Thanks to my two boys, I have rediscovered the hobby I enjoyed as a kid. Wow, has model railroading come a long way yet it is comforting to see lots of old names still in the business of making trains, parts, etc.
We are planning our first layout to fit against a wall in a spare bedroom. The room is 11’6" x 10’. It is going to be a frelance layout with min radius turns of 20". I liked the double loop design since it will take some time for a train to make a complete curcuit of the layout. I also wanted to keep the turn radius tight since a closet and window are near either end of the layout. I’m looking for feedback on the design, is it too much for the space or should I add more track to make it more interesting?
The layout will be HO scale. My goal with this layout is to get back into the hobby and introduce my kids to it. I wanted something with some variety, ie mountain tunnels, round house, small town, and some elevated scenery. (Right now the kids are beside themselves with excitement as we have been talking and planning this for about a year.) It has taken some time to find the space in our home and come up with something that will work for kids, dad and of course mom.
The left side will have a mountain in the corner with a double portal tunel opening on the left front side of the layout. The right side will have an elevated inside track so that it has clearance over the outside track. The outside track on the right side will come into a small town with station toward the rear center of the layout. Sorry for not having all these scenery detail on the plan, I need to work on that…
I was planning on using DCC so that two trains can run at once. One train can be in the station siding track while the other makes the first loop. The second train can then start out on the first
OK, good, you’ve got some idea of the direction you’re running.
You’ve got some good perameters set up and they should be pretty easily attained.
I wouldn’t worry too much about having scenery on paper right now, but you should have it in mind as you design. I can see you’re already doing that.
You’re going to need something for the trains to do as running in circles will loose it’s interest pretty quickly. Some sidings are in order. Now a word on those,…you want to be able to stop a train, break off the loco, move some cars around into sidings, and then reassemble the train without blocking the main route through the area too much so that a second train can pass by while all this is going on. There are several ways to do this. I did a switching demonstration some time ago using a double track main, but the concepts apply to a single track main too. Check out the different solutions to this and begin to think how you might use some of this to create a small switching sectio for your town. http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Track%20Plans/Switching%20Demonstrations/
Also, your yard and loco facility is a good start, but it might be made more compact and more functional with a couple of changes. I did a “parts of the yard” demo once and it might help here. Now both of these yards are through yards. That means a train can move into it from one end and out of the other. That takes space though. You don’t have a lot of that, so a stub yard would work better for you. Thats a yard like what you drew already. The tracks come to a stub end. But the basic parts of both kinds of yards are the same. Take a look at this and see if it helps: http://s83.photo
How’s this: I added a larger yard and passing siding to the far side of the layout. there was more room on that side of the layout so the town will be moved to the front left side of the layout. The new passing track/station track on the front/bottom of the layout seems a little awkward but maybe is ok?
If I am reading the drawing correctly, it appears that you have very short runs between your crossing of the mains and the bridges of the elevated main over the lower main. Preferably, grade should be about 2% or less plus the bottom and top transitions (vertical easements). You might make as much as 4% work with very short trains! Passing track at bottom appears rather short, too. Good start! Dante
Thanks Dante, I was wonding about that. I will do some calculations and see if it will be too steep. 4% sounds like a bit much, I may have to re-think the whole elevated section. I am not sure about the passing track either on the bottom. I wanted a dog bone shape more or less so that it would be easier to reach the other side of the layout. I’m 6’1" and now wonder if I should just make the layout a 4’ x 11’-6" rectangle?
If you use curved turnouts for your passing siding, you can lengthen it by starting on the curves. Walthers/Shinohara has a series of such, but as pointed-out in an earlier thread, their posted radii are only half-correct: they are actually 36/30, 32/28, 28/22, 24/18. Onward & upward! Dante
OK here is another refined version that I really like. I still need to smooth out some of the curves but I am thinking this is do-able. I still may try out the turnout on a curve and see how that looks as well. Thanks!
What you have there is a huge improvement over the original plan; my only concern is the diverging route as the main line on the white turnout. In every case I have seen this done there ends up being issues with running the trains unattended. Perhaps you could run the switch off the extension on your other spur? You should also calculate your grade so that the yard ends up being level. If you can get away with it you should make the switches for your spur(s) level too.
Can you use the whole room and if so where is the door and window located? I have a 10X18’ trainroom with a double track running around the walls. I installed a 30" swing gate to be able to enter the center of the layout. I’m in a wheelchair so I need a little more room to manuever around. Along the 18’ wall the layout is 30" wide to accomodate an 8 track through yard (TOs on both ends). The double track climbs a 2 1/2% grade to go up over trackage that comes out of the trainroom to my bedrrom where I have modules built on casters for ease of moveability and quick set up. The modules are 2’X4’ leading over to a 32" radius loop with my turntable, roundhouse, & engine service facilities inside of the loop. I have 3/8" metal dowels on the ends of the modules for alignment, eliminating the need for a bridge track over the gap between modules. I have a Digitrax Super Chief Radio DCC system that is simply fantastic. i bought it in 1998 & have had no problems what so ever with it. I have a dedicated programming track running to my work station by my bed and each of the roundhouse tracks can be used to program using DPDT(double pole double throw) switches. I have an automatic reversing switch for the loop around the roundhouse and the turntable bridge. I think you would like the swing gate idea letting yoiu use the whole room. This would more than double your layout space. Tweet.
Thanks Z50R for the heads up on the diverging route main. I will move it to the other siding. Learning a lot here.
Tweet: This time around, using the whole room is not an option. When we do our remodel, then I will have more room for a new layout and would really like to have a layout around the walls with a few peninsulas and get away from the rectangle…
Sorry to enter this conversation so late, but I have a concern–reach. The maximum reach any layout should have is 30" and you have upwards of four feet. Not only will it be near impossible to scenic, but what will you do when you have a derail or a turnout that needs maintainance? Or you simply have to clean the track.
I have a couple other fundamental questions for you. What are you trying to accomplish? Is this a temporary learning project, or do you have a plan in mind for something more elaborate. If it is a temporary layout, then you are putting a lot of money into your education.
The alternative is to spend more time now doing a little more research and asking more questions. Then when you buy you are buying with purpose. I also suggest reading my beginner’s guide below. It will help you ask the right questions.
Wow, outta the loop for a while and look what I come back to! You’re really getting that thing dialed in! Still got a ways to go, but definately getting there.
These guys have given you some really good suggestions and I don’t have much to add really, other then, don’t worry about redoing the plan a bunch of times. Changes on paper are cheaper then ones on plywood! I made almost 20 revisions to my plan before I had what I was after.
