Well it’s not my first track plan, it’s more of an updated one. This is my first layout I’m building. I posted a plan and had lots of great help on another forum, but that plan used 22" curves. The main difference is I’m trying to convert it to 32" curves so I can run a passenger train. A couple of notes… HO scale 1940s-1950s switching with the ability to just watch trains run is what I’m after, The blue is the walls, the brown is the benchwork (already in place). I also want some aspect of a town. The track that appears to be floating in the bottom middle is where I plan to add a duckunder. I can’t decide if I want to keep the yard or creat a couple more sidings. I’d like to have a yard but I almost feel as though I don’t quite have the appropriate room for a decent one. There is a slim chance I could add a yard off the programming/rest of world track. The problem is our basement isn’t ideal for a layout. They had the basement built then added duct work for heating/air and some water pipes afterwards, so that all hangs down in the way for the most part. I had to make a ceiling out of luan (spelling) board. With the space I have I think my passenger train will only be 5 or 6 cars which isn’t a big deal to me. While the passenger train is runing the main, I’d be doing freight runs. The main point of this post is to help me with the operational side of the equation. I should be getting Armstrong’s track planning book in the mail anyday. So to end this runon… what problems/suggestions do you have for me?
What is the room size frm wall to wall and the width of your benchwork on the 3 sides next to the wall, lastly, how long is the peninsula from each wall? Do you absolutely have to have 32" radius curves? I run 89’ full length passenger cars and 89’ TOFCs with no derailments on 30" & 28" double track loops. All of my couplers are body mounted as opposed to the talgo (truck mounted) set up. Try maybe setting up a test loop of track & see what happens. Granted I avoid coupling & uncoupling on curves, but my trackplan is designed to avoid any couipling/uncoupling on the curves. Tweet
The length of each wall starting with the bottom wall going clockwise are: 3’7" X 8’6" X 11’ X 13’3"
The left peninsula from the wall to the end is 7’4" with the righ one being 4’.
I don’t need 32" curves, I just thought that was the NMRA recommendation.
The aisle widths are also fine for me, I forgot to mention that incase that issue came up.
This attachment should have a ruler attached to it…
I’d put a siding, flag stop or something into the “town” area in the end of the reverse loop, just something to add interest. Perhaps a warehouse in the outskirts of town that takes delivery of an occasional boxcar on a stub siding?
Agamemnon, that sounds doable, I’ll look into it. The town part of my layout was just going to be a very small fraction of a town.
I’ve had almost 190 views and only 2 replies to this thread. Either everyone thinks my plan will work or I’m so far off I can’t be helped?!?!
I got my copy of Track Planning for Realistic Operations, so by the time I’m done reading it I could have a whole new plan!
Critically examining a track plan is not always a simple thing to do. I usually have to study the plan for more than a few minutes, and think about how proposed operations (if provided) might work (or not work). Often my forum time is too limited for that kind of study. My other limitation is that I’ve never built anything other than island-style table layouts, so 1) I’m hesitant to offer critiques on something I have no personal experience with, and 2) the good points and design flaws of larger or around-the-walls plans are not so obvious.
That said, the most problemmatic area I see in the plan is the turnout and curves on the removable/swing away/duckunder section. Duckunders create major earthquakes on the model railroad and sore heads/shoulders/backs on the owners. Removable or swing away/up/down/ sections have alignment issues at the track joints; these are exacerbated by the number of track joints and curves at the joints. While all of this is solveable, you must be prepared for these issues.
Other than the duckunder or removable section, the plan seems to do pretty well from an operational point of view.
I only see one potential problem, and that is with the direction change caused by the loop around the town. If you are running a train counter-clockwise, then go around the loop (and thus start running clockwise), there is no way to change back to a counter-clockwise direction unless you run around the loop in reverse. You could move the locomotive to the other end of the train on a passing track, butthen the loco would be running wrong-end-forward (unless you use doubleheaded locos hooked tail to tail). This may not be a problem for you, depending on your operational plan, but it is a potential trap.
Hi Aron, over all I like the plain but I would do 2 things.
On the town loop, I would add a turn out so you could go back on the main line on the duck under.
I would add a B line on the out side of the currnet plain. Running just one train is fun, but could get a little bored with it. I know I did, when I added my B line it added alot of fun for me. I see you like switching, use the out side line as a high speed line and your currnet main as the branch line.
Justmy 2 cents worth but 2 lines are fun. Will be adding a 3rd on my bench.
Cuda Ken
I plan on having at least 2 engines to start off with. One passenger for the main and my steam engine for switching operations.
When was the last time you went to K-10? (I think it was you that I remember reading about going there). I was there for the first time a few weekends ago. It was great.
I am there every Wednesday, normal bettwen 2 and 5. I will be there this wednesday a little latter but I will be there. If you like to talk PM me your phone number. This Wednesday I am going to haul my junk to K-10 trains and shoot for the record! Quaded headed E-6’s and Erie bulits going for a 178 car drag. Ken has taken pitty on me and wil let me run the DC lines on none train days. It not that I spend a lot, I just buy ever week. Some times only $4.00, sometimes $140.00 but if wendsday I am there.
We were there Oct. 14th, a Saturday. There were a few people in and out while we were there and I knew you went there often. I actually live two and half hours away, toward the north. We came down there to the train show in Kirkwood. My brother is going to school in Edwardsville so we stopped by K-10 on the way to his house. I plan on stopping down there everytime I’m in the area, I thought they had great prices on their products.
Yep, K-10 is the best. Ken is helping me with the up and coming bench. To bad you live so far away and I work ever weekend so more than likely you will not make it on a weekday. If you would like to buy from K-10 I be happy to do the shipping for just cost. Ken from K-10 has been of such great help to me and my quest I will do it just to pay him back a little.
Well I’ve made a change to my track plan. The change involves have a grade of about 2.2% going up to a max height of 3.25" for over/under. I’m just curious what everyone thinks about my change. It is on the right hand side. I can fill in the rest later but I’m trying to get another reverse loop in. I can add a yard to the lower left, it will just be a little bit more work. It would just be a staging yard only though. The red highlighted track would be my grade From Point A to B should be a total length of 112" and from C to D should be about104" (someone may need to check my math for my grade of 2.2%). The track between B and D should be mostly level at 3.25" high. Is 3.25" between tracks good or bad or just about right? Should I use 3.5" or 3"?
Also for note: I’ll move the coal mine to the middle of the reverse loop. Will having this here create any problems being in the middle of a reverse loop? All this track planning is some hard work! With everyone’s help I’ll get it right!
I just realized my grade is closer to 3%??? Ok I’ve made a slight adjustment (not posted on this picture) and I’ve gotten the grade down to 2.2%. However I have 2" foam base that I could cut into. This should make this reverse loop doable on this grade???
Thanks,
Aaron
