Zealot

Hello all! Well it has come time for me to start planning my layout! I just graduated from college and landed myself a job so now I finally have the financial freedom to try my hands at the best hobby on the planet :thumb:. Well after I pay off a few debts of course haha. Anyways I have never built a layout before but most of my family worked for the Grand Trunk in Port Huron, MI. so I figured I should base my layout on it. My basement is huge and the space I mentioned is not even half of it but I didnt want to start to big and get overwhelmed so I felt this size is plenty big to begin with. I have some books coming my way to read up on. I was planning on modeling the auto industry but it would be a real shame not to model a lumber dependent layout since I already have the Walthers lumber mill, superior paper mill, hardwood furniture factory, and all of the expansion buildings for the lumber mill to make it more modern. I also have the Walthers magic pan bakeries, lakeside shipping, the prarie star flour mill, and a bunch of other buildings. So I am not quite sure if I should go wasting more money on trying to find the auto industry buildings when I could use all of these. Ive been slowly collecting them and buying them here and there. I wouldnt be against having it multi level for staging but really dont think I could completely model multiple decks yet. If I came up with a good enough track plan I could definitely build it with expansion in mind. I was thinking it also might be fun to come up with my own shortline but I dont know dont want to get too ahead of myself. I was thinking some type of around the room layout might work but I dont want it to seem like Im just running trains around in a circle.

Givens and Druthers(Railroad Name) In the making
Scale: Gauge: HO
Prototype: Would like to model a part of the Port Huron main line that leads to Chicago.
Era: modern
Region: Midwest
Railroad: GTW/CN

Space:
The layout will be in basement. Current space is a 19ft. by 10ft. room with a 6ft. by 11ft. room intersecting it. Basically makes A T shape.


Governing Rolling Stock: GTW dominated. Would be mostly cars carrying supplies for the paper mill and other lumber products if I did go with the lumber industry.Relative


Emphasis:
Track/Operation |______________________V_______________________| Scenic realism

Mainline running|______________________V_______________________| Switching


Operation Priorities:
  1. 2 main lines
  2. continuous running of some sorts
  3. Long Freight Train Operations
  4. Main-Line Passenger Train Operation
  5. Local Freight Operations
Typical operating Crew: __1___ Eye Level (Owner) _68__In


Here is a picture of the space I am currently planning on using. If I was to expand it would be to the left of this picture.
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