Hey everyone. I have the basic mainline down to my HO layout but I need some switching and siding ideas. I have a full freight lineup and a 6 car passenger line. I would appreciate any ideas.
Ok, we can assume Union Pacific, but let's get more information...how much space do you have, what era do you model, and what do you want the layout to do for you?
Sorry guys. Yes, all UP and sometime between 1950-1960 era. I would like to run in both directions with at least one siding to stage my passenger train and a couple others for accessing my grain elevator, roundhouse and staging some freight cars. Here's the dimensions
What I see is a bent dogbone mainline with 18-20" radius curves. A dual mainline for your chosen prototype is not out of the question. One end could be for a roundhouse, the center for a small town with grain elevators, and maybe a small yard. The opposite end could be a scenic section with a hill or pond. A tunnel would work on that end too. UP had several tunnels on its mainlines. The double track one at Hermosa, WY is particularly famous and still active. Your layout goals would be a dead ringer for Sherman Hill, from Cheyenne to Laramie, WY across the continental divide.
Yes, I have a roundhouse in the left-hand section. I have not thought about a double mainline but that is a good idea. I am going to layout the structures and such with what I have in mind and then I'd like to get you all to critique it for me. I will try to do this tomorrow after work. Thanks
With 48" dogbone ends, 22" is possible, however it leaves little room for scenery, and puts the tracks very close to the edge. I'd go 19 and 21" radius, with the double mainline for this reason. Big Boys and Challengers as well as Big Blows will look good on 21" curves. The scenery on Sherman Hill begs modeling. You might want more scenery just to protect against derailment. Dale, WY: Hermosa: Hermosa Tunnel:
I can see the beginnings of a quaint little town. Laramie would fit in, although it's not on a curve. It has a wye currently, may have had a turntable at one time.
Wow, these pictures bring back so many memories. I used to live in Laramie. It is an awesome place. Never thought to model it but you have me thinking seriously about it now. Thanks
I wish I took more photos! I would recommend searching the Denver public library site for photos of Laramie. http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/photographs/
Layouts tend to follow similar concepts in design. They all run into their own issues as far as track placement. Since you have a continuous run, you are going to run into some of the same problems every dog bone style plan has. We all run into these problems and it can be a pain, or you can see the limitations and realize that they can also be guidelines for helping you make a layout. It's pretty clear you want some of these characteristics already: -engine facility/turntable -trains that can run around the layout, rather than just point to point -you seem to have a single track mainline, so you will need one or two passing sidings so trains don;t crash into each other One really nice old plan that could give you some ideas is this one from Model Railroader in 1974. I can't find the published version of the track plan, which is slightly different, but this adaptation has the general feel of it. The nice thing about this layout is that it has the classic 3 track yard track plan, so you could steal that and put it anywhere in your own layout where it might fit better and even expand it if you like. Essentially anything you do with this kind of single ended yard is always going end up as the same sort of thing. If you look at it you'll see how the yard part functions: -entrance track that comes off the mainline -three yellow tracks: 2 are storage and one is the "Make Up track" where you assemble cars from the two other tracks -in this plan the long track facing away from the storage tracks gets used as a engine and caboose storage track. -the most important track on this design is the little curved one. That is a yard lead. it allows one to work in the yard without "fouling the mainline". If you search for images on the web using words like: HO trackplan, you find lots of resources to take ideas from. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=HO trackplan&qs=n&form=QBIRMH&sp=-1&pq=ho trackplan&sc=8-12&sk=&cvid=937B7BDA534F4809AA4E05098B7C81AE My preference for image searches is the bing search engine because it displays small images best and you can click one and expand it easily. Track planning is really a personal aesthetic, so everyone will end up with something that appeals to them personally. Good luck! P.S. I gotta ask about all those cool airplane models. Those look fun.
Does anyone have a good source for casters/wheels for my layout legs? My new N layout will be placed up against a wall to conserve room space, but I'll need to be able to pull it away from the wall for maintenance because of its depth. It'll be an L-shaped layout with the long side 9 FT and it will rest on soft indoor carpet in a spare room. I'm thinking wheels of 4" Dia. would suit the layout's weight and the carpet pile, but I'm not pleased with the industrial caster look or selection that I'm finding in Lowes and Home Depot. Does anyone have a recommendation or know of a source with a nice selection? Thank you.
Harbor Freight doesn't offer what I'm looking for, but Grainger might. I'd forgotten about them and their HUGE catalog. Thanks!
That is great info. I do believe I can modify my plan to reflect what you have shown here. Thank you for the info.
NO problem. It's a nice plan. Although I am busy getting ready to build an HO scale layout to run my european trains on, I have this real soft spot for that old track plan. I am sorely tempted to do it as a N scale layout on a door panel. If you can make those yard tracks longer you'll end up a lot happier, but the overall plan is rock solid.
