has enough room to have a very small building on each side. I suppose you could add a 3rd track if you just had a building on one side and loaded through some sort of overhead conveyor. Here are a couple of shots (a couple of months old, before starting the ground cover) that show the two ends of the layout and give you some idea of the contours of the hills. Grey – interesting variation. In my case I wanted the elevation changes for two reasons. One was to help provide some minimal visual blockage between adjacent areas. But the most important was that the CFO wanted to see a bridge on the layout.!! Small price to pay for the privilege of leaving a “temporary” layout set up. In my case, the layout will never see more than one operator. I doubt there’s another model railroader within a hundred miles. So switching industries off the main wasn’t an problem. I’ll either be running a way freight, switching as I go, or letting something run around while I switch in the yard/drill track. Regards
Ed, to add more bridges if it is not too late, (and it probably is), add more layers of foam. The lowers level of track on the GandG will be laying on 2 inches of soft earth, um, I mean foam, no earth, wait... Seriously, I plan to have lots of variety of bridges by carving down from the top as well as climbing up.
Tood, have you looked at these discussions? Minimal layout designs, some really good stuff here: http://www.trainboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/ubb/get_topic/f/33/t/000628.html? This plan could be done better on a door panel: http://www.trainboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/ubb/get_topic/f/33/t/000598.html? Geek's Layout. There are now some long spurs on the outside of the loop for staging and also serving TGB chemical company, gotta have somewhere to put all those chemical tankers. http://www.trainboard.com/ultimatebb.php/ubb/get_topic/f/33/t/000646.html#000000
Thanks for all the tips and suggestions! i'm going to print out some of the plans that have been put up here, and the ones on those links (not sure how i missed them when I was searching around), and see what my noggin can come up with. Definately going to be leaving some room for expansion, as I've just discussed with my parents after my fiancee brought up the suggestion of purchasing their house after they move (in the next couple of years). Then I'll defiantely have room to grow. (I'm going to stake my claim on half the basement), and she'll have her own room for her dollhouses.
