Loren....As a newbe, I have looked at the form and do not have a clue as to how to answer some of the questions listed. The answers to the questions that I think I do understand are:
RR Name: Haven't named it
Scale: HO (Standard I would guess is what we have)
Prototype: ???
ERA: None Specific
Region: Since I live in Colorado I would like mountains and/or plains country with appropriate scinery
Railroad: ?? I want to have a fairly straightforward type of layout without to many complications. Would like to run two or more trains at one time if possible.
Space: Outbuilding 12 foot wide x 16 foot long but would not like to have layout much longer that eight feet by perhaps 9-10 feet wide.
No ceiling restrictions as it has a barn roof type ceiling. Two four tube florescent lights is what I would think to hang from ceiling.
Relative Emphasis: ??
Track Operation: Some switching with yard if possible. Mostly just running trains for pleasure.
Mainline running: ??
Operation Priorities: Passenger Train Switching
Mainline passanger Train Operation
Long freight Train Operations
Does the above make sence??hamr
to help you out, I shall elaborate on your question marks.
Prototype- Your prototype is a specific thing you want to model. Perhaps you want to model the Pennsylvania Railroad, or the Union Pacific. You could get even more specific as to certain divisions and regions. With this selected, you can give your railroad direction as to a specific way to detail it. For example, the PRR used Position light signals or other details unique to itself. Details like this can make your layout look the part of a particular setting.
the questions that followed in the givens/druthers are part of determining your prototype. You've already decided on your region.
- Era being the time period. do you want steam, streamliners, or modern heavy duty diesels?
- Railroad: again, its looking for a particular railroad to help you get your layout in order. Since you live in Colorado, Amtrak, DRG&W, the Union Pacific, Southern Pacfic, Santa Fe, or BNSF railway might be a railroad you can pick to fit your region.
Relative Emphasis-This is asking you how you want to run your railroad.
- Track Operation/Mainline running go together. Basically, its asking wether or not you want to run freights and things around the layout, switching boxcars and the like, or if you'd rather be running the trains from point to point, which emphasizes running your trains over the mainline.
It sounds to me like you want to emphasize on mainline running. Therefore, you might build your layout to better accomadate long trains and passing tracks for passenger trains, and not so much with large industrial complexes and other freight switching jobs.
- Operations Priorities You can use your list of priorities to make a better track plan. You may want to build track so that it has terminals on each end for passenger trains going across the layout. At the same time, since you are running long freights, it may be good to have alteast one large freight yard, and some staging so that you can deliver the larger trains to there destinations, where a smaller train might deliver some of the cars to local industries if you choose to include a local freight.
there are a few good articles on the web for making Commuter railroads, which can certainly be elongated and expanded into your space to get all the same operation you want.
http://www.trains.com/mrr/objects/pdf/commuter.pdf
while these are all small layouts, they look almost exactly what you are looking for, and should serve as a guide to building your ideal railroad. You just need to add a larger rail yard for your mainline freights, and you'll be happy.
One final suggestion- try to use large radius curves like 22 inch and 24 inch, since many passenger cars need atleast 22 if you want them to stay on the rails.
Chris.