Breaking up is hard to do...

No, your points are all valid, Tyson. The more I think about it, the less I like the idea of putting the cattle yard up top. I might just do away with the cattle yard altogether.

I might be at that "trying to do too much to it" point. But I think I'll try to figure out how to put that spur back for the interchange...

Thanks!

-Rory
 
Rory,
Always include interchange whenever possible...& always place the interchange at a place on the layout that is easy to get to, for removing, & replacing cars.
As far as the rest of the layout...don't rush it. Get your track laid, & make sure everything is running good. Then it will be easier for you to see what will, & won't work.
 
I think I've decided that the passing siding at the bottom will be my interchange. I never intended to use it as a passing siding, anyway. The mainline loop is really too short for two trains to run at the same time. At most, there would be one train on the main loop and one on the branchline. Plus, I'll have the cassette right next to it...

As I mentioned in another thread, I've started on the benchwork. As soon as I have something to show I'll start posting some pictures in the N-scale forum!

-Rory
 
Rory,
Keep in mind that "passing siding" isn't strictly for 2 train operation...it also translates into "runaround track", which is essential for switching moves.
The interchange track would work much better as a spur coming off of, or somewhere near the passing track.
Also keep in mind that the length of your passing track will determine the length of the trains to be switched on the layout.
On my layout the trains are limited to 4 50' cars, or 5 40' cars...including the caboose.
On an oval-style layout like yours, I would, if possible, include a runaround track wherever you have switching, or otherwise you will be running engines around the whole layout to get to the other end of the train.
 
I agree with you Charlie. Using the passing siding as your interchange will make operations, hmmm, well less than ideal. The passing siding on the top level could be longer if one of the 2 spurs on the left is removed. Speaking of removed that's probably what Rory would like to do with us!:D
 
Yeah, I bet you're right, Tyson!
As Thomas The Tank Engine would say, we're starting to be a bit "cheeky" & "troublesome"!:D :D :D
 
No, I've really appreciated your comments and suggestions. The plan has evolved a lot from the original because of it.

I did, however, decide to keep the siding on the bottom level just as it was. The main reason is that I don't have enough room for anything else. I really tried to add more track there, but I just couldn't make it work...

Here's the current plan:
 

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Well as long as you are dumb enough to keep listening to dummies like me (Charlie please note I didn't say us) here's yet one more idea. You have a mainline train in staging at the top of the layout and a local parked at the depot on the middle level, just no yard to interchange at. So here's the idea (billk is going to hate me for this), instead of using the cassette to bring in yet another train (kinda a stretch on this size layout anyhoo), make a portable staging yard that hooks to that spur. You could set it on a shelf when you are not operating to have the room back for other uses. You could make a 2 or 3 track yard in a 18 inch by 4 to 6 inch space easy. You could even put a backdrop on it and scenic it! And look at the bright side if you build something on anything anybody suggests in this forum and you are not happy with the results you can blame us for its shortcomings instead of yourself :D . I'll go away now. :p
 
That is an AWESOME idea, Tyson! I gotta get the table built and in place, then take some measurements, but I think that'll work.

It would still be like a cassette, only more like an 8-track cassette!

-Rory
 
Or you could build the staging yard more or less permanently somewhere else and use the cassettes to move from one to another. Also, you better allow for maybe 24 in length for the staging, especially if you want a run around.
 
Tyson,
I'm always happy to be included among the ranks of the "dummies"! :D
I've built staging yards before, that were simply pieces of bare plywood with a couple of tracks tacked to them...I have toyed with the idea of building them as scenicked classification yards, simply by adding some ballast, & a printed backdrop, but, as usual, just never got around to it. I've often thought this would simply be a great way to store large amounts of rolling stock...just like shelves, but with some scenery added...
Which brings me to billk's idea, which I think is a good one...bringing trains to & from the layout on a "cassette". This seems a little less daunting than carrying an 8 track staging yard...your storage yards could be anywhere in the house, they wouldn't necessarily have to be in the same space as the layout, especially if space is at a premium...You could have them on shelves in the living room maybe...sort of a display case with a real function...
Speaking of space, I'm really taking up some here with all this rambling...
Rory,
Regardless of what you decide to do, Staging trains off the layout always adds greatly to the realism, & fun of the RR. Those trains are actually going somewhere! So just kind of digest what all us "dummies" are throwing at you, & turn it into something real that works for you. :)
 
To all of the contributors to this thread I would like to say thank you for letting the rest of us watch the birthing process. This is what we are here for and I sure wish that I had been here about a year ago when I started my current layout. Tyson, BillK, Charlie, Rory etc. you guys rock and prove that two heads are better than one. I only hope that after I recover from telling my wife the current plan is not viable as a glass covered table, (she will beat me severely, I'm sure) you will help me pick apart and reassemble the next attempt.
 
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