HELP!!!! Layout plan!

6

65GASSER

Member
Jun 12, 2006
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Malvern, AR
Alright. I have bought books, programs, looked at every model railroader I have and everyone of my ideas still suck. I know what I want, I just can't put it on paper. The room is 22ft x 19ft and the door swings to the outside so its perfect. It will be straight DC, not going DCC anytime soon. I want 2 main lines that don't cross or connect to each other and 1 inner shortline industial/switching track, that can go all the way around the walls as well. I plan on running the whole layout around the room with cut down 3x8 sheets of plywood on tables and some in the center. Its is 80's to modern era. 24 degree curves on the mains, can be smaller on the shortline track because I have mostly gp's and switching locos for the Arkansas Midland RR.

What I am looking for is some ideas or pieces of ideas from you guys. I'm tapped out and frustrated! Any input or pics or whatever is greatly greatly appreciated!


trainroom.jpg
 
Hi,
Why do you not want to join the two (or more) lines with crossovers?? It's very little work/cost and you gain a world of increased operating possibilities...!!! With a room that size I would definitely NOT do an around-the-walls (no lifting/ducking under). I would do a walk-into with 2 or 3 peninsulas sticking into the room. The possibilities are astronomic...!!!
What's more important, is what do YOU want to do with your trains?? Operate realistically, or just do a little realistic and more just running??? Do you envision 2 or 3 different levels??? Put your wants/don't wants on a piece of paper and your ideal layout will be on its way...!!!

Good luck...!!! :thumb:
 
I cant imagine NOT using DCC. Its easy, cheap, and makes track layout much simpler for me, No blocks etc.. enough of that rant.. sounds like you know more than I anyway... :-)

That said...

Start with operations.. what are your trainis "doing?" just going in cirlcels, or moving freight from here to there? Youve mentioned passenger and freight service, but where are people going to and comming from, where is that box car headed?

Pick a couple of "cities" on the Arkansas Midland RR and put one city at one end of the room and the other at the oposite end.. now add some cities and towns that can be found in between.

Add a bridge or three,

Surely the RR crosses a river somwhere...

Pick the best things you like about the Arkansas Midland RR and highlight them.

Or make your self a challange layout.. such as:
The longest train I can pull...
The stepest grade I can run up...
The fewest switches to get from A to B..

Me, I want variety.. I want independent trains with intersecting operations..
I.e. I have a yard that does not foul the main.. this means mainline can run at the same time as yard is working.. I want Yard A in City A to build trains that MAINLINE will pull to Yard B in CITY B. This give me three independent operational oprotunities.. building trains in yard A, hauling freight on mainline, and classifiying freight in yard B. (DCC is MADE for mulitple trains and muliple operators) Easy enough to add passenger service over mainline so long as I have some passing sidiing for the freight.. mixed service is fun too...

ok.. thats enough from me...

Thanks
Dansco
 
There are 9287 permutations and combinations of the words N-Scale-Track-Plan-Free.
Im a great one to suggest anything about planning, cuz I'm still in the delusions of grandiosity stage. I get lotssa inspiration by examining photos of layouts of all sizes.
I think my plan is similar to 65gasser specs, but squeezed onto a 32" x 82" N scale rollabout.
 

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I don't usually do this but for some reason I decided to give your room a try. I rotated your room 90 degrees but you can orient yourself by the door. I used your measurement of 36" all the way around the outer edge of the room with the minimum clearance for humans as 36" aisleways as well. I started to get crazy and then thought I better get some feedback from you before I went any further. I see a nice double mainline meandering around the layout (24" minimum radius) through some hilly or mountainous scenery with a big old yard (or some staging) on the top. You may even have room to do some over/under stuff if you like with those big circles out on the peninsulas. You did say "all the way around" so I figured you were going to have a duckunder or a lift out or something... that is shown as well. Your switching branch, I see as running against the back wall with possibly some towns down the middle of the peninsulas above the double mainline. I just threw this together as an idea and the family is bugging me to get out the door for ice cream and so I must go. Hope this gives you some ideas.
 

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