Mark and Iron Horse-- thanks a lot. Great Ideas. As a matter of fact, Mark I used most of your suggestions on the latest trackplan: I think I'm getting close. The biggest change was to split up the two sides (thanks Mark). This makes them two different destinations on the layout and I really like that. I also got rid of a bunch of extra track that was there because I had sat at my computer filling the screen-- a puzzle gone mad. I think the biggest change in mindset that has helped me through this proses is the concept of scenes. I was hung up on hiding the rear track in the beginning because it doesn't look right when your looking at he wide shot. But in the closeups, it will make perfect sense.
That right there is the single most important concept that has helped me improve my own layout designing. :thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
Sorry I'm late to the discussion, I tried to catch up, but please forgive me if I'm making redundant suggestions. I think I'd try to reorient the yard in this plan so primary access and switches ran along the front of the layout. And use a track as a landing track with a runaround. And possibly eliminate the Wye unless you really need it to spin engines. I'd make a minor adjustment to the front industry runaround and trade the left hand hand crossover for a right hand one. Since you don't really need a runaround here, swapping the orientation of the crossover allows you to use this track as a spot or storage track, and still work the other industries without having to disturb the cars on this track. Here is an idea of what I mean by reorienting the yard. -- If you do stick with the current plans, I'd try to make one yard track double ended so you can land a train then run around it. Also, I'd swap the direction of the two industry spurs (move back spur to front and front spur to back), so that after I left the yard, I wouldn't need to run around the train to work the industries.
I really like the latest track plan though I'm not really big on the "Y". The compound ladder yard will store huge quantity of cars and room to stage at least 2 and maybe 4 trains. It is how mine works and I really like it. That you have included switching is fantastic. gpa - no ofence but I really do not care for your suggestions.
Thanks Mark, nscalerone, gpa and Grey One. gpa... much respect... I read your blog and like it a lot. The electronics stuff always goes over my head, but I like to see your projects. I gotta admit you lost me with your suggestions. Sorry. I am going to lose the Wye. It didn't do much jammed in that location. Mark-- I added that industry on the outside of the loop. That being said, all the industrial spurs are subject to change. Every thing that is labeled Industry and then a letter has not been purchased, designed, thought of, understood or conceptualized. So when I figure out the true industry, I'll figure out the spur. Well... this might be it... on the right side, I plan to add a lot more buildings than are shown, but this is the idea. Thanks Everyone. Look for a construction thread over in N scale.
I hope I am not to late, but I added a stream/river to breakup the 2 scenes, added a track for a loco to escape from the station, simplifies the runaround at the country section, and lengthened the industrial track at D. I also designated a place for high buildings in the city to breakup the loop look.
Thanks everyone for the help with this design. I'm almost ready to lay the main, and I realized I haven't given any thoughts to DC blocks. Money will keep me DC for a long time, so this is kinda important. Here's where I think the blocks should be (Main Line only). Is this right? What would you do different? Check out the construction. It's coming along (the link is in my signature). Dan
The only suggestion I have is on the inside track along the back, perhaps isolate the section left of the exit turnout that leads to the station, industry B, C, and the furniture guys. That way you could park mainline locos on that short section while a switcher moves things around, taking advantage of the rest of that siding. Everything else looks good.
station You have a station pictured on there on a spur. If it is a passenger station it should be out on the main somewhere. If it is a freight house for ltl cargo then it is appropriately placed.
I don't see this as a problem. There are many examples of off-mainline stations, especially those along a siding. I would imagine this made it easier for through trains to pass unimpeded.
station We have what sometimes turns into an off main station on one of out Ntrak modules and when it does our two passenger train enthusiasts work themselves to death trying to get their trains to the station. Just my experience. He has a back straight with crossovers at either end. A passenger station right there amongst those four buildings pictured would be perfect. But again it only makes sense(to me, but it is not my railroad,lol) if he is going to run passenger equipment. In fact an idea that just hit me is to move the existing station diagonally up and right along the road to the mains. In fact the upper right corner would work. Then have another station in the lower left corner on the inner main between industry D and industry A to the right of the road. If you are running passenger equipment it gives you a second stop and goes further into the two "separate" towns that each end of the layout represent. HTH
Sorry.. I'm late to this party, but here's an idea I came up with.. You wanted to "hide" the back of the mainline.. So instead of the dilema of two grades on a small layout.. the mainline is at board-level, and the "heart" of the layout is at aprox. a 2" elevation (green area). The mainline appears from under a big, yard bridge, and then vanishes into a tunnel. The blue area is the link between the two levels. It's mostly hidden by a tree-line, so it can be 3% at first, and then taper to 1% as it emerges onto the upper level. The siding also allows for storing a large train while another is looping. The upper-level gives you pretty much the whole layout for breaking up, and assembling trains.. losta switching/spotting/run-around potential... almost a small point-to-point all by itself. The two, lone turnouts are a #4 & #6 for reference..
Oops.. I forgot that you wanted to run two mainline trains.. Jus open up the radius a bit on the left side, continue the double-track all the way around, and "squish" the greean area, and elevation-change track forward a bit.
