Dave Vollmer's layout is a good start. You can modify it to suit your needs... Reverse loop wiring is easy if you plan to use DCC, all it involves are four wires and a reverse loop switch. In DC, it's another matter....:thumbs_down: The wiring is difficult.. It's not necessary to go back to square one....You're better off to find out the implications that 9 3/4 " radii present before you start, than to have those problems presented after you finish a layout.
Bob, Thanks for being so patient with me. First off, the 9 3/4 radii is out. At this point, I'm either going to try to make the N4 layout work, or try to clone David's layout. I will not have DCC at this time since all of my materials have been bought. As for reverse loop, I'm not sure I understand the concept. It's not the wiring, but why and what is a reverse loop used for and do I need it to start?
pga7602, Here is my layout it has a few 9-3/4 curves It also has a reverse loop. But if I had to do it again i would go with a bigger table Instead of 4x8 i would do 5x10 This will give more room. Alan
JMO...go with your first choice and make the radii bigger to cover 36 wide. If you change now...you may not be happy. Go with your gut. its your first layout and you know what you want... ;-) .
PGA You are where I was about five or so years ago EXCEPT you are asking the questions first. I chose the the last layout in Atlas' second track plan book. For what you want to do, the layout you have chosen is fine. Atlas Code 80 track for your first layout is fine. Be aware that a plan is only a plan and can be altered in track radii depending on how much room you have around the borders. The wiring will remain the same. Will you have trouble with longer cars like 85' passenger cars? Yes, and possibly to the point of tipping over while in the turn. 11" should take care of most of the issues as to derailments. If you are happy with the hobby and you have available further space and funds, you will be in for life and you will be amazed how your skills in various segments of work required will improve as you go along.
Bob said:In DC, it's another matter.... The wiring is difficult.. ---------------------- Think so? By using the Atlas controller 2 insulating joiners and 1 O-N-E wire you are good to go.. That's the simple way..
Well,Then forget my "consideration layout idea" and go with the one you have plan till you gain experience. IMHO that would be your best bet for now. Dave's layout is a fine example of a simple track plan that works very well.
Incoming Moneky Wrench! pga - Just to stick my oar in the waters and stir things up; I'm building the Woodland Scenics "Scenic Ridge" layout kit myself. It's their "all-styrofoam, all the time, this is how we sell you everything we make" product. And it's not all that bad, actually. EXCEPT, it has some of the WORST Atlas track I've ever seen in it's track pack. So I ran right out and bought Kato Unitrack to replace the Atlas. Which means I have 9 3/4" radius curves on MOST of the layout. NOW, because I have Unitrack, and I was VERY CAREFUL about getting it all properly aligned in all 3 axes (yaw, pitch, roll), and I have it glued down THOROUGHLY, I can actually run my Athearn Challenger around that layout - forward AND backward! - without a derailment, with the Kato Broadway Limited 10-car set coupled up. (waits while all the readers pick themselves up off the floor...) Yes, an articulated 4-6-6-4 steamer that's SUPPOSED to be minimum 12-15" radius, sneaking around 9 3/4" curves! It CAN be done. I also have a BachSpectrum Heavy Mountain that can get around them, but it has a bad coupler, so I can't swear to pulling a drag yet. And I have a pair of Kato P42's for the 9-car Supertrain lashup. Considering the fact that the grades on this layout are in excess of 4% in places, that ain't too shabby, amigo. In fact, everything I have gets around that layout, from a dinky little 2-truck Shay, through the U-23 and U-25's, an SD-40, a monster SD70MAC (I think that's what it is - 6-axle Kato, anyway) and NONE of them need more than half-throttle on either the Digitrax Zephyr or the MRC Tech II. And I'm only feeding power in one end of the layout, a power block on the main line and one on the siding. NO insulated UniJoiners! But somehow, I don't think I'd be dong this well without Unitrack. So take it with not a grain of salt, but the whole shaker. Wider radius curves WILL look and run better, guaranteed. But don't sell your motive power short on sneaking through the tight ones, either.
A reverse loop refers to a particular track arrangement. Look at the thread linked below about reverse loops and some illustrated examples. Used to turn a train around so it travels down the same track from which it entered the loop but going the opposite direction. It requires wiring considerations because of this. No, you don't need one to start. Reverse Loop Variations - TrainBoard.com Another idea on what you could do since you have all the track for N6 and you are starting out. Get another piece of foam and cut it to fit the dimensions of N6 giving yourself a couple inch margin around the edges. Put it on top of the door/foam you have-you can secure it with some toothpicks or something stuck through so it doesn't slide around and build N6 as depicted learning the trackwork, wiring, scenery, etc. As you gain experience you will learn what you like and what you don't like, what works and what doesn't and so on. Then after learning on it you will have a much better idea what you want to do on your door. When you are finished (you are never really finished...) just lift it off and move it. With the spurs on N6 you could alway incorporate it into the bigger door layout as a module later on as a little short line where you run your 4 axle locos and smaller freight. That way your N6 track is not wasted and you don't have "paralysis by analysis" because your are worried about whatever you are going to do you are going to be stuck with... Just another thought FWIW!
Uh...for a reversing section, you need 4 insulating joiners and 2 wires. But that said, I agree with you, it's not hard. I figured it out when I was about 12 (using Atlas controllers). What's hard is remembering to throw those switches when you're operating.
Note that, to match with those radii, you'll want larger turnouts than those that go with 9.75" and 11".
There is nothing wrong with 9 3/4 so long as you remember long stuff will look really odd when going around the curve. Some of the longer steam engines may have trouble. I have a 2-6-6-2 which corners very well and does not have any noticable overhang.
