I believe I mentioned it earlier on this thread but yes, the benchwork for the garage layout will be modular. It will consist of four 3'x6' modules arranged in an "H" configuration to form a 6'x12' table with a folding base which will have removable legs.
I just read through this, and both threads posted by stein, and yet I know only two things about your desired layout: 6x12 Appalachian theme. If you're merely searching for a random collection of track plans, you might as well call it quits as the amount of material and resources that has already been provided is pretty much the cream of the crop. However, I see you are unsatisfied with those plans and resources, so I assume you would like to create a layout custom tailored to your own desires. If so, we're going to need a LOT more information than just "6x12 Appalachian themed layout"... Below is a gathering of what I consider the best layout design advice. The principles apply to any layout design. I like to take things away from the drawing board for the first week or two or month in order to compose a better understanding of what the goals and requirements of the layout are to be. Instead of laying out track for now, take a week or two and simply create 2 lists, one for Wants, the other for Needs. It might sound pointless at first, but I assure you a good 90% of people who heed this advice end up with a layout a thousand times better than those who don't. So what are these lists? Quite simply, the Need list should include anything and everything you NEED your layout to incorporate. This could be absolute needs, such as the code 80 track, or preferential needs, like an extreme desire to include a roundhouse/turntable. It could be switching scenarios, specific scenic accents, era, region, buildings, equipment to operate, anything you can think of. The Want list is similar to the Need list, except that the items on the Want list are more fluid. It should include anything you'd enjoy on the layout, but would not be heart broken if there is no possible way to incorporate the item. Again, consider all aspects you can think off. Once you have two sizable lists complete, then you can look at your allotted layout space with a better perspective. Instead of designing elements in an unguided manor, the Wants/Needs lists will act as a set of guidelines for the design. You can simply start at the top of the Needs list and check the items off as they go into the design. You'll quickly see how things merge together to form a more unified and realistic result simply by trying to connect the items on these two lists. Take a day or two, or 7 and consider every possible aspect of your layout. If you absolutely love it, put it on the Needs, if it would be cool but not necessary, put it on the Wants. If you then come back and post those two lists, the many experienced track planners on TrainBoard will be more than happy to offer design help. Also, a lot of times when designing specific areas, the common impulse is to try and get every track from the real railroad into the layout. However, if you first compose the want and need list, you can use that to your advantage by selectively compressing and trimming down the prototype. Think of it like summarizing a story. You don't put every detail into the summary, otherwise its not a summary. You include only the relevant key points, as listed in your wants/needs check list. :wink3: Sure Location X may have 5 yard tracks, but if your layout is only so big, maybe just including 3 yard tracks in the plan is the best option because one, 5 tracks will eat up valuable real estate for other scenes, and two, maybe just those 3 tracks are plenty of yard space given the rest of the layouts proportions. I hope this helps. Good luck, and keep us posted!
You must have missed my other threads which have very specific requirements listed. This 6'x12' layout is an offshoot of that project and has similar, yet scaled down requirements. Your advice is sound however. This thread was only intended as a means to hopefully see example track plans as a source of inspiration for me to use as I design my own custom track plan. I have never intended to copy a plan or have someone create one for me. My requirements are simply too specific so I know, and have always known, that I have to do it myself.
I realize that people are only trying to be helpful when they ask to see requirements, etc... and I am grateful. However, in the case of this thread, I felt it wasn't necessary to list requirements, etc... because all I needed were examples of various track plans to use as inspiration for new ideas while I design my own custom track plan. As for the requirements, the following list is for my other (main) layout, mentioned here and here but they are very similar to what I envision this one to be. As you can hopefully see, I've done my homework, and then some. It's clear from the replies to those threads, and the ones mentioned by Stein, most people were fully aware of my requirements and mentioning them again seemed redundant. Scale: HO (overall), HOn3 (loogging), HOn3 or N (mines). Locale: Rural Appalachia (West Virginia). Era: Transitional (1950's). Specifications: 1. Minimum radius: 30" mainline and 18" branchline. 2. Maximum grade: 1.5% mainline and 3% branchline. 3. Minimum aisle width: 36", 42" average. 4. Double track mainline with two independent loops. 5. Point to point and continuous loop operation. 6. Reversing wye, possibly loop. 7. Single level with no duckunders, swing gate or lift bridge acceptable. 8. Some switching with potential for interesting operations. Primary Scenes: 1. Two active coal (drift) mines, with tipples (2-3 tracks). 2. One or more narrow gauge mine track(s) with entrance(s). 3. One lumber mill with active (functional) narrow gauge logging branch. 4. Three or more bridge scenes of various sizes and types. 5. One small passenger terminal, for Doodlebug with cars. Secondary Scenes: 1. One or more coal truck loading and/or unloading stations. 2. One abandoned coal (drift) mine, with dilapidated tipple (1 track). 3. Small freight terminal and/or warehouse. 4. Railroad track construction scene, with ties and pieces of rail being laid. 5. Company stores, homes, and assorted other structures. 6. One or more tunnels, where appropriate. 7. Roads, streams, and rock outcrops. 8. Active (visible) staging yard with various facilities. Notes: 1. Mainlines do not always have to be parallel. 2. Point-to-point means A to B and back to A. 3. Staging is less important than scenery. 4. Trains should appear to pass through a scene only once. 5. View blocks, tunnels, or other methods may be used where needed. Inspiration: The 6 part series, in the June to November 1998 issues of Model Railroader, about the Coal Fork extension of the Allegheny Midland by Tony Koester.
Thank you for the suggestions and ideas. They are very helpful and I appreciate them all, even the constructive criticism. I'm just suffering from a creative block but it will eventually pass, it always does. In the mean time, I'm going to continue working on the train room while waiting for inspirational lightning to strike. Speaking of the train room, I made a lot of progress last night and using the sledge hammer was a great way to work off some frustration but now I have to clean up the rather sizeable mess I made. In addition, I've decided to create a blog (Wordpress, Blogger, or ???) or a website, as it will enable me to keep everything in one location, under my control, without the need to post to multiple forums, which has become rather tedious and repetitive. I take this project very seriously and intend to see it through to the end, whatever end that may ultimately be. When the mood strikes, I can be a rather prolific writer/creator so it seems like the best move to make. I can post whatever I like, whenever I like, all completely uncensored. Don't get me wrong, I will continue to post to various forums but it will mostly responding to threads, as opposed to creating threads of my own. BTW: Stein jumped the gun and posted about me posting this on another forum, before I had a chance to post it here but I'm posting it here anyway, just for the sake of clarity.
db, Can you describe how the 4 3'x6' sections will be configured in to an H? One person that I really admire re: track plan designs is Ian Rice. His plans are always unique and well thought out.
Simple, one on each side, and two in the middle. The modules don't form the "H", the joints between them does. Look closely at the pictures I posted on this thread: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?135240-Small-Test-Layout
Forgive me for bringing in information from another forum again, but what dbw seemingly is trying to say is that his idea for forming a 6x12 foot table from sections are like this: I.e that the inter-section boundaries form an H shape. Anyways, no matter where the section boundaries are - the layout itself is a rectangle. I have suggested to him (in another forum) to just grab four hollow core doors (@32"x80" or 36"x80") and arranging them in a simple rectangle, like this: I am not quite sure what his thing with the track plan is - on one hand he claims to have "very specific" goals, but on the other side he seemingly does not really want to treat his 6x12 foot layout idea as a design of it's own, and discuss those specific goals as they pertain specifically to the 6x12 foot layout - he seemingly just wants to see random track plans that size. I am not a Vulcan, but as the pointy-eared one says: "this seems somewhat illogical" But whatever. It doesn't have to make sense to me. Anyways - I'll get out of this discussion now. Good luck with the design. Smile, Stein
I hate to say it, but the sources listed in the first 4 posts of this thread are pretty much it. The only other way to find alternative track plans is to collaborate on a new custom design. I have seen numerous successful designs sprout from the collaboration of this forum and others, using the methods I described above... This is an excellent set of Wants & Needs. I think you're ready to put pencil to the paper. I suggest XtrkCad or AnyRail as the best track planning software available. XtrkCad is very powerful once you get the hang of it (and completely free), yet AnyRail is the easiest to use. At this point, I believe you have all the tools and information you need. Ya just gotta pull the trigger, so to speak. Once you have a few different design ideas drawn up, you can post them to get some fundamental critiques about operational workings (like ways to re-orient turnouts, crossovers, stub directions for optimum operational ease). Take a look at some of the other design collaboration threads here in the Layout Design and Discussion forum. Rarely does a successful layout come from a track plan search. The best ones come from long review processes and multiple variations.
