Just getting started 2.5'x4' N

[Chad]

Hey folks, short history on me, did a model in the mid 1980's and still have my engines and cars. Now my son is 7 and I think this is something he will enjoy. We are VERY limited on space. I have a shed/workshop and using the atlas software came up with something I THINK will work for us in 48"x30". I just don't know about the grading for one track to go over another.

Anyway, the yellow section will pass over the blue and I guess grade can start as soon as yellow leaves the switches.

So I am bouncing this off your folks to see if anyone notices problems for me to think about. I have not thought about a "theme" for the scenerey so suggestions for this layout will be nice too, I was thinking maybe a rock quarry.

I picked up a tech4MRC280 (dual cab) controller and two Atlas#215 selector switches to run the 8 segments

 

[Chad]

I guess this should be moved to the N&Z section?

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I think the grade might be a little steep, one trick that might help if you haven't already started construction is to use foam glued to your plywood, and carve a depression in the foam so that the blue track starts down slightly where it leaves the green switch and then climbs back up before it gets to the other green switch. That would reduce the height that the yellow track would need to climb to get over.

 

[Chad]

Thanks, I made some changes to stretch out the grading and removed switches from the back to avoid problems. no construction has been done yet so I will grade the blue down while the yellow goes up. I ordered some 4% grade foam from WS last night.

Time to start cutting wood.

 

[mcbane666]

chad i don't know if this will help you any.
but when i was little my father was doing the same thing (it was awsome but keep it up i grew out of it because my father never helped anymore:cry. anyway, i had a double bed as a kid so for bench work we toke a 4x8 plywood sheet and cut it to just fit under the bed, then used 2x4 to build the frame work under. we made it very strang so when i was working on it, it held my weight. next we put casters under it six along the sides and four in the middle, so that i could roll it under my bed. it only sat about 6 inchs high. we used high end rubber ones so that when it was moved it didn't bounce abunch and i was able to move it in and out with out tiping my trains over.

thought this might free up some space somewhere

oh ya remember he is a kid, you need big long trains, and lots of army cargo:thumb:
i would give him two engines and a steap inclien so he can haul large loads up to the top