I am in the process of developing a new track plan and would like thoughts and suggestions to improve the plan before I think of going further. The area for the layout is 7' x 11'8". Givens Set in early 1930s Single mainline A spot for continuous run Hidden staging Passenger service DCC Druthers Main commodities - Ore, grain and lumber Other notes Minimum radius is 11" I kept the radius down to have the isleways maintained at 32" width. 2-8-0s will be the mainstay engines with a 4-6-0 for passenger service Largest engines on the layout will be a 2-10-0 and 2-6-6-2 mallet The right side of the layout will be a pair of ore mines. The right side of the center pennisula will be a harbor for loading the wood, ore inguts and grain onto shipping. And the left side of the layout will be a smelter, power plant and logging area.
I like the idea of the plan! Will those engines handle 11" curves reliably? It seems like they would be too sharp. Also, you may consider moving the wye over near the staging. Engines coming from staging can’t get to the left side of the layout without back tracking through the right side. I have a staging area that is similar to what you have drawn, at this point I have pretty much abandoned it because it only serves one side of the layout. Do you have access to all sides? Seems like the reach to the sidings up on the top right will be a long reach. Someone else will have much better feedback than I do
NDJim, Nice plan. I do like the concept and the possibilities this plan provides. I am not very good at planning, so I will ask you this; 1 - I noticed about 4 inches was allowed for turnout switches in your drawing, wouldn't 5 or 6 inches be more appropriate? 2 - Have you thought about the problems of uncoupling on curves? 3 - Most of the run around sidings allow for one 50' or two 40' cars, are your train lengths going to be short or long? Richard
Passenger service would imply heavyweight passenger cars, which would probably be 75 to 85 feet long. These may run on 11 inch radius curves, but will not look good. Any passenger coaches and the 2-10-0 steamer will beg for larger radius curves. Trains of any length will run better with each increase in curve radius, as well as looking better. I am not just speaking from a point of view of theory - I have a lot of 11 inch radius curves on certain parts of my layout, and larger curves elsewhere. Given the large space you have, I would make it a priority to shrink the width of the aisles and/or rearrange tracks to make the radius of your curves bigger. Even going to a 13 inch curve radius would help a lot, but with the space you have I would be setting my goal as a 15 inch curve radius minimum.
Thank you all for the advice and input. To answer the questions raised so far. This will be set in the depression era with freight cars of the 36' - 40' variety. Passenger equipment is the 65' type. Based on the input I see where the trains coming from staging could be a problem and am rearranging the center pennisula for better traffic flow to all portions of the layout. (currently thinking that instead of moving the wye I will move the turntable to the left hand side of the center pennisula). I can shave 4" from the center pennisula and add it to the right hand side to increase the curve radius to 13" without sacrificing and isle width. But can gain more if I shave the isleways a little. What is the bare minimum for the isleways? I am not a large man and this is pretty much a one man operation as I have no one else in the area to operate with. At best a grandchild might help Grandpa operate trains in the future once in a while. I can narrow them to 30" and gain another 4" to add to radius. Will post an updated layout once I have the changes made.
Would think you need a line out of staging and another back into staging. That way, trains would keep their orientations (would hate to have to back out or in.) I'm a chunky guy and think I could work with 24" aisle, depending on what "work" would be needed, of course.
Well a 2-6 door is only 28" wide once the casing is in place. They are very common household doors. So i based isles on that. .... 28"
OK, based on the input, here is a second go at the main level. I have narrowed the isleways to 28" and have the curves up to a minimum of 14" with 15" radius curves at most places. I have also gotten rid of the mishmash of track on the left hand side of the center pennisula and moved the turntable to the left as well adding a small yard for getting the trains put together to head in either direction on the layout. Let me know what you think/suggest on this version. Thanks in advance
Jim, looking Good! (yes you get a capital G!) I like that you've got a bit of a blend of layout styles there- the center/right islands provide some interesting continuous running, but the center/left aims more toward industry and the necessary shunting. I'd kill (well, maybe maim) for 15" curves all around. Any idea of how drastic your scenery and subsequent track elevation will be?
Jim, Overall I like the ideas. One comment - if your grids are really 4" squares, take a look at that small yard near the roundhouse. Not much more than a foot, each, so not much is going on them, maybe a two cars or locos, each. What turntable is only 8" diameter? Make sure you have enough space properly planned for your operations.
EMD - Track elevations should rise on a 3 - 4% grade on both right (both spurs) and left (spur closest to the wall) but the center will remain fairly level. Both right and left sides will be a mountainous area with the center depicting a valley (thus the grain) and a river to move freight further along. Rick - Yes the turntable is 8" diameter. It is an old Bowser turntable I have had since the 80's. I've used the turntable on 2 other layouts. Will see what I can do to extend the yard a bit. I mainly added the yard for reconfiguring trains to move in either direction, more so than storage on the layout. Thanks for pointing it out!
that staging yard is rather ambitious - how high will the layout be above that? will the engines you want to run will handle the transitions on a 4% grade, or even pull a train up such a steep grade? to have a continuous run, the train will spend more time hidden than visible. the staging yard is entered and exited at the same location, that means you will have the same train going east and then west to return to staging. try developing a plan where the train goes through a scene only once. it's tough to do, but i think very possible in your space.
Short sidings You may wish to give more attention to the length of some of your passing sidings/runarounds. The attachment shows what a siding made with two #4 switches joined with three 5" straights would look like with an RS1 locomotive, two 40' boxcars, and a caboose (the green squares are 6" by 6"). It's really too short to be of much use, but you've got several drawn that are in this ballpark.
hi talking about passing sidings on the main, you have two of them. The one in the middle is almost 40" long, the other 24". At the station with the turntable you do not have a passing siding on the main. And what you have is a pretty short one. Assuming your trainlength is about a steamer and 4 coaches or 30", at least two of them are to short. Some more attention could be given to the engine service facilities, you might need some tracks there. I quite like the overall scheme, so some members might prefer through staging. The distance between staging and the main level is about 14 feet, enough to gain 4" of altitude. You could build the staging area in a different way, i will show you how, with tracks along the edge so you will not have to reach in that far under your main-level. Paul
hi, i tried to draw your plan in Atlas RTS, surprise surprise.............. You were way to optimistic about what you are able to get in. Angles of turnouts, radii are hard to be done realistically by hand. Never the less i could keep the passing sidings 30" long. The ones on the left leg were impossible. The wye is not needed at all, i would keep the wye or the turntable, not both. The staging area requires a backwards move, just like in your plan. You are able to stay where you are if a train is heading for staging; the all important turnouts are along the main aisle. If needed the staging tracks could be curved under the left leg. Paul
for contrast, this plan is roughly what i have been able to fit in my family room alcove - which measures 8.5x8 - i extended the one end along the wall by 3 more feet to get a yard and decent staging. my sidings are long enough for 13 40' cars, two SD40's, and a caboose.
Paulus - Thank you for taking the time to put the plan into a program. I really like the hidden staging aspect that you show. As for the passing sidings on the left hand side those were meant for only a small steam engine and 1-2 cars to get around another one car for pushing them into the industry. I deliberately made the passing sidings on the other part of the layout un even so that in order for two trains to meet a saw-by would have to be done in order to get them passed each other at one point. I am only looking at 5-7 car trains of 36' - 40' per train plus a small loco and caboose. A ten car train for what I am trying to model (using 40 foot cars is 48" in length from loco to caboose). The left leg of the layout was actually modeled after an S scale layout that was built. By converting it down to N scale it should fit into the space I have designated for it. I will definately have to do some more research to make sure I did the conversion properly. Thank You everyone for your inputs. It is definately making a difference to the plan for the better!
