how is this plan?

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
hello, i'm not really even finished my first HO layout, but i realize i should plan a head to get what i want in the works. since i don't own my basement ( only 15) my dad pretty much has control over everything. he also wants to finish our basement at some point. he says as long as i plan it and have a good solid idea he'll let me build on. chances are i'm gonna have to wait until my part of the basement is finished (which will be a long time), so i figured i'll plan now and have it ready later.

from when i first started the hobby, i wanted to build the North East Corridor, but i had a hard time planning it, and just settled with a begginers layout from a book, sceniced to look like conrail's chemical coast and NJT north coast line. originaly, i planned the edition to just handle the things that i couldn't fit on the 4X8, like a walthers distribution center for imported cars to be loaded onto autoracks, and an intermodal area for double stacks, as well as other small industries i could link from the 4x8, like a warehouse and a chemical type place. ther would also be a stageing track where CSAO would interchange with CSX.

however, when last months Model Railroader came out, it had a NYC track going off in the background, and it occured to me that i could do the same thing with the NEC. i tried a few ideas out, and the one i like best is a double track dog bone folded together to look liek a 4 track mainline, and the ends being hidden stageing. that way it looks like trains are moveing up and down the NEC. the problem is that the curves are gettign big, and they take up a lot of space to turn around. at the minimum i would like to use 24"r curves, so that the 85 foot passenger cars don't yank themselves off the tracks. i could probably pull 22"r but i'm not sure how well that would work.
the NEC add on would also have a NS interchange, and another industry towards the lower end.

it probably already pushed the line of how much space my dad said the layout could take up. in the long run i might just have to settle with the original plan for an addition, just the CSX interchange, and might have to find a new way to make the NEC, if at all. for now this is the rough plan. i will try building it on RTS or soemthign later. i also don't exactly understand sorting yards and such, so i just had the space for one squiggled in green. i might remove the one end of the wye, because i'm not really sure its needed, but i'll see.
additionplan2tx.jpg
 

Pitchwife

Dreamer
Hi green_elite_cab. :wave:
You are wise to plan ahead before cutting wood and laying track. :thumb:
What I would do first is to get the measurments of the area that you will be allowed and use some grid paper or RTS or other software and map out the available space. That will give you a better idea of what will fit and where. Just remember a couple of things, Make everything accessable and yards take a lot of room.
Once we have an idea of your available space and what scale you are modeling I'm sure that someone(s) :D here can give you some ideas.
Good Luck!! :thumb:
 
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