Does anyone have any plans for a switching layout built on an HCD? Any width, but just one door long, N-scale (of course!). Cheers
These weren't designed specifically for a hollow-core door, but obviously could be easily adapted. The first is the classic switching layout that has inspired so many others (including John Allen's more-famous, but less realistic, Timesaver). That's Linn Westcott's "Switchman's Nightmare". This is one of the few truly buildable designs from Kalmbach's 101 Track Plans. This HO version would also fit on a hollow core door. In N scale, you could make the switch leads at each end longer as well as extend the central runaround. I'd probably build this as a small switching terminal where the yard tracks on the right represent an interchange yard with another railroad and the tracks on the lower left become a multi-spot large industry. I'm not crazy about the switchback in the upper right corner, but that's easily remedied if desired, especially in N scale in a relatively larger space. You can read more about Westcott's design here: Model Rail Services: Westcott's "Switchman's Nightmare" Inspirational Layout #2 Jonathan Jones built a terrific urban 2X10 foot layout in HO scale described in the May 2001 Model Railroader. My slight modification shown here made some small changes that might make operating the layout a little more fun by eliminating switchback industry spurs that must be disturbed in order to switch other industries. Another is my own Alameda Belt Line layout from Model Railroad Planning 2005 magazine. The main part of the layout is 1X6 feet, with some additional length for the simulated car float. Like Westcott's design, this is based on a central runaround, with yard and industry tracks overlapping as much as possible. This layout was designed to fold for the MRP article, but of course would be fine on a door, perhaps spread out a bit or adding additional industries. You can read more about it here: ABL Shelf Switching Layout My own small switching layout is 18" by 72" and would fit on a door with little or no modification. You can read all about it here. San Jose Switching Layout Good luck and have fun Byron
Apparently only 4 images may be included in one message, so here's also a photo of my switching layout, in plywood pacific livery.
I'm curious to ask about what you are looking for in a switching layout. I have a hollow core door layout and it's designed for switching, but it has a double track mainline. There are three staging tracks, a yard and a industrial area. You can fit a lot on a hollow core door. It would be a shame, to my way of thinking, not to include a continuous run even if it is just a simple oval. What kind of industries do you plan to model? What brand track are you using? What time period are you modelling? If you want a purely switching layout. Take a look at some HO layouts too. You can always build them smaller. Also, you can probably save space and build a layout that is smaller than a HCD. your best bet might be to get on google and start searching with different keywords. there is a lot of stuff out there.
To cuyama, thank you for posting those interesting switching layouts plans. To traingeekboy, I agree with you, a hollow core door has enough space to build both an oval with nice scenery such as hills , rivers AND some interesting switching trackage. Unless of course if David wants to model a huge yard. Jacques
Starting with Lynn Wescott's plan (abstracted in green): The above has: Continous running Switching A yard If it was wider and longer almost anything could be expanded Below is a variation of Lynn H Wescott's design which could be adjusted to a HCD: The "core" of the "Grey and Grandure is switching with continous running: The reverse loop could be omitted and a run - a - round track put in. The yard extension could be chopped or made into a module you could store on a shelf if space is an issue.
Maybe I feel like being the rebel here, but I LIKE that HCD switching layout plan! You can always add a staging yard off one end or another down the road (esp. to the end where the track goes off behind the building on ths side closest to the viewer in the photo). Matter of fact, a small staging yard module added on would allow for more cars coming on & off the main layout. Not all HCD layouts need to have loops, and yours is one fine exception to the loop-de-loop plans. (and yes, mine has a continuous oval for round-and-round operation). Thanks for sharing, and please keep us posted on your progress, either by blog or separate posts. Highball, y'all!
David, the thread starter ,asked for any width switching layout. The "standard" switching layout is about 12" width ( that's enough to add plenty of scenery in N scale ) In N scale a 80" X 12" is almost a point-to-point layout :tb-smile: and should be defined as a " hollow core shelf " layout Jacques
Just a thought: To keep the "feel" of a switching layout on a 30" deep HCD put the switching section in the first 6 to 12 inches and put the oval etc - behind - it. So in the front you would have your point to point and in the back your oval with other features. It would force you into 11" or tighter curves.
Thanks for all the replies guys! I'll elaborate a little on what I was thinking at the time. Due to limited space and a rented house I can't make the room-sized layout with a good long main line run that I keep dreaming of. I've been playing around with HCD-sized plans on Atlas RTS, and had a bit of a brainwave. I was thinking I could build a point-to-point "switching layout" on a door with a main-line running along the front, then create a temporary loop to connect the ends of the main-line so I can have the round-and-round. Then, when we do settle down and buy a house I'll be able to remove the temporary loop and add the door in as part of a larger layout. I've since gone off the idea a little as I think I'm getting ahead of myself and have to keep reminding myself to think small to start with. I think for now I'd be best just to build a more simple oval type plan on an HCD with a mixture of running and switching. BTW, Cuyama; I really like your plan and it looks like a great layout!!
cuyama, one of your ( interesting ) layout plans mention a "drill track". Could you please explain what it is ?. To me it just looks like an ordinary spur. Grey One, the Lynn Wescott's plan (abstracted in green) looks very nice for a HCD layout. Thanks to both of you for posting Maybe my signature should be: [FONT=Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Times]JUST SAY NO TO THE TIMESAVER![/FONT] lol Jacques
It does look like just another spur, but its function is to allow crews to switch the curved industry track just to the right without disturbing the cars on other industry tracks. If that track wasn't there, you'd have to take most or all of the cars out of one industry track to switch the other. That's exceedingly rare on the real-life railroads, but all-too-common on model railroads. "Drill" is a word some real-life railroaders use to describe switching in and out of industry tracks (perhaps because it's not unlike the action of a drill bit in and out of a hole). You'll find the words "drill track" on some railroad's official documentation. Many real-life railroad locations include a drill track to allow for switching in tight configurations without disturbing cars on other industry tracks. Byron Model Rail Services
Thank you Byron for that explanation about the drill track. Now, I won't forget to add some ( if necessary ) on my next yard on switching layout. Jacques
