Ideas Please!

[Aerion]

Hello!

I'm hoping you guys can help me with a delima. I have a few hundred dollars worth of HO scale stuff from 10 years ago when I started a layout that I never finished (divorce sucks). I'm at the point where I want to start over again.

My problem seems to be a combination of high wish list combined with low space.

Wish List:

1> Want to model a lumber company complete with geared lokies. (love your layout Shamus!)

2> Want a continuous mainline loop with a town and a freight line. Mainline can be a fairly basic loop as long as it is continuous.

3> I'd like the mainline loop to be able to run almost any lokie and cars. I don't care about passenger trains but I might want to run some big steam.

4> Really need to stay with HO because of my current investment.


Below is a drawing of the room I have to work with. The basic deminsions are 14' x 12' but with the stairs down in the way. The grid is 1' x 1'.

I've done up a couple of attempts at a layout and I'm prepared to post my attempt here but I'm thinking I don't want to stymie any creative approaches right away. I will post mine later if it seems the best way to go.

Thanks!

 

[rockislandmike]

Heck, that's not that small. Plenty of space to do up a railroad empire. Two queries:

(1) How high up is the window ???

(2) Are the stairs wooden and what's underneath 'em ??? Would it be possible for the train to go through them and into a "staging" area underneath ???

 

[billk]

Hey Michael -
Nice space, you have alot of options. What about the window?
Do you have to work around it?

 

[Aerion]

(1) How high up is the window ???

The window sill is approximately 36" above the floor.

(2) Are the stairs wooden and what's underneath 'em ??? Would it be possible for the train to go through them and into a "staging" area underneath ???

The stairs go down, not up.

Nice space, you have alot of options. What about the window?
Do you have to work around it?

There is no problem putting a layout in front of the window at this time. But it would be good if I could reach it somehow.

 

[shamus]

Hi Aerion, welcome to the gauge. Thanks for the comment on my logging empire. Okay, you want to do some logging with that room size of 14 by 12 in HO. I have some track plans on my website, but I will post a couple here for you to browse.

Shamus

 

[Aerion]

Hello, Shamus and thanks for replying.

I looked over your track layouts on your site already. The problem is that the stairs interfere with those plans you posted unless there is a way you see to modify them.

The stairs are what presents the problem. Without them being there, I wouldn't have a problem.

 

[NYCentral]

How about something like this, everything is within 2' reach. Again this is just a start or a basic idea.

there would be a 4" wide shelf above the stairs, which shouldn't affect their usage.

 

[Railery]

At the top of the stairs u can build a 4' loop and continue along the way. That gives u 3' to get by. u can make the loop a mountain area with a curve trestle. So when anyone is coming up the stairs they will see the trestle and the mountain terrain.

 

[Aerion]

Originally posted by Railery
At the top of the stairs u can build a 4' loop and continue along the way. That gives u 3' to get by. u can make the loop a mountain area with a curve trestle. So when anyone is coming up the stairs they will see the trestle and the mountain terrain.

One of the problems I'm battling is accessibility. If I have any place against the wall that is 4' deep, I will have a hard time reaching it. Anything over 36" is going to be too much of a stretch.

 

[Aerion]

Originally posted by NYCentral
How about something like this, everything is within 2' reach. Again this is just a start or a basic idea.

there would be a 4" wide shelf above the stairs, which shouldn't affect their usage.

I think you're on to something with the track running over the stairs, NYCentral. Let me ponder that for a bit. Thanks for the suggestion!

On your example, which tracks would be lumber company and which tracks would be freight line?

 

[Railery]

Hi Aerion. For that loop u make a pop out in the middle so u can access the track in the corner along the wall. Or have a tunnel in the corner and u can access the track from underneath.

 

[billk]

Just a thought re: over the stairs. Make the track there a "transit" track - i.e. just to get from one side of the stairs to the other. Put a high enough wall along it so that if a derailment occurs, the cars don't end up falling all the way to the stairs, and don't even worry about scenicing it or ballasting.

 

[NYCentral]

Originally posted by Aerion


I think you're on to something with the track running over the stairs, NYCentral. Let me ponder that for a bit. Thanks for the suggestion!

On your example, which tracks would be lumber company and which tracks would be freight line?

I fine tuned it a little.

Yellow track is logging
grey is freight
black lines are roads
blue is mill pond
in lower right corner (above stairs) is a small town
numbers are elevations in inches of the track.
Logging grade is about 3%

 

[Railery]

Like your track plan Phil.

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Very nice plan Phil!

 

[Aerion]

That is a nice plan, Phil!

I think with a few tweeks it might be exactly what I'm looking for!

 

[NYCentral]

Thanks everyone, was just trying to give you some ideas Aerion. I knew you would want to tweek it to fit your own taste and structures.

 

[Aerion]

Does anyone know how tight of a turn and how steep of a grade the Bachman Shay models will navigate?

 

[Aerion]

First Cut

Ok, guys. It is still a work in progress but this is my first cut.

The logging camp will go in the top right corner. I'm still bouncing aroung what to do with the staging yard on the right side.

Opinions please!

 

[aartwmich]

VERY cool!