for the last few years, I've been running on a great little N-scale layout 30x54. I'd include an image, but don't have the privilege yet. still, I want to move up to door-sized layout Givens and Druthers (Railroad Name) - to be determined Scale: N scale Gauge: (Std, Narrow): std Prototype: (the railroad you want to model): Fantasy. semi-modern with heritage steam. freight and passenger (eg: just about anything) Era: Region: Railroad: Space: 36x80 door Describe Space e.g. basement. Provide diagram showing Overhead clearances and any obstructions or limitations. Governing Rolling Stock: (Biggest planned): some amtrak passengers. Might eventually try a Tomix shinkansen Relative Emphasis: (move the V) |______________V________________________________| Track/Operation .................................................. ..Scenic realism I want to try better scenicking this time |_________________________V______________________| Mainline Running .................................................. ........ Switching I want the option to do both, possibly simultaneously wanted: long, aesthetically interesting mainline run. as long as possible while leaving room for a small yard and challenging, but not frustrating, switching. Mountain scenery Switching at the yard and at the industries should be able to be run without disturbing a train running on the mainline No storage tracks planned, I'm not averse to use of the 0-5-0 switcher :teeth: Typical operating Crew: __1____ Eye Level (Owner) : N/a The door will be placed on a table and operated from a standard office chair, with occasional standing. with overall operating height somewhere between 36 and 40 inches. Turnouts and coupling will be all manual (toothpick based decoupling). I do not plan to add DCC, but to operate the old fashioned way with a couple of power packs. one for the mainline run, one for yard and switching. I'd like the option to link with my old layout, but I don't know that I'll have space for both. so that is optional and the old layout shouldn't be a consideration in the plans for this one Add to this any features required or intolerable (e.g. duckunders, multiple levels). Would like some tunnel/mountain scenery. A two level double folded dogbone mainline would be best. 2% grade max. prefer 11" curve minimum radius if possible on mainline. 9-3/4 is acceptable in switching area switching area able to operate separately, but linked to the main line
You haven't explained what you are seeking from us! You have not asked any questions and therefore have not received any answers. Do you want comments on your givens and druthers? Do you want someone to design a layout for you? Do you want us to point you to existing track plans that might work for you? Give us a clue about what you are looking for, and you just might get some answers. - Jeff
Ditto. Sounds like a thoughtful plan. Kudos. Go for it. If you're looking for feedback beyond thumbs-up, you gotta be clearer what you want.
traingeekboy There's already a gazillion track plans out the on the internet plus this & the many other MR forums out there. Do a search using whatever parameters you want & you should be able to find something you like. Remember lines on paper can be treated like wet noodles that can be moved around any way you want w/in reason of course.
1) yes. 2) feel free to show me what you'd think of for teh area. I have my own ideas, which can be wrong...but *please* show me your ideas, that I can improve my own! 3) I have track design software and can browse for tons of plans...but I know I'll get in a rut without further input. I do have some trackplan Ideas, but I wanted to see what others would come up with, first.
Actually, you ARE asking us to design a track plan for you. You want someone to produce a track plan for you that you can then accept, reject, or perhaps modify. Yet, you have not provided nearly enough information for anyone to create a track plan that truly meets your needs. Based on the sketchy information you provided, the best anyone could do is design a generic HCD track plan that includes some switching and some mainline running. You have not provided enough detail for anyone to do more than that. Such track plans are a dime a dozen; they're everywhere! What you need to do is look at the many HCD plans that are readily available. There are literally hundreds of N-scale HCD track plans on the web. Click this link to see the results of a Google search. If you examine both the links and the images, you may find a track plan upon which to base your layout. Another option is to look at 4 x 8 HO track plans, of which there are thousands. Practically any of them can be downsized to an N-scale HCD layout. To give you some inspiration, check out Dave Vollmer's N-scale Juniata Division, one of the finest HCD layouts ever. Dave began with a 36 x 80 HCD. He later added a separate yard but left the original HCD intact. In my opinion, the 36 x 80 portion has an ideal mix of scenery versus track and just enough industries for operations. Beautiful layout! Link to Dave Vollmer's layout: http://www.thevollmerfamily.com/Pennsy/about.html - Jeff
alright. this is my current layout. its 30"x54" has continuous running that isn't a simple oval (i dislike simple ovals), operations are based on random consists of 5 cars built on the inglenook, the spotted randomly at the 5 industries, designed to be generic enough to theoretically take any kind of car The game in it is quite fun. the random nature means its never quite the same each time. However there are limitations: 9.75" curves limit my engines and rolling stock and the short mainline mean all trains are quite short. I want something BIGGER, with a long mainline run where I can run passengers, longer (15-20 car) freights, and it doesn't look like an ordinary oval and does mountains and tunnels. At the same time, I want several industries that is a challenge to switch for when I want to do something other than just watch trains this is my initial draft: the 'yard' is really more visible staging than a working yard. I like the mainline run which is nice and long, and up-and-over folded dogbone, the elevation will separate the 'yard' from the industrial area, but IMHO both need a lot more work. The trackplan is based on one from 'Mike's Small Trackplans' but heavily modified
It needs a yard lead so you can switch the yard while letting something else run by. Otherwise it looks reasonable. I might be tempted to add a passing siding on the red curve, that could also work as visible storage for a made up train. Are you trying to avoid having reverse loops? Some crossovers on the green section would come in handy. And you might consider the size of structures as you mentioned wanting passenger trains. There isn't much space on the area by the yard for a station building.
Well-placed crossovers will provide a way for the yard to work while another train passes, just as would a separate yard lead (at the cost of reversing loop wiring in DC - much easier in DCC, of course). Seems like a lot of hidden track with minimal clearance above -- may prove troublesome. Crossovers would also allow the option of eliminating the escape crossover in the yard, making more of the length useable -- but that's a personal preference issue. Best of luck
It looks like I might be able to do 2 doors, in the corer of the garage: this still needs sidings and I might move the inglenook to the other end of the branch line. or this spaghetti bowl
It may be what you want to do, but your industrial areas are a bit more like puzzles than like switching areas on the real railroad. Many folks would be happier with one larger yard than with two vest-pocket yards. John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation is an excellent resource for those who wish to design their own layouts. It does require some study to get the most out of it. In my opinion, a length-constrained Inglenook is not a useful part of a larger layout, since they are so limited in function compared to the space you have. For me, if I wanted an Inglenook puzzle to play with, I would just build a separate one on a board. Also note that the reach into the far corner is getting pretty deep if you don't have access all around. Narrowing the benchwork there would help. Good luck.
I *like* switching puzzles though, so I'm willing to go a bit un-prototypical to add them. I like the idea of randomized waybills, to avoid doing the same thing every time. The branch Line in the first layout is basically my little 30x54 exploded out into a point-to-point (thus why I may move the inglenook to the other end. Still trying to figure how to actually design the interchange and keep the inglenook, though I do have a couple of ideas. As for access, I plan to design for primarily seated operations, so base table height will be 30" or so, with the doors on top of that, followed by foam, with the second level where the industrial area is at about 36-37" total. Lack of easy access is one reason there is just a single, wide 19" curve there. The meandering branch line should be following a mountain, which will lift out for track access.
You're still going to have problems reaching those switching areas if they are against the walls especially if you have to reach OVER things in between. Suggest you put the one on left side on the near side & put one on top in the middle somewhere will help alot.
I've made some heavy modifications. Can't decide if I want Yard in the back, Industries in the middle, or Industry in the back, yard in the middle: or
Would put the yard in front so you don't have to reach so far to work it. In the back just have a couple of sidings to use for train staging/storage. Tie the other end of the yard lead into the mainline so you don't always have to shove the trains backwards to get out on the main. Also there's no good reason to have either switchback as you have plenty of room to put both switches on the sidings. Modelers always think they add "interest" but after awhile you will get very tired having to move cars out of the way EVERY TIME. That's the reason real RRs don't use them if they can be avoided as easily as you can.
