Layout Plan=Conrail 1979 PENN/NY line.

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gottaBreal

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Sep 13, 2006
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Ok guys im planning this layout now and have just wanted to see what ideas I could get with all your minds put togather. Its going to be a line from mid Penn ST up to Olean NY in which im told needed helper units to pull the grade. This will work out great since from the lower level to the top will give me a reason to have a Bunch of locos sitting around just waiting to give a hand on the steep grade up to Olean NY.

Now I was looking at a system map and there is a East West line running threw Olean Ny with a wye and all. Very nice to have Google maps to give us a hand at looking at whats really there. So that will give me a nice Interchange with another line on the top level.

The Helix and the Tracks leading to it are in the back room and will be hidden to the view of the operator. I will also have 4 or 5 track stagging yards at both ends of my points.

Id like to see a nice interchange and Yard up on the top level at Olean NY and wanna build a nice Bridge on the bottom level threw the curve. I was thinking the ME steel bridge but have starting to think about a scratch built Concrete viaduct.

here is a idea of what kinda area im looking at. The area which the front will sit is almost 11 feet long the narrow end is just under 1 foot and the curved area is 3foot wide.

Also that 2xcrossover isnt cast in stone maybe just have one on the top level in Olean. Oh ya Im going handlay the track on the front side of the layout and use Atlas code 83 flex track in the hidden areas. Please guys let me know what you think.
scan0002.jpg
 
What Conrail map are you using? In 1979 there were two lines crossing in Olean. The Allegheny Division ran from Buffalo south to Harrisburg (former Pennsylvania) and the Youngstown Division from Youngstown to Hornell (former Erie Lackawanna).
 
MilesWestern said:
Where's the industries? Any preference of scenery (The Eastern US, obviously) But what do YOU want to get out of that layout?
Click to expand...

I posted the bare bones of what Im planning to see what others could come up with.

As for modeling Im going to do whats really there in real life. So read next post.
 
Brian Schmidt said:
What Conrail map are you using? In 1979 there were two lines crossing in Olean. The Allegheny Division ran from Buffalo south to Harrisburg (former Pennsylvania) and the Youngstown Division from Youngstown to Hornell (former Erie Lackawanna).
Click to expand...

Ok thanks mang this is the kinda help i need. I guess Im going to do the Allegheny Division from Buffalo to Harrisburg with a Interchange in Olean with the Youngstown Div.

Do you have any clue if helper locos were needed here?
 
Ya i was just posting a basic idea of what im looking at. It will be 2 levels both the same area on each level. Im going to try and model Olean NY and a town in Penn which was the start of the grade up to NY. I didnt add any sidings or anything since im still trying to find out what the prototype did back then in the area.

There is more....The 2 mainline that run off the page are going to a 4 to 5 track staging yard on both levels. The bottom level will have a nice large curved bridge either Micro Eng steel bridge or a scratch built 2 track concrete bridge. It will also have a helper loco area and a few sidings for some switching. The top level Olean will have a interchange with the other mainline conrail had back in 1979 and a nice yard.

I will post more pics when i get them.
 
I think he meant he front part to be a scene, and the back is just staging and wyes. i think he also plans to add more to it on another level, although i agree that there doesn't appear to be much that can be done with this plan.
 
guys I have not added sidings and everything else with this. I will have 2 citys modeled and have 2 staging yards at either end of the railroad. That is all you need for great operation in a small amount of space. This trackplan is just my Mainline and passing sideing. It has nothing else I was hoping someone would give me a hand with the trackplan however I think Ill just do it myself seeing as i have no problem making it work.

check my replys in another guys post there about his layout.
 
lol its 1/2 Inch = 1 foot. Its almost 11 feet by 3 foot at the wide end and 1 foot at the narrow end. Trust me there is lots of room to have alot of track work. Im handlaying the track so I can make the turnouts tight and prolly #6's if not 5's in the yards.
 
If you are planning to model a prototype, I would start with a map of the prototype, and see what fits in your space. I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you, but I lived in Buffalo for one year and Syracuse for one year, That was 35 years ago and I wasn't interrsted in trains at that time.
 
ah, I see

That's helpful, thanks...so what sort of vertical separation are we talking about between levels?

Sounds like you're into watching them roll through town...I assume you have alot of rolling stock and locos you'd like to operate?

I'm leaning the same way, in a sense, of having a loop staging at each end of the line, with a scene in between. So much flexibility in what can be run, and perhaps more faithful to a Class I prototype without much compression. Still, it's hard for me to justify using so much space for staging and so little for actual 'layout', i.e. scenic area when I love building scenery and structures so much more than benchwork, trackwork & wiring. I can begin to see your emphasis on multi-level layouts now.

Galen
 
Ya it gives you so much more to do with useing the same area. I tell ya 10 years ago when I was on my way out for a hobby break Helix and 2 or even 3 level layouts was what the future held and now Im back and everyone is still playing around with table tops.

STaging at both ends of your railroad no matter how long between lets u do what you wanna when you want to.

Gotta eat dinner bbs
 
"table top" layouts exist because they work. you can build a great model railroad with one ( you don't need to have all this "point to point" track plans). You can do anything you are doing with that layout. I saw a NEC style layout that was a scene in front with Catenary and all, really beautiful, but in back was staging, all on a table top that was about the size of your set up, and it was more or less a big oval.

I think "table top" layouts deserve more merit then you give.
 
I know what your saying about table tops they can be very nice and im thinking now about just doing a smaller top level switching track puzzle with staging in the back to start. I have tonnes of switches and flex track mix of Atlas code 100 and shin/wathers code 83.

May even try blue or pink foam even tho i have no idea how to use the stuff. However I think for a more industrial area this would work very well. New track plan to come.
 
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