Here's another try, about the 10th. I think this is getting close, but then I thought that 9 other times! The room is black lines, the right wall down to the curved is 14', along the top including the staging shelf is 16. Benchwork and partitions in red. Minimum radius mainline - 18" Yards and spurs - 12" This is kind of faint, but is as Cadrail exports. Mainline (black) at he the 1.5" elevation branches (in brown) left down to a coal mine. The spur continues under the mainline and back up to waterfront industries. The spur continues around at 0 elevation. The mainline continues upgrade from 1.5" elev into a partition and out at 3.4" elev. This whole section would be in a cupboard in a room on the right, but for now it'll just be cupboard doors, so can look through and across the layout. It's 4' across the passenger station to the waterfront. The mainline continues up to the top right and then hooks left and through a partition, then a wye to staging on the shelf or continues back to 2.4 elevation and down. I've tried to keep max reach to 24". Longest is across the wye to the partition at 30". I'll get to the track going through the partition from underneath. Mainly just for myself and a computer - hoping to get it to run a passenger train and a few scheduled trains while I run operations. I figure there will be room for 3 people though, one at the passenger station and yard, one at the waterfront across from there and one on the left loop. Operations The waterfront will be ship unloading, car ferry, cannery From the coal mine there will be delivery to Old Town and to 2.4 elev. Other industries at Old Town? Passenger stops at 2.4 elev and 3.4 elev. I'm interested in any comments! especially on ideas for operations, improvements to the yard across from the passenger station...
I agree -- looks good with fun operational flexibility. If it were my layout, I'd be a wee bit concerned about the 21-1/2" aisleway width. That matches my dimension with my arms hanging down at my side, i.e. I'd have to walk in holding my arms up if I wanted any mobility in there. Looking at your drawing, this would be a pretty easy fix by nudging the horseshoe curve to the left and perhaps shortening the horseshoe's table length a small amount if the passageway to its left becomes to narrow.
Agree, pretty tight and doesn't allow for future expansion! I'm constrained by the need to use the left part of the room for other things, but if that aisle is going to be an operator station, I'll need more room. What would you recommend as a minimum?
Here's another view. I'm thinking building in sections. I probably won't be able to resist building all the benchwork in one go, but will build so each section is removable - for easier working on and if needing to move it in the future. This shows 7 different sections. I'm thinking 1/4" birch ply frame with same on top, plus 1" foam. If the outer fascia is 1/4" doubled, i.e. 1/2", the interiors will be doubled as they will be two sections together. With a few cross-stiffeners at the wider points, I'm thinking this would be stiff enough, and relatively light. Woodland scenics risers for grade changes. Sections 1 and 7 would be built at 3.4" elevation, the rest at 0". Ocean level would be directly on the plywood ergo water surface = plywood plus water material depth, 1/4"? Making the ocean 3/4" lower than the ground elevation of 0" This would work as tidal range here on the BC coast, 13' is average. This would leave 3/4' of the shoreline exposed, which is interesting modelling.
