what type of layout do you prefer

[wickman]

I don't like using up wall space and I like to walk around my entire layout. I use manual throws only. I want to interact with my road as much as possible, not sit in one spot and run it by remote. IMO wall layouts are 1 dimension, you can only view it from one side. On a walk-around, you can view scenery/structures from the back side, too. This adds to the realism.

My layout is a 8 x 12, basically a 4 x 8, a 4 x 3 and another 4 x 8. So everything is less than a 3 foot reach, from somewhere on the layout. The 3 sections are bolted together, so if I want to move it or add another section, it will be easy.

how much room do you have for walking around I find the one I have right now is more of a sideway walking LOL Do you have any staging area ...or better yet would you have any sites with the layout on it snds like an interesting layout sure would like a peek see

 

[max diyer]

I have 3' to 5' walk-around space. I have a small staging yard, incorporated in the left 4x8 section. It holds 14 or 15 cars. If I had a digital camera, I would post some pics. But a cam is on my "get list".

 

[wickman]

Don't we all have a get list . Thats quite a bit of walk around space .

 

[max diyer]

I have a large basement. If I would get rid of some more junk, I would have alot more. My plans are to add a large staging yard and a river loading facility for my coal company.

 

[ausien]

The Feather River is housed in a 12ft x 12ft room/shed built for it.... its around the walls, double track design, and has a 6ft x 6ft corner/ peninsular section a 18ft(approx) yard area, broken by imagination, into 2 yards with 4 tracks each track holding 2 trains with up to 14 cars per train. the FR is on 2 levels, (soon to be 2 1/2) and has 3 industrial tracks, it can be run from 4 locations around the lay out and the industries can be run by separate operators on local throttles, so my layout can be run by me on my Todd, or by up to 6 operators and a dispatcher. I can run by card system, by the silly bugger (do as we like) system, or by time table system, or any other way i/we want, just to have fun....the walk ways around the layout are a narrow 28 inches my girth is 40 inch and I can get around with out to much trouble....but the best layout design, IMO is any design that works for you.....have a good day running your layouts...stevesign1 sign1 sign1 :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[wickman]

Can those of use that have or built around the room layouts give me your opinion on is it better to have deeper bench work or wider isles. I realize in my situation that if I want deeper bench work so deeper than 26" ( wide ) I will have to sacrifice the isle width and I would make this scarifice for more scenery\track area. And what have those of use that did around the room use for bench work depth including for end loops as well as for isle width?

 

[nachoman]

wickman, I think the answer to that depends on your proportions I am tall and can reach across 3 feet, but I doubt many can reach that far comfortably. For aisle with, it would be nice if two people could pass each other easily, but that may be sacraficing a whole bunch of space. My reccomendation, is do a little of both. If you want to make the bench wider, keep the aisle a comfortable width and sacrafice bench width on the opposite side of the aisle. Some scenery needs the extra width to be convincing, some does not.

kevin

 

[wickman]

Good points there Kevin TY
I have no prob reaching to 36" but with a bit of a stretch and the stretch would be to scenery against the walls so probably a few inches less would be more comfortable and less likely to take something out .

 

[davidstrains]

My layout is a 17 1/2' by 10 1/2' around the room with a 10' peninsula in the middle (Enclosed E). I use a duck under but that was a mistake. I am in N-scale and I made the tables 3' wide at the maximum width for the yard and the peninsula. The 2 long lengths on opposite walls are 2 1/2' and 18" wide respectively. I have 18" to 2' of aisle space inside the layout and can reach everywhere. Height is about 42"-50".

A lot of the decision-making on "how wide?" is based on what you intend to do with your layout in industries, "town settings", and scenery. If you are making a single line main with industrial spurs with few city details, you could get away with narrower shelves and wider aisles for operators. If you intend to model cities and towns in any detail, you will need a wider area for your buildings, streets, and other structures. You can save some space by using the narrow backdrop structures to provide background settings and add to the detail.

There is really no set solution to this question. Your railroad is going to be what YOU want it to be and how YOU want it to look. The Ideas you receive here are "hints" and "tools" that you will use in making your construction and layout decisions.

But you have a great set of "advisors" here. Keep us posted on your progress.

train97