UP SD40-2 Needs Your Track Planning Help!

[UP SD40-2]

OK folks, i need some help, i am thinking about tearing up 95% of my current HO switching layout, and go for something different. there is nothing wrong with what i have, but after much thought i think a change would be good.

Staying with my fictitious Union Pacific's "Rock Valley Sub", i would like to back date it to 1960-1974. by doing this, i could run with smaller switches then i currently am using, and get a change in scenery. out of the 63 engines i currently have, i have 24 of them that would fit PERFECTLY in this time period. about 80% of my current rolling stock would also work in the era i would like to do:thumb:. i would like to use my 3 buildings(but don't have to) plus more if i can. what i have now is a rail to truck transfer building, a factory, and a Diner. if possible i would like SOME street running, but thats NOT a must. i have 3 tracks i want to keep on as 1- runaround tracks, and 2- as interchange tracks with the CNW and the Milwaukee Road.

Below i have 2 pics, the first is how the 8'x30'' switching layout looks right now. the second pic shows the three tracks i want to keep, and shows the space i have left over(in gray) for ANY IDEAS that YOU FOLKS HAVE to fill that space. i really want to keep the existing switch that goes off the inside track shown, and take off from there with ANY ideas you folks have.

announce1SPECIFICS: the layout is 8'x30'' and the usable amount of space i want to change is 8'x22''. i know its not much to work with, but its all i got. i need room to back in and out of areas with one engine, and at least one 50' freight car. right now the area i want to keep, with the three existing tracks(pic 2) is in the back, i would like to turn the layout around and have that part in the front, but it doesn't have to be. the plan DOES NOT have to be complex, simple is good too:thumb:.

Well, there you have it, ANY HELP or IDEAS ARE MORE THEN WELCOME!!!:thumb: and of coarse, GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! THANK YOU!-Deano View attachment 36179 View attachment 36180

 

[UP SD40-2]

Here's what i come up with, but I'm not sure its the best ideaops:. the yellow is a road. the outside white track is the mainline, the other two white tracks are for a runaround track and interchange. the black tracks would go to 4 businesses that need rail service. the blue areas are factories or businesses. the blue area with the "M" in it is a merchants row, the blue area in the merchants row with the lines through it would need rail service.

the white tracks would be the front of the switching layout. the blue factories in the back, would just be the backs of them, and only stick out about 2''-3''.

ANY thoughts, comments or re-draws ARE MOST DEFINITELY WELCOME!:thumb: -Deano View attachment 36181

 

[Jim Krause]

Looks like what you have is a good add on to a larger layout, or are you restricted as to size. I hate to see all of that good work go to waste.

 

[cnw1961]

Deano, can you tell me, where exactly the starting point is? Is it in the middle or more to the right or the left? It is hard to tell by your pictures.

 

[UP SD40-2]

KURT!!!, do you see where the black track and the white track meet, thats the starting point. i want to KEEP the white track, but that gives me 8'x22'' to do something new:thumb:. THANKS!

Jim, THANK YOU!, for the kind words. to be honest with you, i am getting a little bored with the current plan, and feel the need to change some of it.

 

[cnw1961]

Deano, I know that’s the starting point , but could you give the the exact measurements? I know from my layout, that on such a small layout, it really makes a difference if it is 10" more to the right or to the left.

 

[UP SD40-2]

Deano, I know that’s the starting point , but could you give the the exact measurements? I know from my layout, that on such a small layout, it really makes a difference if it is 10" more to the right or to the left.

SURE THING KURT! the picture is hard to go by from the angle it was takenops:. the yellow lines show the start and stop points of the measurements. i went up to the end of the turnout on the switch. i hope this helps:thumb:. THANK YOU! -Deano View attachment 36195

 

[cnw1961]

Yep, that helps. I don’t know, if I can come up with someting, but I’m gonna try .

 

[UP SD40-2]

Yep, that helps. I don’t know, if I can come up with someting, but I’m gonna try .

WOW! THANK YOU SO MUCH KURT! HEY, if you can come up with something, GREAT!!! , if you cant, just knowing you tried MEANS A LOT TO ME, and is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! THANK YOU! -Deano

 

[TruckLover]

YOUR TEARING UP THAT AWESOME MODULE?sign1

That is ok, you are probly bored out of your mind with the one you have right now, I don't blame you for wanting to start a new one. And this time it will be able to include some steam stuff, that is cool!!

I like the plan that you came up with and I like the idea of turning it so the front is in the back and the mainline is at the front of the module. :thumb:

 

[UP SD40-2]

YOUR TEARING UP THAT AWESOME MODULE?sign1

That is ok, you are probly bored out of your mind with the one you have right now, I don't blame you for wanting to start a new one. And this time it will be able to include some steam stuff, that is cool!!

I like the plan that you came up with and I like the idea of turning it so the front is in the back and the mainline is at the front of the module. :thumb:

THANKS JOSH! yea, you gotta realize, a year running on a small switching layout like this, well, it got kinda old. besides, change sometimes is good:thumb:. this will give me a chance to change the scenery, and have fresh new moves. also by back dating to 1960-74, it will give the whole thing some "new" life. SORRY THOUGH, NO STEAM, all the steamers i have are just to darn big for a switching layout like this. i could use my Milwaukee road "pacific"(the smallest steamer i have), but it has a passenger train hooked to it at dads, so I'll keep it there. besides, you wouldn't see many steamers in that era anyways. you'll be seeing plenty of FM's, old geeps, old SD's, switchers, F units, SD40-2's, Alco's and older GE's on it though:thumb:.

i too like the idea of having the mainline in front this time:thumb:...though it isn't a must. it all depends on the final plantooth1. THANKS! -Deano

 

[TruckLover]

SORRY THOUGH, NO STEAM, all the steamers i have are just to darn big for a switching layout like this. i could use my Milwaukee road "pacific"(the smallest steamer i have), but it has a passenger train hooked to it at dads, so I'll keep it there. besides, you wouldn't see many steamers in that era anyways. you'll be seeing plenty of FM's, old geeps, old SD's, switchers, F units, SD40-2's, Alco's and older GE's on it though:thumb:.

Well, I was hopeing that we would see some of those older GREAT looking diesel locos of yours

Can't wait to see some progress, Does this mean a new thread for a new module?

 

[UP SD40-2]

...Does this mean a new thread for a new module?

after the last two HUGE threads i did...naw, but when i get to the point i am starting it, you can darn sure bet there WILL be progress pics in the "Weekly Photo Fun" threads:thumb:. -Deano

 

[Nazgul]

Deano...
My best advice, leaning on my vast experience and unwavering thirst for model railroad knowledge ("Track plans are a specialty" TM) is..........................
"measure twice and cut once" or as my father used to say: Son, put down the power tools before you hurt yourself!".
I hope this helps:thumb:

If you have anymore questions, just ask

 

[UP SD40-2]

Deano...
My best advice, leaning on my vast experience and unwavering thirst for model railroad knowledge ("Track plans are a specialty" TM) is..........................
"measure twice and cut once" or as my father used to say: Son, put down the power tools before you hurt yourself!".
I hope this helps:thumb:

If you have anymore questions, just ask

AHHH, words from the wisetooth1, darn good advice Steve:thumb:, truly words to live by, THANKS!
-Deano

 

[cnw1961]

Deano, I am no trackplanning guru (and I cannot compete with Steve’s words of wisdom ), but I hope, you don’t mind if I tell you, what I don’t like about your plan . All the tracks, buildings and the road are parallel to the front. I fear, it might give the layout a rather static and oops: excuse me ops: ) boring look. And I think, the business in the lower right corner of your drawing is too difficult to reach. I would not like doing all the switching moves that are necessary to get there.

Here is a rough sketch, I did this morning. It is not well elaborated, but it might give you an idea, what I am thinking about. I tried to keep the factory and the diner and included a short street running.



EDIT: After I posted this sketch, I saw that the factory is even bigger than I had drawn it in the sketch. So one of the two tracks in front of the building had to be removed. The factory is rather big for a layout that size and it consumes a lot of space. It would be easier to do something interesting without it or if it was only used as a background building. And besides that, with the factory, the right side looks much like your current layout.

 

[UP SD40-2]

Outstanding Job Kurt!!!

FIRST, Kurt, of coarse I DON'T MIND YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PLAN I PUT UP:thumb:. hey, if i was happy with it, i wouldn't have asked for help.

AS for the plan YOU have presented...I REALLY LIKE IT!!!:thumb: :thumb: WOW!, looking it over, i think its GREAT!:thumb: and it makes GOOD USE of the tracks i wanted to keep!:thumb:

i don't know if this helps, but after a ton of research last night, i found that the engines i wanted to run it, UP actually used them up to the mid 70-'s to the mid 80's. so i am going to change the time frame from 1960-74 to 1969-79. though my Union Pacific's "Rock Valley Sub" is TOTALLY fictitious, i will be making it with "prototypical aspirations". Sure UP was never in WI in the 70's, but keeping the Rock Valley Sub based here in southern WI, gives me good reason to have interchanges with CNW and The Milwaukee Road.

you mentioned that the plan you put up was a general idea, do you have any changes you want to make, or should i just get the track & switches tomorrow night. let me know whats going on Kurt. and THANK YOU!!!, for the GREAT PLAN!!!:thumb: -Deano

 

[MilesWestern]

So, this would enable the three tracks to be in the Foreground, with the wedge buildings in the back?

Another addition to this would be to keep the tracks in the back and have cutaway structures, like these: http://www.geocities.com/fundynorthern/2ndModuleMachineShop.html

It'd give you an excellent reason to detail your scenes, and It would give you more to work on, and it could become a masterpiece!

 

[zachary]

hey deano do you mind if i take a stab at it i think i might be able to put something up for you if one of you can teach me how to upload rts files i will try and do somting zachary

 

[UP SD40-2]

So, this would enable the three tracks to be in the Foreground, with the wedge buildings in the back?

YES Miles, as the layout was, the run around track and interchange tracks were in the back, though i thought i had a good plan, after a year of running it that way i found it to be kinda a pain to have to reach back there to do the switching for the run around track. by using Kurt's plan, the farthest back i have to reach to switch is about half way across the layout:thumb:. the plan Kurt has presented looks like it will be pleasing to the eye, quite nice to operate, and i REALLY like having the run around track in the front:thumb:.

THANKS! for posting the pics of that machine shop:thumb:. though it would be some time before i get to the point of doing that type of detail, it is a great idea to do when i get there. THANK YOU! -Deano