Keith, It will be AT LEAST Sunday before I can do this, but after looking over your plan I do believe I can make it work for the DRGW's East Denver Belt Line - which had everything from run-through trains coming off the Rock Island and UP to a coal-fired power plant served by a DRGW train that saw Tunnel Motors on the point. As with most plans, this will still be only a fraction of the belt line, but I think a DRGW fan would be happy. If possible, can someone post a better scan? Thanks, Donovan in Dallas
One more thing: my idea will not be in Untitrack, it will just be a track plan. Someone with a Unitrack brain will have to convert it. Some time next week it will be ready. D in D
from MR (index.mrmag.com) Search using "ODEGARD" Ottumwa Central RR, 16x20 loop-to-loop on corner shelves Model Railroader, May 1974 page 50 Article also published in Track Planning Ideas from Model Railroader Book icon, page 80 ( "ODEGARD, GORDON", SHELF, TRACKPLAN, HO, MR )
Should also mention that I have several passenger trains to deal with! From the CZ and PA's, to Amtrak Ph4 to a set of Heavyweights and a couple of others. I had though about the Belt Line in the past, but never did anything about it, as I wasn't sure where, or how, to begin. So, I just let it fall trackside and forgot about doing it. As for the power plant, I have hoppers of all sorts for that! Ranging from Atlas 90T cars, to Trainworkx cars, to Red Caboose/Precision Masters CSDPU cars to BN/BNSF hoppers! Also a major string of Rio Grande Coal Liners, and a 36 car set of UP Coal Liners with matching SD40's for power! Plus the usual array of freight cars for all sorts of service. Or the 75-80 grain hoppers! Basically, more "stuff" than I know what to do with!! Thanks again.
I think you are right on the money, I looked at that double track loop and thought it would be a pain to wire up. A single loop with an auto-reverser (assume DCC opperation) would make life easier. This track plan really interests me as it lends itself to expansion to a double deck with very little modification. A ppuin (Dave H) speciallty spiral helix each end and you're there. Over the next few months I plan to build a double deck layout based on this plan in N scale using Atlas code 55 track. This plan is good enough as it is and presents some really interesting opperational running. Although for me I want a layout that has some grades and mountain scenery. The lower deck will be more main line running lots of tunnels, bridges and sweeping curves. The upper deck more switching and opperations. I will work out the bench work and post it here. I have bench work already built from my HO layout but will require some major rebuilding.
That's exactly what I did. An auto-reverser is pretty simple in DC. Keith, I've sketched out what I did with this plan, but have been really busy the past week.
A few pics of the approximate area I'll have available for a layout. All curves shown are Kato R481 - 19"r. This was set up as a test, to see what kind of space would be required. The 8 foot wide area - Double track loop section on plan. End of long section of layout. In this case, the 13 foot mark. Middle section of plan. Small yard and industrial switching will be here. Track closest to wall is hidden staging section of plan. Total area will be about 12" wide. MIGHT be able to go slightly wider if necessary. Depends on what my folks have to say! The area is the main living area of my so called apartment. Finished basement with 3 windows. The layout area will be passing in front of two of those windows. The last window is in the bedroom/kitchen area and is easily accessible as the required fire escape route. It also contains a ladder for getting up and out!
Woodwork, when that time comes, can be done in the garage. As long as I keep the mess OUTSIDE, Mom and Dad should have no problems! As for the "apartment", adding holes in the wall should not be a problem!! Basement was finished, with the knowledge that I WOULD be pounding nails, screws, shelving etc........So I'm lucky there! A small sample:
Keith: Nice display case and collection. Several look like DRG trains (and Coors box cars???)...but what RR has the red SW and caboose on the second shelf from the top? What are the approximate dimensions of the space you have negotiated with others in the household? You've mentioned or shown pictures indicating an 8' by 13' layout footprint with what looks like it might be 42-inch deep shelving where the loops bulge out, and 12" deep tracks where the tracks run parallel to the back wall. How much aisle space will you need in front of and beside every inch of the way around the layout anywhere it is not against a wall? Ken: Rather than posting your plan on Keith's thread, it might work better to start your own. 1. While both of you may be starting from a similar point, as you get farther along, I'd guess there will be an increasing number of details that differ because each of you will have personal preferences the other does not share. It's likely you will monitor Keith's thread, and if there are ideas in his thread that you decide you'd like to include on your layout, you can certainly reference where you got the idea. 2. I'd bet that the two layouts will not develop at the same pace; so, within any page of 10 posts, the references/topics/problems discussed may be similar at first, but, over time, will drift farther apart. 3. As a result, people may get confused or annoyed by having to search back a long way through the thread to find relevant information. 4. As these differences evolve, it may become difficult to sort out who's doing what to whom...
AS soon as I had posted my last comment I figured it was a bad idea. So yes I will keep an eye on Keith's progress here and will start a thread to log my own progress. All good then Keith. Totally awesome shelving, love the collection.
Yes, several Rio Grande trains, with more stuff in boxes yet! Noticed the Coors train huh? Yeah, a string of 25 Model Power Coors cars. The Red MP15? That's an Atlas/N Scale Collector special run Coors unit, with caboose. Sold out at NSC in 4 days, so I've heard. Found mine through Ebay. And I estimate this to be maybe 1/3 of my total collection! 10 more shelves on top, 5 on bottom, eventually! Total layout size is 8 x 13. These are the maximum wall dimensions I have free. Where the loops are, is 38-40 inch wide, to allow for some scenery in front of track(s). Curves shown are 19"r. No room for larger, and bigger equipment doesn't look right on smaller radius. Aisle space should not be a problem. All areas of layout accessable from all sides. Layout will be at a level to where furniture will fit UNDER layout. New furniture to replace what I currently have. sometime down the road. Planning on near eye level for me. And I'm just under 6 foot. Something in the 50-54" range perhaps. I'll have to work out a suitable height next. Obviously, still in the planning/design stages, so I've got some time to get some final layout details figured out!
Folks liked what they saw, especially Mom! Have gotten ideas from both also, as to how I'm gonna go about adding more shelves etc......... The N Scale shelves shown are 20" high by 8 foot long. Once the folks are up and oin the move this morning, I'll have to ask about construction etc....and when I might be able to start. Will post more on that when ready. Just in need of a plan of some sort before starting though. Or modifications to the posted plan.
No problem. In re-reading my comments, they seemed a lot harsher than they were intended.:embarassed: Sorry. Where I'm coming from: We've recently had several threads in which people indicate how they like someone's plan and how they want to build a layout closely matching someone else's. Some have posted about how they have tailored a similar track plan to their own preferences, and some have even talked about how they will make or are making certain modifications as they also build the plan. The focus of their posts remained on the thread starter, but there seemed to be a slight trend toward talking about 2 different layouts in one thread, so I wanted to mention some points for posters to consider. My hope is that everyone who starts a thread seeking layout input receives feedback that is individualized or tailored to their personal needs/wants/interests, and each thread is focused on one person's layout, even though lots of us will mention our own or others' layouts as we talk about various aspects of the thread starter's layout.
And talking with Mom about the layout, she did restate that I can, since it's my own private place, I have the freedom to do almost anything I want. However, I run my ideas past the folks first! So, I'm hoping to maybe start working on benchwork next weekend. Hope to have more info and/or photos of progress, once I get started. On more question: What would be a decent layout height? I will need to be high enough to clear a couple of recliners in the future. I'm looking at about 54" or so. Other thought/comments appreciated. Thanks again.
Keith: The first pic shows me standing on the floor. The upper level is at my eye level (65 inches) and the lower level is at 48 inches. The 12 inch benches let me work on the upper level at a functional height of 53 inches. The second pic shows me standing on one of the benches. Given my body size/height, I can reach across the upper level comfortably because the layout is lower than my armpit. If the benches were shorter, my sleeves or elbows would put buildings, scenery, and rolling stock at risk, and I wouldn't be able to reach as far into the layout.
Hello. This is my first post on trainboard and I am a new n scaler. I have been researching Gordon Odegard's Central Ottumwa plan for a few months now and have built some bench work that will fit the majority of the plan. I was wondering if any of the projects that Keith and Cleggie started may have electronic track plans that they could share or any tips or tricks to get started on. I will try and post a pic of what I have so far concerning the bench work. http://pickardsite.com/wordpress/?p=76
Sorry about that. I upgraded WordPress and my theme did not work with the new version. I have fixed the issue now and thank you for pointing that out 3Dtrains. Take care, Spencer Benchwork: http://pickardsite.com/wordpress/?p=76 Layout design: http://pickardsite.com/wordpress/?p=78
