Our fellow member MRL Mick has requested help with his N scale layout design. Click on this site to see Micks current design Micks layout design Here is what Mick wrote to me about his design "I have a rough schematic of a track plan I am messing with, and a plan of my bench work. I am after some help in developing a better design, I am very rudimentary in my design, and would like some abstract ideas. Could you tidy the baseboard plan up for me and post it on the Train board for some idea generation. Watash seems to put some great plans together. I want to do this layout right, I plan to use code 55 concrete track, and use broad curves, as you can see from the plan, with all that room I want to do something exciting. I have completed all the bench work, and plan to go open (cookie cut as much as I can) I have also included a large cut out as shown for a 1000mm bridge section, and I plan to do the same with a 1000mm snow shed. I would like to climb from the base height and arrive at a height quite dramatic from the original start, and of course get back down again. This layout is for the modern railroading, Big trains and Big engines like the SD90's. Thanks for your help.
Thanks Paul, I hope I can generate as much interest in this as was generated in the Atlas GP38 post, Things have been a little slow since then. I look forward to what ideas we can generate.
Mick, maaaate (I'm a full fledged resident of Australia now- gotta learn "Waltzing Matilda") anyway... Good deal that you have the benchwork built. Next to planning, starting the construction is the next hardest thing to do. So, can you give us an idea of the dimensions of the room, the isle width and the benchtop width? What sort of min radius do you mean when you say broad? (for N I think of 24" as broad) I'm not sure about the left side - I like the big giant grain elevator but I'm not sure how you planned to operate it. What are you planning on?
What is colour for the tracks for (colour coding?)? And is the table a rectangle. I am having a bit of a hard time with it. It appears to be a rectangle with continuous running. A yard at the top, grain on the side, and two industries on the bottom?
MRL Mick, You never did write me back and tell me what minimum radius you want to maintain, and what number turnouts, and distance between tracks on yards and sidings. I will be glad to help you as soon as I can draw up your layout. I could draw one of my own design that would probably fit your benchwork, but you maight not like it, so a lot of time wasted. ???????
I have the dimensions and will post 'em when I get home. Can't get to my ISP web space from work for some reason. Anyway - I'm worried about the upper left. I think i'll focus on that. Mick - there are two ways to look at the elevator - as a part of the main yard, or as a seperate place - i.e. do you want to run trains from the yard to the elevator or do you want to switch the elevator from the yard? [ 30 August 2001: Message edited by: yankinoz ]</p>
OK - basic measurements. 5880mm x 2890mm (that's about 20' x 9 1/2') The long shelves are 450mm (18") deep. The left side is 600mm (24") and the right side is 520mm (20") The peninsula is 910mm (32") wide my 4080mm (13')long. So this leaves 540mm isles. That's 22" and a little tight for my taste, but the beachtop is built so you know how well you fit in those isles. You might want to round off the corners of the peninsula, as it will make getting around easier. Now, looking at the upper left. For wide curves you are going to need two feet (600 mm) to make the main take the 90 degree turn, If the main line in front of the elevator is 450mm from the wall then the yard ladder will start 1050mm (3.5 feet) from the left wall number 6 turnouts for the 5 track ladder will use up 3.5 feet in N. So the shortest yard track (toward the back - really it would be the main line) won't start until 7 feet from the left wall. If you set up the right side the same way you will use 14 of the 20 feet for the 90 degree turns and the ladder. The right side main can go right up against the wall, saving a foot and a half so 7 feet on the left and 5.5 feet on the right leaves a 7.5 foot (sorry feet are easier for me to think in) long yard. Not too shabby in N scale. Some compound ladder arrangements can give you a bit more. If you want to run modern, be sure to use long turnouts and spiral easements. And don't cheat on you radius minimum! You have room for big radius curves and they look so good If you don't have it - check out the Armstrong book "Track Planning for Realistic Operation"
Thanks for the replies guys. I have been flatout with the simulator, we have been having visual problems and we are approaching the reliability demonstration. Firstly Watash, I had thought I had answered your Question, anyway last week was a blur. I have 42 turnouts from my old layout, Peco Med and Lge. I intend to use code 55 Peco concrete tie track. The minimum radius I would consider as being great would be 15". Rob, <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>So this leaves 540mm isles. That's 22" and a little tight for my taste, but the beachtop is built so you know how well you fit in those isles. You might want to round off the corners of the peninsula, as it will make getting around easier. *I have rounded off the corners and yes the aisles are narrow, but I wanted a very long run and thems the trade offs.* Now, looking at the upper left. For wide curves you are going to need two feet (600 mm) to make the main take the 90 degree turn, If the main line in front of the elevator is 450mm from the wall then the yard ladder will start 1050mm (3.5 feet) from the left wall number 6 turnouts for the 5 track ladder will use up 3.5 feet in N. So the shortest yard track (toward the back - really it would be the main line) won't start until 7 feet from the left wall. If you set up the right side the same way you will use 14 of the 20 feet for the 90 degree turns and the ladder. The right side main can go right up against the wall, saving a foot and a half so 7 feet on the left and 5.5 feet on the right leaves a 7.5 foot (sorry feet are easier for me to think in) long yard. * I was just unsure exactly how the grain silo area would work, as I sadi to watah the other day, I just threw some things together, I am open to any sugg4estions.* <hr></blockquote> Basically I would like a modern layout with a grain facility, a timber yard and an engine maintenance section and an intermodal area. I have room already for a large 3 foot bridge and hoped to have a snow shed some where. I have the ability as it is not to late to go another level and had hoped top incorporate some sort of mountain scene wioth tunnels to compliment my snow shed. I am away from work for a few days, a break so to speak, so use my home email as listed here on the trainboard. Rick, I have forgotten your Question. Tell Dane I have not forgotten his badge, I am trying to locate one and something else. Thanks all for the help to date.
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by MRL Mick: I intend to use code 55 Peco concrete tie track. The minimum radius I would consider as being great would be 15". <hr></blockquote> good deal - I was thinking a lot wider curves, 15" will get you a lot more room, but make sure you use a good easement: You will need an extra 1/4" offset and 4.5 inches after the curve to allow for the easement. Don't use concrete tie track for the yards and sidings. Really only the main line should be concrete. Regular wood sleepers will look more appropriate in the yard and industy sidings.
MRL Mick & Yankinoz, I have layed out the layout bench to the [mm] given,and there is a slight discrepency in the inches side. My computer is set so that if I enter 540mm it divides by 25.4 to arrive at 21.25984252 inches. Unless I re-set my variables, I am working to .0000" tolerance. So you must have 21.25" wide isles, instead of 22.0". Your smallest radius would then be 381mm or 15" radius. Does it really make that much difference? I have already started to layout your benchwork, with a large radius at the end of the peninsula, and full radii at the end of both isles. I also layed in a full isle width radius in front of the Flour Mill, which allows you additional space. What is the center to center distance you need in the yards and sidings? How far from the left side, is the doorway (Bridge)? I will lay in the snow shed and mountain, then plot it out and send you an email, since AT&T is stubbing their toe on getting my DSL put in yet.
Watash, I am not sure what you meant by the centre to centre distance in the yard and sidings. Could you elaborate. I will go out and measure the distance from the edge of the layout and from the edge of the benchwork for the duckunder doorway bridge.
OK, The distance from the back wall to the dge of the door way is 3' 7" 14/16 The distance from the edge of the baseboard to the door way is 1' 8" 1/16 The gap for the duckunder across the door way is 3' 11.5" By centre to centre do you mean the track centre?
Rob, The concrete track is for the main line. I have to much truck not to use the stuff I have pulled up in the sidings and yards. The 15" was the smallest radius I was comfortable with. The larger the better. I plan to place a centre board down the 900mm wide section. The centre board is planned to be 1200mm high, so it should be a very good screen and divide the room. Thanks everyone for the input to date, the support I am receiving is excellent.
Rick, The layout is basically around a 20' x 10' room with a centre penisula 3' wide by about 14' long. The doorway into the room will have a duckunder bridge, and I have a section in the centre penisula for a large 3' bridge. This cutout is 2' 2" 9/16 from the end of the penisula. On the above track plan, the main line was red, but take that with a grain of salt, that is just a rough guide to my simple ideas. Rob, I would like to switch the silo section seperately from the yard, but would also like to have access to the yard from the Silo section via a seperate line other than the main.
Dane finished his 6 weeks Army Cadet course this summer in Vernon, and has the tan to prove it. He did well and of course, I was there as the proud parent...lol. As I type this, he is riding (on a freebie) the RDC's (Caribou Prospector) from North Vancouver to Lilloet, BC. The person who "discovered" him and is responsible for getting Dane on as the only volunteer on the Royal Hudson Excursion Train in the summer, is now working the Caribou Prospector; and so has let Dane come up with him on his round trip on the RDC's. I suspect a cab ride will be involved here as well. The first thing he purchases with his earned summer camp money after the course was over was "Train Simulator" so I am sure he will be active in that forum here now as well. He looks forward to your badge as he has become "badge conscious" now.
MRL Mick, I have the edge of the door 3'-7-7/8" from the left wall, with the duch-under across the doorway at 3'-11.5". I'm not sure where the 1'-8-1/16" to "base board" is. Yes I need the distance between the centerline of one track to the centerline of the next track in your yards. I think I have a way to switch the mill separately from the yards, and the main line. I just finished a contract job today, so will get back on your layout now. Email the dimensions to me, I'll get them quicker and can send you a plot to look at, you can post it if you like.
Gee Whiz Mick! You must have a ball-bearing elbow! You are building quicker than I can keep up drawing. Leave the plywood off the tip of the peninsula until I get the photos sent to you tonight! You need to move the two corner legs back a little, and jig saw a round end on the peninsula.
Watash, What can I say, absoloutely fantastic. I have just reviewed the plans and like both 3 and 4. I will Email you again Tomorrow after I have printed them out and gone over them. Thankyou very much for your time and effort in doing this for me.
Mick, what format are the layout plans that our resident genius sent you ? If you can email them to me i will post them here for all to see.
