My layout as I plan it - input please

Reptilian Feline Jul 28, 2020

  1. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Deleted. Duplicate post.
     
  2. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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  3. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    At the bottom (or here?) there is a door. At the top, there is space to make it a bit longer, but there is a linnen cupboard that I need to be able to open, and I haven't measured the exact extra space I can add.

    Room:
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    : C: :LAYOUT :
    : U: : :
    : P: : :
    : B: :---------------------------- :
    : O: : :
    : A: : :
    : R: :--------------------------- :
    : D: : :
    -----DOOR----------------------------------------------
    Approximativ ASCII art of overall room and layout

    I'm looking for the book as a pdf.
     
  4. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Z-scale layout inches.gif
    Wow that is much smaller area than I thought.
    Svein-Martin-Holt was right to be concerned about that reverse loop. It is like a 3" radius.

    I should have done the cm to inch calculation back around your initial post. Don't be discouraged well go through this one step at a time. Your going to design the layout. The rest of us will give you feed back and suggestions and maybe an occasional nudge in the right direction.

    After you read about Givens and Druthers on the LK&O page I linked, we can put together your List of Givens.

    Speaking of working on list's, I've got to get cracking on the Honey Do list!
     
  5. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    Yes, it's a pretty small place. The software did that reverse loop for the brewery/munitions plant pretty tight. I figured it might work for a small shunter with no rolling stock. Not ideal, but doable. I tried to make some sidings that were useful, but it just doesn't feel right.

    OK. List. Givens.

    Z-scale, because I don't have room for larger, and T is too tiny.
    Fictional place with a backstory. (I write stories sometimes, so that isn't hard)
    Yorkshire during 1942-1945. I want spitfires, and WW2 is interesting, so many things are different compared to normal times.
    Has to fit into the space I have, and I have to fit as well, and reach. Final size of baseboard will be set when I can properly measure things when the space is clear of things that need to be moved out.
    DC, no DCC, no computers. I want to "drive" the trains, and I can't afford anything fancy.
    Block running with two cab controllers.
    Two stations; one medium sized, one tiny rural one.
    Long winding continuous loop (something along the ideas of a rabbit warren layout).
    Plenty of sidings in the larger station for switching puzzle styled running when I feel like it.
    I'm the only one running the trains, but maybe my boyfriend can run them sometimes.
    No double track mainline.
    Minimum of buildings on the layout, more at the back scene and low relief.
    Hidden sections need to have a part that is removable for track access.
    Low budget, lot's of hands on making stuff myself.
    Märklin turnouts because I can get those a few at a time used in Sweden.
    Flextrack.

    I guess that's it. I can do it without the factory even if it would be nice to have it. If I rethink the brewery area, and make the spurs part of Knacker Sedgemooor station, then I can have room for some nice scenery, and I will save some money on turnouts.
     
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  6. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I don't think I'd heard rabbit warren term used in model railroading until I saw it on your previous posts. This is Nn3, track is the gauge as Z.

    I like your list.
    You can probably still have the brewery area be separate from Knacker Sedgemoor. I think that is a very good idea operationally. The track will probably need to be rearranged.
    Are you familiar with Inglenook Sidings, created by Alan Wright? It is a shunting puzzle. I think that would be a good starting point for the sedgemoor brewery area. Not necessarily an exact copy but something to start with.
    I'll do a sketch then you can see what you think and play with it in XTackcad.
    I've got some more questions about the area around the layout also. I'll sketch that also.
     
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  7. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    20200906_221317.jpg

    1. Do you have access to the other three sides of the baseboard?
    2. Are you going to operate the layout from the opening by the cupboard?
    3. Do you need to access the cupboard frequently?
     
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  8. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    20200906_222404.jpg
    Maybe something like this. Now all but one turnouts have facing points when coming from KS station. The brewery or munitions plant can be a flat.
    If the runaround track is moved to t he other edge of layout section you could have grain bins or chemical tanks close to the building flats depending if your brewing ale or RDX.
     
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  9. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    20200906_225924.jpg

    Something like this maybe. You can turn the locomotive and run around to the other end of train.
    I'm just throwing the godsel against the wall to see what sticks so to speak.
    I do think the double scissors switch in your plan would be unwise. Railroads would try to avoid that if at all possible . Track like that would more likely be seen near a large urban passenger station.
     
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  10. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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  11. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    First time I heard of the rabbit warren layout was on the Great Model Railway Challenge season 2. Doing some research into it, made it clear that the idea of it is one of those things that made watching model railways on display in the great Station in Copenhagen so much fun. The ins and outs of trains. It also lends itself well to Yorkshire hills with grass, stone walls and small stone sheds. James Herriot with his arm up the behind of a cow would be fun too ;-)

    The walk-in closet (clothes chamber in Swedish) have walls all around it. The cupboard is for towels, bed linnen and stuff. Not for everyday access, but it has to be easy access anyway. And I can't make a hole in the wall to the other room. I rent, so that won't work, and besides, my panther chameleons have their home on the other side.

    That's one thing I forgot to add to my list. The layout has to be removable, so the baseboards will be in sections, instead of glued or screwed together. That means I will have to figure out how to divide them, based on the track plan.

    I've seen the Inglenook referenced elsewhere. When I made my first plan, the idea of switching puzzles were there, I just didn't know it was "a thing".

    BTW... the big city library has the track planning book, so I'm going to borrow it tomorrow. I'll see what other books they might have. Things have happened since I last had a look.

    Your ideas for the brewery/munitions plant are solid. I'll play around with it to see what I can make. It's more fun than two spurs into an RAF airfield.

    I hope you can read my sloppy handwriting.
    Room layout.png
     
  12. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I'm not familiar with the Yorksire Hills area but what your explaining sounds like the English country side I love to see on stuff produced by the Brits. Especially ACG&S! ( Soon to be on Madter Piece!)
     
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  13. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    It was suggested that I start a conversation about this, and I can invite up to 7 people who can be part of it. If you'd like to join in the fun, let me know and I will start it and invite you.
     
  14. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sign me up!:)
     
  15. RailMix

    RailMix TrainBoard Member

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    I would at least like to follow along in this discussion as I have been loosely so far. It sounds very interesting. I have been busy and away from the internet for a few days but I do have a few ideas that you can take or leave as you prefer. One thing that was kicked around is the need to turn locomotives, in particular an 0-6-0T. I don't know a lot about British practice, but tank engines were largely regarded as bi-directional in this country. Particularly in logging and shortline service, they might run in reverse for miles, so you may not even need that second turntable if you don't want it, but the passing siding is something you will definitely want.
    The Inglenook idea offers a lot of operation, but don't neglect your mainline run. On the plans above, I don't see a connection to your main engine facility. Is there trackwork that's not showing on the plan?
     
  16. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I think you might be looking at an image I enlarged and cropped just to focus on the Sedgemoor portion of the railroad.
     
  17. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    This clarifies some of my concerns. It's good that you have walk in access and easy access to the cupboard.

    I have a couple more questions.
    • Is there a window on the exterior wall?
    • Are there existing built in shelves below the baseboard or any other obstructions below?
     
  18. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I cleaned up the list of givens and druthers a little. I don't know what you can or can't live without so it's up to you to separate into two lists.

    Givens & Druthers together
    1. Z-scale.
    2. Minimum radius TBD.
    3. Built in sections or stages.
    4. Each stage able to operate stand alone.
    5. Fictional place set in WWII Britian.
    6. Has to fit into the space I have. Final measurements TBD
    7. DC control but DCC convertible.
    8. Dual cab control.
    9. Two stations; one medium, one tiny rural.
    10. Long continuous run, rabbit warren style.
    11. Switching opportunities at larger station.
    12. Mostly single operator occasionally two.
    13. Minimum of buildings on the layout.
    14. Rural country side.
    15. Easy access to hidden track.
    16. Keep within budget.
    17. Affordable scenery matrrials .
    18. Märklin turnouts for cost & accessibility.
    19. Use of flextrack where ever possible.
    20. Factory or brewery in Sedgemoor area
    I threw in No.4 so you could work on or run each section at a table or transport it.
    Hope this helped.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2020
  19. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Getting back to the Sedgemoor section;
    I noticed part of the site was in Woolavington parish. I love that name.


    https://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/12502 image 7 of 19, Somerset HER image 57948. Photo by Wayne Cocroft in October 1994,
    has a view that I based the low relief building and Bradford cooler placement.

    The Bradford cooler is wood sheathed and would be a inexpensive scratch build. Scribed cardstock or printed paper could be an inexpensive first scratch build. You can always add stairways later.
    The piping between the buildings would add some interesting detail.

    The turntable can be replaced with something like image 8 of 19. Exchange sidings. Somerset HER image 57951. Photo by Wayne Cocroft in October 1994.

    This is one of the partially buried exchange magazines for loading out bound explosives.
    The mound of this half burried structure would act act as a transition from hilly Yorkshire country side and the very flat sea level terrain around Bridgeton. It would also break up the view of the branch line behind it.

    With empty vans going into the underground exchange magazine it would also add operational interest.

    Servicing this magazine where I had sketched in the turntable would definitely require a run around track.

    You may also have some room for a small gaurd house and section of access road.

    I'll sketch some thing up and if you like it you can fine tune it in XtrackCad.
     
  20. mdvholland

    mdvholland TrainBoard Member

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    Hi all, like the collective research that's being done here... (y)

    For track plans and info, check David K Smith's website: http://davidksmith.com/modeling/resources/track-planning/room.htm

    For inspiration on modelling British railways in a small scale (albeit N..), check these pictures of Elvinley, by Ian Arkley (UK): https://www.flickr.com/photos/75564485@N08/albums/72157629093874628

    Just a taste of the rural British setting:[​IMG]

    N scale on 4'by8', so should be doable in Z within your limited room?

    Cheers, Matt
     

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