Stage 1. My miserable search for a interesting 7x4 layout is over... Stage 2. MARKING THE BOARD HAS BEEN COMPLETED !!! [ June 06, 2005, 08:15 AM: Message edited by: virtual-bird ]
Take a look at Ed M's layout in the 'banging my head against a hollow core door' thread....That could be adapted to 7x4. I;ve actually done a psuedo copy of that for inclusion in a section of my 12x16 layout. Its busy, but very operational
Bruce: You can use any 4x8' trackplans and condense into the 4x7' space. Also take a look at larger palns that can fit into a 4x7' space. Stay cool and run steam...
It seem to me if you just start messing around with idea's on scratch paper save all your drafts you'll get something going. Tracing paper is another good tool. If you tell us what you want, I bet we could design it for you. It seems like we have a fairly diverse group here.
Don't give up yet! there has to be something we can help draw up for you. I do not have the 101 track plans book, though I practically memorized it as a teen. 4x7 feet sounds like a really nice sized layout to me. I think the track plans in the 101 book are sort of limited because of when they were designed. People have really changed their attitude about how layouts are made since then. Although, some of the plans still stick in my mind. What kind of trains do you have so far? What kind of track do you plan to use? Atlas,peco,C55/C80, Kato unitrack? etc. We are talking N scale right? Track planning really is not that hard. you have the basic concept of oval/figure eight/dogbone etc. whatever design siuts you. Also there are continuous running plans or point to point or point to loop. A common design on the size board you have is to do a big oval and then have a long branch line on the inside of that that goes to a couple stations. The main thing is to think on very basic terms as you draw up innitial sketches and then narrow it down as you proceed.
I'm with you on the enjoyment factor. I plan to run only the roadnames that have paint schemes I like. So far I have Burlington, BN, WM, N&W,ICG, RI, GM&O. It basically translates to Silver and red, Green and black, Red white and black, Black and white and gold, Orange and white, Black red and yellow ( hopefully some blue and white too later on), Red and white. Lots and lots of colors. I like the Peco switches/points. The spring loading is really good on them.
Geeky. Heres a copy of the plan which I will remove in 72 hours incase someoene gets ffo dessip with it being here. This is the layout in question ONCE AGAIN... "Cross over is needed between tracks 2 and 3 counting inwards, just to the left of the other 2 just to the left of the other crossovers at Belair..." I presume thats where I have done it in a Narrow Green Line at the bottom, near the 3inch marker? The changes I would make are moving the yard to the vacant end of the board at an elevation of 0 by going under the main line, that way I can Access it, maybe add a few more lines, and maybe a through track back out under the main to the 0 elevation at East bonnie before the mtn somehow.. This shows the mods I would make at this stage... any other options are welcomed.... Anyone see any issues with this plan?
My ideas: 1) Make it a double track mainline with the reverse loop as shown 2) move the turntable to be accessed from the yard lead.
I presume he means the section thru the infield Good idea on the double line, was plannin that.... and the turntable.. will leave till last, see where i have room.
VB, correct. RE: Turntable location; Try swapping the turntable and curve. This would require starting the curve much sooner. You would then be able to better possition the yard and have room for the turntable almost as depicted. I'll try to upload a pic tonight.
that would be great steve. I started marking the tracks out today, I started at the narrow end up the top of the image, also started with the bottom end, but having to narrow it a little since my board is only 4ft not 5.. (the squares are 6inch each)
Ok I'm going to play devils advocate here: I took a minute and converted that track plans foot print to N scale. What I got was a 9 by 5.5 footprint. A big problem with that track planning book is that they draw all kinds of neat scenery and structures from a top down view. Layouts rarely go together so nicely. Everytime I draw something up on paper It ends up being different when I finally build it. I would suggest laying out some track sections, and setting up some structures. I would even go so far as to set train cars and engines out on the layout board. this way you will get a better idea of the scale of things when you actually go to lay track. When you sketch things out it always looks much more expansive in your minds eye. It looks like you know what you want for a layout: -A long stub ended yard -Double track mains -turntable for your engines Geeks suggestions: -I would add some industrial spurs. Not many, maybe just a long spur down the middle of your layout with some industries coming off it. -Two passenger stations. It gives passenger trains somewhere to go.
From my perspective, my "given and druthers" I don't feel the need for a continuous layout like I did when I first started in the hobby. I get more pleasure from a layout, moving things around, switching - preferably from an informal switch list. Trains going round and round gets boring quickly for me. I enjoy the challenge of switching and the challenge of construction, no matter what phase. I like detailing. In your space, I'd run a U shaped layout. If you sacrificed continual running, you'd actually have a more dynamic layout, with lots of switching opportunities.
Some ideas worth thinking about.... i think the biggest issue for me is that railroads need to operate. Trains have to go from one place to another place. That layout doesn't give the pretend feeling of going somewhere. If you think of running the trains as a game and you create the layout according to this game then you get some interesting action included in the design. Yellow area this is the main yard of your town. Trains come to this place and leave this place heading for the Green area and the blue area. Pink zone this is visible staging. It is right across the mains from the yellow area and can look like part of the same town, though operationally we pretend it is everywhere else in the world with connections to other railroads. Green zone The interlocking. This is a serious place for a tower operator to control. If a friend comes over maybe his job is to control the switches on this part of the layout and route trains to their destinations. Just an idea here. Blue zone Some industries that need to get switched by turns coming from and returning to yellow. If you build a layout with this kind of operation in mind, or something similar, I think you will make your layout stay interesting for a longer amount of time. Later you can add schedules and car cards for switching. I seem to be having trouble posting my image so all I can post is the thumbnail for now.
Geeky. I was thinking of filling in the center of the board, but that can come last I could do one passenger track up off the return loop, and another one off the yard in the right of drawing (or it will be anyway ... Thanks People for your suggestions, easier to hear them now than try and hack board/track/wiring/scenery later
My Thoughts: I really only changed the location of the curve so the turntable can be off of the yard. From there you can re-align the required trackage and put the yard where you would like it. I left what ever trackage I did not have to delete.
Yea thanks for that Steve. Since my board is a a bit wider, I can bring it out a little from there on the similar curve to the other side, I think it looks interesting, and then can add a straight line off to a pass station maybe, then same on the other side to make triple tracks. Thinking of the old oval on oval (one on the board, and another elevated.. or maybe just 3 lengths of flex in a straight line would do.. why is this so @#$)*@#$*(@#) hard!
