Building a layout

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hi guys and gals. My name is Donald. I have been collection HO trains for 15 years now and have had 4 different layouts. I got married and dismantled my 4 layout 6 years ago. I have completed a 16’x16’ building that I will be building my new layout in.

Now for some help. All of my layouts has been plywood on a 1x6 frame. On my new layout I want to have a hidden staging yard, and I’m thinking about a double deck layout for more operation also. So what would be the best kind of bench work for me to build??

For the track work. I have be drawing ideals for my track for the past 6 years and after 15 years and 4 layout I’m still having trouble coming up on a track plan. Over the years I have purchased structure that I want to use on my layout. I have placed them around the room to try to get ideals but nothing I come up with really don’t represent the operation I want. I like to have continues main line running and a switching layout, and to be able to take pictures. What would be the best way for my to start my track work. My other layout I just started laying track and they all ended up pretty much the same way. Strait track along the walls with a siding. On this layout I like to have a plan before I start. Any one have any suggestions?? I have looked at just about every track plan book out there but I didn’t see anything that interested me. Here is a list of what buildings I have to work with and how I like to have my track.::

Track
Continues Double Track Main
Switch
Yard
Small yard (5 or 6 stub tracks)
Turntable (Walthers (90’)
Round House (Walthers)
Coaling station (Walthers 2 track)
Sanding rack (Bachmann Spectrum)
Transfer Table (Walthers)
Car Shop (Walthers)
Locomotive Maintenance building (Bachmann Spectrum)
Coal Prep Plant
Flood loader (Walthers)
Tri-State Power(Walthers (Used for PrepPlant)
Rotory Dump (Walthers)
Steel Mill
Blast Furnace

2

Donald: I think it depends a lot on how you’re layout is going to be configured. FWIW, here’s what I did. Bear in mind I consider most layouts to be dramatically overbuilt: You mention 1x6 lumber… I haven’t (and wouldn’t) feel the need to use a single scrap of 1x6 lumber in a layout. Unless you’re doing something crazy like spanning 20’ with no legs, it’s overkill (and if you’re trying to do that, go get some engineered trusses from the home store, not 1x anything).

Anyway, here’s what I do, that might be very applicable for a multi-deck type layout: I have a single-deck layout in a 20x28 space. It is mostly a “bookshelf” style layout around the walls, with several pensinsulas coming out into the room.

I’m using brackets for the 'shelf" (i.e. 2.5 foot width or less) areas.

I cut a triangle roughly 3" more than the width of the shelf out of 1/2" plywood. My room has open studs, so I screw the extra 3" or so directly to the side of the stud - rock solid. I don’t glue this in the interest of portability if I’m ever forced to move (and it would be ‘forced’ - believe me).

Then I Dado a 1/2" wide, 1/4" deep groove in 1x4 dimensionals for the top and cut it the length of the shelf. This grooved 1x4 gets glued to the top edge of the plywood bracket. (I shoot a few brads in with the nail gun to hold it while it dries). The trick here is to mount the bracket to the wall before you put the top on - if you try and assemble them “offline” before mounting, you’ll never get the same strength in the glue bond. Mount the bracket, glue liberally, press the top down and nail it to hold: I’ve tried to disassemble a couple of these when I messed it up and hoped to reuse the material. Let me tell you that you’ll pull that wood apart before you break that joint!

If I didn’t have exposed studs in my train area, I would do another dadoed 1x4 for the back, attach as noted, then use that as an attachment point to the wall.

So now I have a very stable 1x4

3

[#welcome] First of all welcome to the forum Donald.

You did not state and I may be wrong, looks to me your considering a around the room layout. You layout sounds very interesting. design the layout yourself, perhaps a nolex or helix to have double the lenght and double the effects for industrys, perhaps a swing up or swing out spanning the door, if around the room is what your intending.

What Im trying to say is that the steel mill will take a lot of lenght, Roundhouses are space eaters,

Here is my two cents, Building a two level layout the Steel Mill could have its own yard, the round house would not have to be on the same level as your backshop, You could have two yards one one each level, as well as small yards for industrys without the train being in two industrys at the same time as it traveles.

If your not into the cad track planning mind set (taking the time to learn it, do it, and get building it can be eons of time) Me I just grab some 1/4 lined paper, a compas and pencil, then layout the max shelf area for your room that you want to use

Then design and layout your steel mill and yard tracks, your yard or yards and all industrys, then cut thes out and move them around the room graph sheet, dont worry about the mains untill you get the essest you want to achieve, then conect the dots of the mains. Try not to have mains less then six inches from the front, just remembered, Look for Joes topic on realistic operation, with that your on the right track.

Enjoy and have a great day…John

4

Let’s see if I can describe my idea to you in a clear and understandable way.

You didn’t mention if you wanted to limit any grades, so I will assume that you want no more than a 2% grade. You didn’t mention where the door into the room is, or if there are any obstructions in the room (other doors, closets, windows, etc.), so I will assume the door is in the middle of the front wall and there are no other obstructions in the room.

The ‘hidden’ staging will be on the back wall opposite the door in the front wall. This will be your base level at 0" height. The staging yard tracks run parallel to the layout and begin at the front edge of the layout. Behind the staging tracks are the double track mainlines.

Starting from the RIGHT end of the staging yard, the mainlines remain at 0" elevation along the back wall, around to and along the right wall, around to and along the front wall, where the two main lines diverge and form a loop. This entire section, from the staging yards to the loop is level at 0" elevation.

From the left side of the staging yard, the mains begin a gradual ascent following around the room along the left wall and across the front wall to the door. The mains form a loop traveling in a clockwise direction, still rising, until the mains are once again parallel to the wall. The mains continue rising, parallelling the wall, as they return around the room, now traveling from left to right all along the left wall, the rear wall, the right wall and the front wall to the right of the door, all the while still rising. Once again, the mains form a loop, this time counter-clockwise, until the mains are once again parallel to the walls. The mains now travel from right to left, still rising, as they head parallel to the front, right and rear walls, and again around the room to the left wall and around to the front wall. The loop they form to the left of the door now circles counter-clockwise so the mainlines end up at the front edge of the layout. A

5

Thanks for everyones help so far. I had a few question asked about what I’m looking for on my layout.

The room:: The door is in the middel of one of the wall it’s the only obstruction in the room.

Layout Height::36" to 50"

The track:: I like to keep most track along the wall. With maybe a 5’x8’ peninsula on one one of the walls. Have a grade no more them 2.25%. As for the track radius at lest 24 minimum radius for main line, and 18 for the steel mill.

Darrell,
Thank you your ideal. I had to scetched it out, but I may be able to use this.

Donald

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Donald,

Hope you could make sense out of what I wrote. It is essentially the plan I have had in mind for my new layout (as soon as I get the spare bedroom cleaned out!). I tried to put in as much detail as I could as I mentally worked my way around the layout.

One benefit for me was in putting this in writing. My original thought was to have both mainlines leaving the staging yard and ascending to the upper level from both sides. This would have doubled the amount of trackage climbing around the walls (my plan was single tracked mains). I much prefer the double track mains as it leaves more room going up the wall.

Now if we could just find some kind-hearted soul who will help us out by putting this on a cad drawing… (Anyone?)

Darrell, praying for help, and quiet…for now