10x12 wrap around room layouts

nolatron

Member
Hi all, working on a new layout plan for a wrap around the room layout. The room is 10x12' and the layout will be no wider than 1ft all around.

Just curios if anyone one else has a similar layout with pics/plans for inspiration. This will be my first 'around the room' layout and just looking for ideas on track layout, etc...

Here's what mine is looking like now.

trainroom4_19.sized.jpg


Shaun
 

Matthyro

Will always be re-membered
There have been a number of trackplans that go around the room published by Kalmbach in their trackplan books but from what I see in your track plan you have a good one there Shaun. Depending on what you want to do with scenery and all you could add a few more industries to make operating a bit more interesting if so desired.
 

fifer

Active Member
Shaun , it looks great , but I have 2 suggestions. You may need a turntable to turn trains and why not use some more of the room?
:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

Mike
 

nolatron

Member
I do have My atlas turntable I'm thinking of using someplace.

I've also been toying with extending one side into the room some more track space. I mainly wanna deep the depth of the top to no more than 1.5ft. I guess I keep thinking I can still use the room as an 'office' but, heh, I think the train is overtaken that idea with each layout plan. lol.

But maybe an extension for just an industry would work. Actually that might be perfect for adding in a passenger depot again.

hmmm...... :)
 

fifer

Active Member
Shaun , The Atlas tables work well and an island out somewhere would reall increase your operations and I think you can still do the office.
Bad news is an office sounds like work!

Mike ( Retireing Monday) :wave:
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Don't forget the Track Planning for the Future forum as well.

I think it looks great. Nice and open, easily accessible. The only question I have is about staging/interchange. Do you have any plans for hidden trackage that represents the "rest of the world"? Surround staging would work really well in this case. You could add about 6-8" of depth, and hide tracks all around the room. Here's a link to a plan that illustrates surround staging:

http://www.ovar.ca/Mike Hamer/Hamer.htm

Andrew
 

nolatron

Member
When I redo the benchwork, I'll have my 3x4 sections still so I added two of them in the center connecting to the top portion. I think I'll drop in another yard, the passenger depot and probably still have room for the turntable and more. Maybe just enough with an extention at one end to put in a 19" curve and had to the mainline for the inner track.

Guess I know what I'll me working on tonight :D
 

nolatron

Member
I still have to break down the current layout and then move out the bookshelf and desk that's in the room now. I could probably do that in a weekend. Since I have no access to tools or even a real area to work on it, I get my benchwork from sievers. More pricey than buying wood from Lowe's, but heck of time (and sanity) saver.

Figure probably start building in 2-3 weeks, depending on when I get a 'finalized' layout for the new wrap-around layout
 

Tileguy

Member
Nice Nice Nice-at least as a jumping off point,like cid said
Ya know we just can't leave it alone

This is a big railroad in N scale(i know because mine is big and this is even bigger :D )
My reccomendation would be to build this as a series of modules.Now, that doesnt mean for example you cant build all of your benchwork now,It means build the benchwork as modules and connect them as modules.

Also, a way to turn trains to run in the other direction would be nice along with perhaps a turntable or a Wye.Ive indicated a few things for your consideration .Just something to think about.

I thought I had posted this earlier.............perhaps i'm losing my mind :cry:
 

Attachments

  • 12 mod.JPG
    12 mod.JPG
    46.7 KB · Views: 160

nolatron

Member
i like the suggestion on the island part, having the tracks cross and adding in a reverser section. I'll play with that today.

The benchwork will be made up of several 1x3' sections from Sievers, so they'll all be like mini benchwork module bolted together to form to the overall layout.

This is the 3rd incarnation of my train room and it seems to just get bigger and bigger each time. As mentioned above, my main goal is to keep the benchwork itself as narrow as possible. 1.5ft max. The 3ft deep middle section I was thinking of adding a center divider to break that into 1.5ft halves perhaps, and put in smaller industry areas on one side and the passenger depot on the other side with some 'town' backdrops and them backdrop half style building I've seen for against walls instead of another yard in the entire thing.
 

fifer

Active Member
Shaun , In the grey area where the 2 mains come close together may I suggest a double crossover as well. This would aid in track to track manuvers.
Mike
:wave: :wave:
 

nolatron

Member
I'm using Atlas Code 80 track for this. I know Peco makes a double crossover, but it's code 55. Is there someone who makes one in code 80?
 

tillsbury

Member
2c:
A couple of runarounds would help -- there isn't one in the main yard (except for the siding), which means you can't reorganise a train when there's either mainline traffic or something waiting in the siding. Ditto with the industries -- as soon as you have more than a single spur or so, you'll find a runaround very useful, even shared between more than one industry.

I would also think about trying to do the island without the bridge -- otherwise your trains will run in an illogical route (i.e. not continuously left-to-right so you can't easily follow them). Have a look at the Austin Sub layout plans for good examples of island tracks and plenty of industries... (nothing to do with me, just a link I found).

Peco's code 55 double-crossover will easily connect to Atlas c80 track, and looks very similar in terms of tie-spacing too. Use Peco track joiners and they'll fit perfectly.

Charles
 

fifer

Active Member
Shaun , They do not have a code 80 but do have the 55 . It will work on code 80 as well , the down side is it's kind of a wiring nightmare , as it is Electro-frog :( .
Mike
:thumb: :wave:
 

Tileguy

Member
You may be able to find a dbl crossover or dbl slip in shinnohara code 70 that can be adapted quite well to atlas code 80 track.:)

be prepared to pay around 50.00 for the dbl slip switch :cry:

I have a shin dbl slip that i wont be using,but i'm not sure i would be willing to part with it, I may want to use it one day on a future layout.I remember paying big money for it at scale model supplies in St paul MN
 

nolatron

Member
Here's the latest design. I dropped from a double main to a single main. Planning is much easier this way for me. Got a few area for industries, the depot is in there, and have wye for passengers to turn around, and the round house and bottom right for frieght locos.

Need to redo the yard still. looking around at layout plans for ideas. Baiscally have the whole right side depending on how fancy it gets.

trainroom4_24.sized.jpg
 

tillsbury

Member
Ok here's a go. I'm currently trying to design a yard for a similar sized area on one wall of my layout. The plan below is for a shelf 4.3m long by 500mm deep. The mainline comes from the lower left, into this yard, and then past it to hidden staging loops. You could always skip the staging loops and continue your mainline round the room.

I don't like tracks parallel with the room or the edge. This is done with Peco code 55, all points are either medium or curved, except the mainline where Peco longs are used. You can see the average train length from the length of the staging loops and the main siding at the back of the yard.

Please feel free to take any ideas from here. And if anyone's got any comments for me, please say! This plan is a long way from track-putting-down yet, it's only really the first draft...

Charles

Yard.jpg
 
Top