What about this one?
- Thread starter SAL Comet
- Start date
there is some nnce switching potential there but in HO you don't have much room to put industry buildings off your sidings (unless you use flats)
I think it looks like staging capacity is a bit on the low side compared to how much switching you can do. You won't be able to run many trains before it's time to rearrange rolling stock in the staging areas again.
Me, I'd choose either SAL or Southern and get a bit more room for scenery as well.
Me, I'd choose either SAL or Southern and get a bit more room for scenery as well.
Hi Sal,
This is intriguing. You can have several trains staged and ready to run through the central scene or they can stop and do some switching. You'll also be able to have one train at the central scene working or waiting while other trains go by from one yard to the other. I like the basic concept a lot because you could simulate a lot of action in both directions in one operating "day".
Tracks are all on one level right? So the crossing of the two railroads will be a diamond at a junction. It would be cool to highlight that scene with a station.
As for the switching areas, I see that you've hidden track behind the quarry on the left so that will give you some room for the scene. The sawmill does look like it would be tight between the two main lines if you're working with a 15 inch shelf or there abouts. Maybe you could hide the SAL track behind the sawmill by actually placing a building over it and having the track run through. Not a very visually believeable situation unless you can use some scenary view blocks to make that less obvious. I've actually done this on my layout and it doesn't look bad. You plan to have track and industry in the foreground so the viewer's eye will notice that more than a track in the rear.
I like it that you have a connection between the two roads for interchange.
Good luck and keep us up to date!
Ralph
This is intriguing. You can have several trains staged and ready to run through the central scene or they can stop and do some switching. You'll also be able to have one train at the central scene working or waiting while other trains go by from one yard to the other. I like the basic concept a lot because you could simulate a lot of action in both directions in one operating "day".
Tracks are all on one level right? So the crossing of the two railroads will be a diamond at a junction. It would be cool to highlight that scene with a station.
As for the switching areas, I see that you've hidden track behind the quarry on the left so that will give you some room for the scene. The sawmill does look like it would be tight between the two main lines if you're working with a 15 inch shelf or there abouts. Maybe you could hide the SAL track behind the sawmill by actually placing a building over it and having the track run through. Not a very visually believeable situation unless you can use some scenary view blocks to make that less obvious. I've actually done this on my layout and it doesn't look bad. You plan to have track and industry in the foreground so the viewer's eye will notice that more than a track in the rear.
I like it that you have a connection between the two roads for interchange.
Good luck and keep us up to date!
Ralph
Thanks for the input guys, this one has a little more room for industries-
Russ, I was planning on using the buildings in Rockmart to partially hide the SAL mainline at the back of the layout, so I like your idea to do the same with the saw mill. As for the crossing, I want to have the SOU pass over the SAL and into the tunnel. Athough, because of the slope of the ceiling I don't know if there will be room.
Russ, I was planning on using the buildings in Rockmart to partially hide the SAL mainline at the back of the layout, so I like your idea to do the same with the saw mill. As for the crossing, I want to have the SOU pass over the SAL and into the tunnel. Athough, because of the slope of the ceiling I don't know if there will be room.
I like the last one better. Not too much track, plenty of space for scenery, and still some switching possible.
Your first layout is what we advance layout designers call "Center Stage".
You see the main part of the layout is the stage where the actors(our trains) come on stage do their part and disappear to other "cities".(staging) never to be seen again during that nights operation.Then the local comes to town switches the local industries and goes on to the next town(stagging)..Most ALD's agrees that a yard is far better in some cases since the trains can stop and change crews or terminate in that yard thus giving you more operation by classifying the cars into other trains and of course servicing the locomotives and changing out the locomotives...The "center stage" design is one of the better layout designs seeing that you can operate your trains in a more prototypical fashion..ALD also feel this type of layout opens up a new world of layouts.You see you could also model your favorite railfanning spot including the type of trains you would see there and is on the cutting edge of advanced layout designs..
So in that light I like your first layout better. :thumb:
You see the main part of the layout is the stage where the actors(our trains) come on stage do their part and disappear to other "cities".(staging) never to be seen again during that nights operation.Then the local comes to town switches the local industries and goes on to the next town(stagging)..Most ALD's agrees that a yard is far better in some cases since the trains can stop and change crews or terminate in that yard thus giving you more operation by classifying the cars into other trains and of course servicing the locomotives and changing out the locomotives...The "center stage" design is one of the better layout designs seeing that you can operate your trains in a more prototypical fashion..ALD also feel this type of layout opens up a new world of layouts.You see you could also model your favorite railfanning spot including the type of trains you would see there and is on the cutting edge of advanced layout designs..
So in that light I like your first layout better. :thumb:
I'd make one change to that last one:
add 2 more turnouts at the sawmill/cotton gin siding. It needs a runaround, and I'd think the SAL/ACL/SCL would rather put a runaround there instead of having to push a train the 'many' miles from Rockport (if eastbound) or travel all the way to rockport then back in order to switch the sidings
add 2 more turnouts at the sawmill/cotton gin siding. It needs a runaround, and I'd think the SAL/ACL/SCL would rather put a runaround there instead of having to push a train the 'many' miles from Rockport (if eastbound) or travel all the way to rockport then back in order to switch the sidings
Ha Brakie, I'm afraid you lost me at the end of your post, wouldn't they both be "center stage" layouts?
Screwysquirrel, Thanks for the tip, I see your point. Here's one with the run around you suggested. Also included a removable section connecting the yards, which are now double ended. I lost some staging, but continuous run was one of me original goals. Better?
Screwysquirrel, Thanks for the tip, I see your point. Here's one with the run around you suggested. Also included a removable section connecting the yards, which are now double ended. I lost some staging, but continuous run was one of me original goals. Better?
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If the connection over the bed isn't too much in the way, this really is a good solution since now both staging yards can be used as a single yard giving lots more flexibility.
Looks great!
just one other, optional suggestion:
Somewhere near your 'Racoon Creek Trestle' I would add a turnout heading toward the back, a track reaching up toward the wall and a crossing, and call this (very short) track the interchange with the Southern. It never would need more than a car or two, but would make things look a lot busier without adding any more room.
here's a small pic of what I have in mind, the orange is your SAL mainline, the green is the Southern crossover. You could change it to a simple crossover instead of the turnouts if you didn't want an actual interchange:
just one other, optional suggestion:
Somewhere near your 'Racoon Creek Trestle' I would add a turnout heading toward the back, a track reaching up toward the wall and a crossing, and call this (very short) track the interchange with the Southern. It never would need more than a car or two, but would make things look a lot busier without adding any more room.
here's a small pic of what I have in mind, the orange is your SAL mainline, the green is the Southern crossover. You could change it to a simple crossover instead of the turnouts if you didn't want an actual interchange:
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SS,Good idea but,by moving the bottom switch back you would gain more then one car space.. :thumb: Savvy?
SAL Comet said:
I'm not sure how high your layout is going to be built in relation to the height of the bed, but presumably the layout will not be in use while the bed is and vice versa. You could make the connection over the bed either removable, or a double "draw bridge" so it would be out of the way except when operating the trains. Don't forget to leave room around the bed to make it without interference from the layout.
SAL,Actually both would work since the trains only pass through the scene once.
Now the third layout is better IMHO as its has continuous running.
Now the third layout is better IMHO as its has continuous running.
Thanks for the help SS, I'm pretty happy with this latest version. Squirrel says built it, what do the rest of you think.