Layout Advice & Recommendations

[asab501]

Permission has been granted for the use of a spare bedroom; therefore, a new layout is called for. Current layout is on a 36" x 80" hollow core door. I would appreciate some input on the proposed plan. Some particulars of the plan are as follows:

1. N-Scale
2. Size - 10' x 7.5' L-shaped, 30" depth
3. Era - Modern; however, will operate a steam excursion
4. Elevation - 0" (no mountains or tunnels in NW Florida)
5. Industries based on some existing structures but subject to change
6. Benchwork will be open grid
7. 95% sure at this point of going DCC

Image of proposed plan is as follows:

 

[shamus]

Hello and welcome to the gauge.
Is this a double reverse loop or a diamond crossing plan. If it's a diamond then the plan will work very well. If on the other hand it's a reversing loop at either end, then you might get a few problems trying to run trains continuously without reverse modules installed.

shamus

 

[sumpter250]

Observation:
That's a lot of open ground, without hills to break the view. On the other hand, there's lots of room for "urban creep".
Pete

 

[asab501]

Shamus,

It is a diamond crossing plan.

 

[jkristia]

If I understand the plan correct, then the left and bottom is against the walls. If that's the case, then you might have some problem switching industry 4,5 and 6.

I think that I would prefer to have the mainline going along the wall, and then move the industry a bit closer to the front, that way you could also have a nice long siding next to the bottom wall.

Jesper

 

[60103]

I notice that, except for the Gravel Co, all the industries plus the yard can be switched by backing in.
1) you might want to provide a run round loop so you can get to the gravel co, (unless you use the passing track at the depot).
2) a bit more variety would make it more interesting -- if you could put a few sidings going the other way.
3) how long is the tail track for the gravel co?
(Now all this depends on how complex and interesting you want to make the switching.)

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I don't know a lot about Florida except from visits with inlaws. My wife is originally from New York, and like all good New Yorkers, most of her family moved to Florida! I have noticed when visiting inlaws in No. Florida, Tampa, Gainsville, and Orlando, that it isn't flat. There are no mountains in Florida. In fact, a bit of trivia I picked up on one of our trips there is that the highest point in Florida is Space Mountain at Walt Disney World. Northern Florida has a lot of rolling hills, so you might want to model a little elevation change even if your tracks don't change elevation. Another thing I found out about Florida when we were there right after the big fires that burned the pine forrests in Northern Florida is that pine trees are not natural to Florida. They were imported for industrial purposes, and most of the pine forrests in Florida are grown for the pulpwood industry. If you have space, a pulpwood/paper plant might be a nice source of traffic.

If you do move the mainline to the back, and put industries #4,5,6,&7 toward the front, the lead track into that entire complex might be a good place to put a run around track. Another place for a run around track would be the lead into the gravel company. That run around could serve both the gravel company and the cement plant.

 

[asab501]

Thanks for all the input so far. I will start working with the plan and try to make some changes and then post the plan. May not be for a few days due to work schedule and Easter weekend.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[asab501]

Thanks for the previous inputs as they were very helpful. I have come up with a totally new concept and think it will be better operationally.

A little background history:

The Nickelcreek Southern will be a fictional line founded by Gen. Lucius Redding Nickelcreek (the general is fictional also) shortly after the Civil War. He also was a lawyer and later became a governor and judge. (As a side note, by naming the line the Nickelcreek Southern, I won't have to repaint and decal my current roster of NS motive power.) The NS has risen from a small line to the major player it is today. The major industries served will be based on ones in my area and they are, a paper mill, chemical plant and a cement company that supplies ready-mix and manufacturing of concrete blocks and pipe. Also, there will be an old depot/rr museum along with a steam engine to provide tourists with the feel of the steam era.

The plan is N-scale, 9' x 7', open grid benchwork, Code 55 Flex track and DCC wired and is as follows:

Construction will begin in a month or two and I will post photos of the progress. Again, thanks for the input and as always any additional comments are welcomed.

 

[upguy]

Although your railroad is fictional, you may want to have an interchange track with another railroad to give the illusion that your railroad goes beyond the confines of your layout. It will also give you a place to spot any rolling stock that may be moving onto or off of the layout. I think by doing this, you will add a lot more operating interest to your railroad.

 

[Tyson Rayles]

I had the same thought as upguy, but then maybe that is what the track at the bottom left is for???? Other than that I like it and am looking forward to seeing photos of the progress. Good luck and welcome to the Gauge!

 

[Russ Bellinis]

It looks good. I just got back from a 10 day vacation in Florida, and I need to retract some of my previous post. I mentioned rolling hills in Florida, but I had never been South if highway 4 between Tampa and Orlando until this trip. You are right, there are no hills once you get a few miles South of the 4. I think the only reason the road curves is to get around all of the lakes!
I was surprised to check out a few hobby shops down there expecting to see some models in East coast livery, in particular I was hoping to find some C420's, but most of the equipment in the hobby shops I visited were either Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, or Union Pacific! They all offered to order the C420s, but I wasn't going to be down there long enough. I told them I would just order them through my local So. Cal. hobby shop.

 

[Sir_Prize]

Russ-
If I had known I woulda invited ya over to the club in
Largo/Clearwater.
Yup! Once ya' get to the rim and below Orlando things flatten pretty good.
'Round hear when we say Sea Level it's more of "SEE" Level.


Asab-
Welcome on. Plans look nice. If'n you feel the yard won't
give ya' problems switching, then go fer it. Just have fun! Don't over work yer self, and do what looks right to ya.'

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Originally posted by Sir_Prize
Russ-
If I had known I woulda invited ya over to the club in
Largo/Clearwater.
Yup! Once ya' get to the rim and below Orlando things flatten pretty good.
'Round hear when we say Sea Level it's more of "SEE" Level.

Thanks for the invite. Nobody else in my family likes trains, and we were really tight on time. My two daughters and son in law went with us, and we traded into a timeshare condo in Kissimmee for a week. We used that as a base as we visited relatives in Tampa, Deltona, and Keystone heights. My youngest daughter works seasonal for Disnay here in So Cal, so she was able to sign us all in at the various Disney parks, and that took up any spare time we might have had. My mother in law is now 87, so my wife and I may be doing annual vacations in Florida while she is still with us.

 

[asab501]

Nickelcreek Southern Revised Plan

Thanks for the comments and suggestions on my previous post to my plan. After discussions with the wife on the other uses of the room, I have revised the plan.

The major features to the new plan are:

1. Revised the paper mill complex to be a little more realistic even though things have to be compressed due to size limitations.

2. I have always wanted a roundhouse and turntable. This area will be strictly used as the Nickelcreek Foundation and Historical Park. Two excursions will also operate from here with a 2-8-0 Consol and a 4-8-4 Class J
Here's the plan:

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I think this last one is the best one yet. You've got two nice run around/passing sidings that should improve operations tremendously, plenty of industries to switch, and a nice long mainline run.

 

[60103]

Definitely more interesting.
My Wednesday night friend has a "ferry" track that gets a lot of cars but only holds 3. No ferry yet, so we started storing the cars in a set of plastic drawers that was under the layout. You may need this for your interchange track or !!lightbulb!! put a sliding drawer under the layout at that point.

 

[asab501]

Russ:

Thanks for the comment. I think it is more interesting too. Since this is my biggest layout yet, I'm still setting up all the budgetary aspects of the project but can't wait to get started and will post progess as I go.

60103:

Good idea. I had thought that too since I have some plastic drawers on rollers that I store supplies in under my current layout. The other thought I had is I will have my workbench next to the layout and so I could attach it to the layout with a divider between the two and a tunnel portal. Then I could extend the interchange track across the back of the workbench which could do double duty as a test track also.

 

[Thortrains]

Those are good track plans, and I see that the owners like to own a lot of cars. Folks who enjoy a proliferation of rolling stock go for more yards. All nice plans, though.

And if you have any doubt that I know track plans, stop by the All Gauge Page (listed below). I use RR track software and find drawing up trackplans to be very relaxing.

Enjoy your railway!