Door in the way ???

Tim,

If Andrew's sketch is close to what you've got, you would be better off pulling the layout away from the walls up just past the door. This way you have a clear path to the door, and as a bonus, you can access your layout there from the outside as well as the inside.

It would still be nice if you gave us a sketch (even hand-drawn) so we know where the stairs and door really are, and how much room you can build in.
 
First off I would like to appolagize to everyone for waisting your time with this ,I should just pick a layout and go with it .


I also have no way at this time to show a sketch at this time.

So I will describe it as accurately as possible so you know what I have to work with.

The 25' wall is open and all mine to use.
It begins at the half basement and ends at the fruit cellar (front of house).

Fruit cellar wall is 14' with the door starting 4'6" from the 25' wall.

You then head back towards the back of the house along another wall (garage) that is 11' long.


A new wall turns back towards the 25' wall for a short 4'4".

You then head toward the back of the house passing the garage door.
I need this area kept open at all cost.

The garage door wall is also short at just 5'.


From there you turn away from the 25' wall were it opens up into another area of the basement that is off limits.

So basically what I have to work with is shaped like a large letter P.

So what I was thinking to avoid all the door hassle was this.


I will use most of the 25' wall stopping short enough to clear the door were I will then come off the wall towards the garage 4'to 6' .

I would then turn back toward the back of the house and add an ilands for a turn around.

Here is the best part
At the other end of the 25' wall is the half basemet (House is a four and a half level back split ,ten years old) and that is were the other turn around will be .
It is only storage and is very large with a five foot ceilling so if I get crazy I could expand into there wich is half the size of the house:rolleyes: :thumb: .

I plan on making the run along the wall 24"to 30" wide .

I hope this helps give everyone a better idea of what I have to work with .

Thanks for taking the time to help.
Tim K
 
Where is the entrance to the basement in relation the the description you just gave us? Can you leave enough room to make a walkway from the entrance of the basement to the door to the fruit cellar going around the layout so that you don't need a gate or duck under?
 
Russ Bellinis said:
Where is the entrance to the basement in relation the the description you just gave us? Can you leave enough room to make a walkway from the entrance of the basement to the door to the fruit cellar going around the layout so that you don't need a gate or duck under?
Click to expand...

The entrance into the basement is were the the half basement starts.
It is 7'6" from the 25' wall.

Yes Russ that is what I intend to do , the layout will look like a large letter P or J .
I will run the layout against the 25' wall turn off the wall before the fruit cellar make a large enough Iland for the return loop and then run back along the 25' wall to the half basement.

I guess if you include the half basement it would be shaped more like a pair of eye glasses..

We are going to model the modern era with an Auto theme.
We plan on having a Car plant , parts plant , scrap yard , dealer ship etc .

Should be a lot of fun building


Thanks
Tim K
 
I have a hinged lift out made of sheet metal steel. It is about 40 inches long solid & light wieght. I have micro switch on one end so that when it is up the track approching it is dead. The hinges center pins are set back onto board away from the lift out about 1/2 inch so the track on lift out lifts staright up before it starts to swing toward track on board. This allows for close tolerance.
Les
 
If you are going to model an automotive factory. that would mean you need to operate some 86 foot autoracks. Are you going to have room to run a 30 inch radius? Autoracks definately need wide turns.
 
Russ Bellinis said:
If you are going to model an automotive factory. that would mean you need to operate some 86 foot autoracks. Are you going to have room to run a 30 inch radius? Autoracks definately need wide turns.
Click to expand...

I should be able to make a 30 inch radius at both ends without any problem.

Other than not looking proper will the 86 foot autoracks not handle a 22 inch curve?

Just curious.

Tim K
 
I started building yesterday morning and I am now finished the bench work

less the foam ,I will add that later this week:thumb: .

What I ended up with is something that looks like a pair of glasses.

Starting from the half basement .

Five foot square on the storage side that joins to the main wall section with a twelve inch wide piece that runs through the wall.

The main run is twenty three feet at two feet wide.

It turns ninety degrees to the right for eight feet .

Another ninety degree turn for five feet.

From there it turn on an angle roughly thirtyfive degrees back to the main wall for a distance of seven feet.

I have a small opening in the layout side of the glass shape for acsess that the kids just love it is rectangular shaped at two feet wide by four feet long.

Everything is a minimum two feet wide with the section
on the bottom of the glass part being four feet .

I think it turned out pretty good .
I will be able to build the layout I have in my head and still have plenty of room to work on my race boats .

Maybe this could be moved to the H.O. forum or the layout forum if you think it would fit better there.

Thanks
Tim K
 
Tim K said:
I should be able to make a 30 inch radius at both ends without any problem.

Other than not looking proper will the 86 foot autoracks not handle a 22 inch curve?

Just curious.

Tim K
Click to expand...

At the modular club, our minimum radius is 36 inches, but we have a staging yard that is in the center of the layout that joins the layout through a wye. The wye has somw 24 inch radius curves, and we have difficulty getting 85 foot passenger cars throught the wye without derails. In fact one f our projects is to build a new wye with a larger radius. I don't think autoracks will make it through a 22 inch radius at any speed. If you haven't got track laid, yet, I would suggest you put some 22 inch radius track down and run at least three autoracks through to see how they do. If autoracks won't make it through your tightest curves, you will ned to decide if it is important enough to have autoracks that you need to redesign the layout.
 
Thanks for your advise Russ , I will definately test out the Autoracks before deciding on a final track plan.

I think I have enough room for the radius needed but if I don't I can always use the Autoracks in the point to point part of the layout and as loading scenery for the plant.

Tim K
 
Tim K said:
Maybe this could be moved to the H.O. forum or the layout forum if you think it would fit better there.

Thanks
Tim K
Click to expand...


Tim,

Now that you have solved most of your design issues, and begun construction, you can always start another thread in the HO Forum if you like.

Andrew
 
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