Modern residential streets? How wide?

G

guppyman

Member
Dec 6, 2001
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League City TX
www.railimages.com
I am looking at building a modern residential area on my layout. I have added a poorly drawn picture of the type of area I am talking about. What I need are dimensions:

How wide are typical roads like these?
How wide are the medians?
How about the turn lane?
Sidewalks?
Entrances to gas stations?....

Is there a good source of info on these? Or should I wing it and just make it look good?



acd.jpg
 
guppyman,

I have recently received a public notice in the mail about some road upgrades (and expressway extensions) in my area with all the engineering drawings.

According to this, this major avenue in my area (3 lanes each way) is set up as follows:

From left to right:
6' sidewalk
2' curb and gutter
14' lane
12' lane
12' lane
2' curb and gutter
16' median
(2' gutter... and continue back up the list to the sidewalk on the other side)
 
Depending on the amount of space available on the layout, you may want to selectively compress the width of the lanes. 10 foot wide lanes on main arteries with 8 foot wide on side streets probably would look ok, but save a bit of real estate. Use 4 feet for sidewalks, and 1 foot for curbs and gutters, and it will all be in proportion, but save a lot of space.
 
Thanks for the replies. I am thinking about doing a 2'x4' module that will be a residential neighborhood. My girlfriend was looking through a catalog and she thinks it would be cool to do.... Any time I can get her involved enough to want me to do something with the trains.... I'll jump all over it.

Also, the recent Chevron station thread has me wanting to build a Stop N Go on the corner. Hopefully, I can get the details worked out in my head and start building right after Christmas (can't wait for the Home Depot and hobby shop gift cards).
 
Here's a quick drawing I did on what I am thinking. It will be a basic NTrak module- 2'x4'. No special tricks with the track or anything. The light blue on the top behind the mountain line will be the back side of some warehouse type buildings... Heading down, after the mountain line will be a small residential neighborhood. The blue area on the corner will be a gas station. I haven't considered yard size or house size, so number of houses or size of property isn't acurate at all. Very rough draft on this at this point. Does it look semi-workable?


ace.jpg
 
I love it...you could spend years on that little piece of real estate, putting working traffic and vehicle lights, easily 500+ LPBs, mini scenes of all kinds. I was a little bummed when my living situation wouldn't permit a loop type layout, but, when I realized just how much detail is in a residential or small town block, I knew I would be busy for a long time to come.
 
Wow! Very cool!

I too have always liked the residential district. I started making my own home earlier this year. If the houses in Texas (or wherever you plan to model) is similar to the ones in Florida, I can post some pictures for you. It's bigger than you would at first think, and when you factor in yard and sidewalk + easements... etc... I think you nailed it right on. My house is 5 1/4" long (70' in prototype) with a bit more than 8" for the yard from street to my back fence. The newer houses here are lengthwise (rather than width) to be able to squeeze more houses in a single block. Doesn't leave much room in front or behind for much more than cars and a pool.

The gas station I'm making was kind of tight as well, so I put it on an 8" x 8" lot (not including sidewalks or easements). I find that to be the minimum for gas station of this size - using the little CMW cars to test for clearances and such. If you want to put a car wash facility, or a garage carshop, you'd be looking at much more space.
 
Neat Urban/Suburban scene

Here's a quick drawing I did on what I am thinking. It will be a basic NTrak module- 2'x4'. No special tricks with the track or anything. The light blue on the top behind the mountain line will be the back side of some warehouse type buildings... Heading down, after the mountain line will be a small residential neighborhood. The blue area on the corner will be a gas station. I haven't considered yard size or house size, so number of houses or size of property isn't acurate at all. Very rough draft on this at this point. Does it look semi-workable?
Click to expand...


I like the look. I'd make the elevated 'mountain' line look like the Chicago El, or the elevated subway line in Queens, NYC, perhaps with a road under it.

Instead of warehouses, let the back end be a row of shops. (Perhaps using the DPM fronticepieces) with a road under the El. It'll look like Queens, near where I used to live. the LIRR ran through a few blocks away, while the Elevated subway followed an avenue east-west just a block away
 
I'd make the elevated 'mountain' line look like the Chicago El, or the elevated subway line in Queens, NYC, perhaps with a road under it.
Click to expand...

I was thinking something along those lines. Either steel bridges or possibly just a raised earth berm. I'm not entirely sure just yet.

I love this idea. I can't wait to get started on it and can't wait to start detailing it.

Thanks for the positive feedback guys.
 
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