Hello. I was hoping for anyone’s thoughts or ideas on my track plan. It is the first whole room that I can use and want to make the best of it. A drawing is attached but it is not to scale yet, just an idea at this point and I hope you can read it. Here’s some background: It’s an N-scale layout for a basement room, so I believe most of it will fit. The space is 9’ by 11.5’. There is a window at the top of my drawing with 3’ to the left and 4’ to the right and I need to be able to get at least to the left side of the window. So I figure no more than 1.5’ deep in front of the window. I want visitors (the wife) to be able to easily walk into the space and after many benchwork versions I have come back to this general layout design as a good use of the space. The closet is my workshop and there is about 5” added depth there before you hit my workbench. The peninsula is planned to be 3.5’ by 7’. Elevations are in the little squares – very little elevation changes in the mainline (basically just goes up some so the line to the staging tracks can go under) and the red branch line basically keeps going up and up and up. I’d like to maintain at least 30” isle width. I enjoy continuous running trains so I can watch them go by while I am farting around in the train room. I am also looking for something that one or two folks can someday operate. Note the staging tracks at the right under the layout. I hope to get about 5”-6” of clearance in there between the layout and the staging tracks underneath. Hopefully that is enough for N-scale. And maybe 3’-4’ long staging tracks. The end of the red branchline at the far right ends in a tunnel to give the illusion of the line going on further to other regions off the layout. Anyway, any ideas are appreciated. Thanks all! Jeff
I'm seeing staging, interchange (via the car float), a branch line with some length to it, enough room for scenic transitions... lots of good things. And you resisted the temptation to use all your space for trains, and left room for a workshop - excellent. The one thing that probably won't work when you make an accurate plan, is the two crossovers just below the turntable. Those turnouts look like #2, or maybe #1-1/2; the only track maker with a turnout that tight is Brio. I know you need those crossovers for yard switching, but it doesn't look like they'll fit at all.
Hi Jeff, a few comments on your plan. Overall i quite like the idea behind it. However plans not drawn to scale probably have issues. I've drawn your station with CAD and found a couple: * the crossovers take way more space then you suggest, so the yard tracks will turnout very short, less then one foot. * the way the turntable is connected to the main is in the way of longer yard tracks. Since your layout is not really suited for operating more then one train on the main at the very same time, you might reconsider the design of your yard. The outer track could be the yardlead when you replace the yardtracks to the bottom, between the main and the tracks towards the ferry. A 15" or 13,75" minimum mainline radius seems possible, quite comfortable. Under the branch at the right side you have the track to staging crossing the main. The grades involved could be a bit steep. I would be keen to add a second passing siding on the main. The area just above the quarry might be a possibility. Smile Paul
Thanks... I need to draw to scale next. That and lay out some actual swiches on some cardboard to see what really will fit.
Thanks for the CAD work, Paul. I like moving the main part of the yard to the other side of the main. I think I will do that when I draw it to scale or lay it out lifesize. And leave the loco stuff where it is more or less. For the staging crossing the main, I was thinking the staging goes down as soon as it heads for the tunnel while the main goes up as soon as it heads for the tunnel.
Now drawn to scale.... Hello, here is what happened after I used XTrkCAD to draw the track plan. Most of it seemed to work out. The curves are 13-15 or more inch radius, with the 13 inch curves inside the tunnels. Couple of things that did change: Lost the roundhouse. Maybe I’ll use a one or two stall engine house instead, but the roundhouse looks like it will take up too much space. The yard tracks moved to the other side of the mainline. This makes for longer tracks in the yard and easier access to the waterfront area at the bottom left. The yard lead is also now on the outside of the mainline. And I had to lose the switchback that was against the yard side of the backdrop. No room for that. Made a longer passing siding that goes past the sawmill area. A new plan for staging. In the second image is the staging under the layout that includes a reverse loop and a few staging tracks. Each is almost or more than 7 feet long. I can get them to 5 inches below the layout mostly using grades less than 2%. The steepest grade is 2.1% to get the line going to the staging under the mainline inside the tunnels at upper right (with the mainline also going up at 1.5%) and at least 2 inches of clearance. The rest of the grade down to staging is about 1.5% or less. I am keeping the line to the staging tracks against the walls so it is not in the way under the valleys and streams and such that I want to do in the foreground against the fascia. What do you think?
I think your plan has evolved quite nicely, and I like what you've ended up with. Also, planning the staging in now is a great move imo, although I would be tempted to add another track or too, although I guess that depends on what you're planning to run. Reading your original objectives for your layout, I'd say you've met them quite nicely. I could definitely see two or maybe three (space permitting) people operating this
I like the idea of the yard being on the same side of the tracks as the car barge. The reason for this is the yard trick can also switch the car barge when needed.
