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Hi, long time lurker first time post. I need help building a track plan in HO. I just can’t seem to get the right one. I don’t want something with a flat table. I want to be able to do op’s up to 2 people. I want to build a module on the 3’ ft. end, so I can do a return. After each session I need to take down the module, because of space. I would like to do the same with the other side where the 2’ft is. Not on the end but the side by the end. I got a wall on the end. I might need 20" curves for the modules. Very limited space. So if you can help, it would help me alot…Thanks
Hmmm, interesting problem. But any idea of what sort of track plan you are looking for, and what you consider operation by two people? Is that just two people running a train around loops simultaniously? Does that mean one person working a yard an another running a train around? Does that mean two people switching industries simultaniously? Or various combinations of the above?
What sort of scenery? Urban, industrial, plains, mountains, swamp…
I would like to do all the above.
With a layout in the space you have, you are not going to be able to do “all the above”. You are going to have to pick something. Most are not going to be continuous running.
One layout that comes to my mind is an L-shaped layout that is a switching layout. It has four levels, each 2 inches difference in height, so it takes some doing to get from the lowest one to the highest one. I have built this particular layout twice, with modifications to add a small yard in front. I built it once in N scale and once in HO. Both times I have used it as part of a larger layout by extending the main line beyond the ends. (Sorry I don’t have any pics at the moment.) The plan as published uses country type scenery, but I used city scenery with block retaining walls between sections. One side is 8 foot long and the other is 5 or 6 foot long. At any rate, you should be able to lengthen and shorten it as required. It doesn’t have a formal name, but is on page 16 with another layout and is called “Two Track Plans for an L-Shaped Space” and is found in the book “Track Planning Ideas from Model Railroader”. (58 track plans from past issues.) There are 3 or 4 track plans in there that would fit the space that you have. The first printing was in 1981 and the second in 1983. I don’t know if it is still available or not. You can research that. IMHO it is a book worth having.
Thanks for the help. I should have said that want industry. And switching. With some scenery in it. I just don’t want a look of a flat table. Trying to figure out the end modules to work right.
heres a link for you it a 13’X2.5’
http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g265/russellrail/?action=view¤t=b6f7df26.pbw
You need a minimum 40" to make a loop at either end for 18" radius curve
When you mentioned 20" curves it sounds like you believe that the entire curve is 20". the 20" is a radius, and the entire curve would be 40". the suggestions above are all good. unless you expand the size of the layout a point to point. or switching plan sounds about right.
Start by figuring out a place and a time you would like to simulate - that will make it a lot easier to develop a credible track plan.
Switching a mine in Colorado looks quite a bit different from switching a sawmill in the Pacific Northwest, which looks a lot different from switching a flour mill in the Midwest, which looks a lot different from switching a meat packing plant in Chicago, which looks a lot different from switching an car plant in Michigan, which looks a lot different from switching a coal breaker in West Virginia, which looks a lot different from switching an army base in Brooklyn, which looks a lot different from switching a fish canning plant in Maine and so on and so forth.
Once you have an idea about place (or at least region) and time period, look at the whole room - not just the area you have assigned for laying tracks on.
Then you can start thinking about track plan. And about such things as whether you need continuous running to be able to create the vision you have.
Have fun!
Smile,
Stein
I want more like the flour mill of the midwest. I want to simulate a mainline running threw, dropping off and picking up. I guess I mean several plants. Not just one type. The time late 70’s early 80’s. The curves I figure a 20" radius because the room I have. Well the room is my bedroom, my wife let me barrow that part of the wall. The modules that I have to put on and off each time is because There is doors on each side. The modules to simulate continous running not point to point. But if I can’t use them in the plathen I will go to point to point. The scenery maybe a couple of hills or just different height in the track plan. Since the modules need to be taken off each time of use. The scenery doesn’t need to be dramatic. Just something to to turn those trains around. And Thanks for the help.
If it’s not to much to ask but can somebody help me out and come with a track plan. I just can’t seem to figure out how to come with one. Thanks
You said there are doors on each end of the layout. I am guessing that they are where you have plans for the extentions? Is there any other way in/out of the room or will these extentions have to be moved everytime the wife calls out? You also wanted an industrial type switching layout with several different customers. Are you looking for all to be 1-2 car switches or do you want a large industry with many cars moving around. The modules could contain small yards with only one or two tracks that would need connecting. The corner could contain a larger customer, a mill of sorts, with smaller industry on the 2’ leg. There should be a shed to park the loco at night and a short siding to park some empties.
I will think about your problem and maybe get a start for others to pick n pull apart. I think you will want the extentions to be very sound, NOT complicated, able to be removed and installed in mere seconds and not minutes.
Sadly, it is too much to ask. At least from me. I am quite willing to spend some of my time to give suggestions to hopefully improve the layout of people who are trying to help themselves. But I am not willing to do other people’s work from A to Z for them, just because they declare that “I just can’t seem to figure out things for myself”.
If you want it enough, you will start figuring out some things for yourself. Like how to come up with a rough plan yourself before you ask for advice on how to tweak it. Or you can go get the contact info for one of the custom layout designer/builder companies from an issue of e.g. Model Railroader Magazine.
Or you can get lucky with getting a full track plan from someone else.
In either case, good luck with your layout.
Stein
This is why it took me so long to write anything. For one I’m not asking you to do the work for me. I’m not asking for you to come over and build it. I’m asking for some help on a design. And second I thought this was a hobby that we help everybody out. I’m sorry that you can’t help me, but thats ok.
The modules have to come off each and every time. There are doors at each end. I’m sure that I have to build the bench work a grid. The modules don’t have to be the but it will help for the turn around. And they don’t need any scenery on the modules. I just wanted the modules so I run trains around in the small space that I do have.
And yes 2-3 cars sounds good I think what ever I can get to work. And this is freelance. Thanks for the replys and didn’t mean to step on toes.
Very well, Larry –
I’ll take your reply at face value - you are actually planning to design your own layout and just want some hints, rather than expecting anyone else to do the entire design for you.
For what you seem to be trying to accomplish (smallish industrial switching layout), maybe there are some ideas in this old thread: http://cs.trains.com/forums/1461252/ShowPost.aspx
Smile,
Stein
Do you have any books that have track plans in them?
Have you done some searching the Internet to see if this book that I recommened is available?
Is it available or not?
“Track Planning Ideas from Model Railroader”. (58 track plans from past issues.) There are 3 or 4 track plans in there that would fit the space that you have. The first printing was in 1981 and the second in 1983.
Have you looked through the track plan data base here on the MR site?
These are your starting points.
I got a few books but not “Track Planning Ideas From Model Railroader”. I will check and see if it’s still available. Thank you, I been looking on MR But can’t seem to find the right one. I’m going to keep looking because it’s going in my bedroom and my wife has to look at it. I don’t want her mad at me each and every night that could be problems for me lol. And Thanks again everybody.
A couple of basic options for continuous run in your space is:
- Go N scale and have 11-12" radius turnback curves - ie 22-24" diameter turnback loops - which will fit on a layout that is 24-30" (2 - 2 1/2 feet) deep.
Smallest sensible diameter turnback curves for modern engines and cars in H0 is 40+" - almost 4 feet - and your arms can only easily reach about 24 inches into a layout that is up against a wall).
Going N scale overcomes that. And a train of one engine + 10 50 foot cars is about 42" (about 3 1/2 feet) long in N scale. In H0 scale it would be about 1.8 times as long - about 6 feet long.
Conceptually something like this (rough sketch):
- In H0 scale - make a donut shaped layout about is 9x5 feet big with an operator sized hole in it, and let the train run around you. Conceptually something like this (most of the tracks are just copied in from part of my layout - which is in a room that is 6 1/2 by 11 1/2 feet):
It might very well be that if you are wedded to H0 scale trains and switching, that you ought to drop the idea of turnback curves and just do a plain L-shaped switching layout, perhaps with detachable cassettes that you can attach to the end of the layout while you are switching.
Maybe something kinda like this - part of of Blair Kooistra’s Walla Walla Valley layout plan from the 2005 issue of Great Model Railroads adapted to an L shaped bench with three 60" cassettes (two of them above each other on the left wall - there is 3" vertical separation between the upper and lower tracks here - that is an idea stolen from an Ian Rice plan):
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There is a good used one (“Track Planning Ideas from Model Railroader”. (58 track plans from past issues.)) at a very reasonable rate at Amazon.com. I searched under 58 track plans and it came up right away.
Steinjr, thanks for the reply. I will stick to HO. I like N scale but it’s just to small for me. You gave good info. Your grummping well there is one in every crowd and thats ok. I didn’t call for for anybody else they just seen that I wanted help on a track plan. To some people thats a challange they love to take on. And if they make a track plan and me or somebody else uses it I bet that makes them feel pretty darn good about it. If you look on this forum at how many times people ask for help, well you might not be able to count that high. I did draw up a rough sketch to show what I did. I can’t do anymore until I get a plan. I just wanted plan to start with and I can tweak it. Seinjr you did spend a significant amount of time on the plan that you drew up. Well thanks again for the help and some what grumping at me. It’s all fun though, by the way what software did you use.
I think that the only question you asked in your reply was what computer program I had used for drawing the three sketches used to illustrate three alternative concept solutions (dogbone in N scale, donut shaped H0 layout, and H0 shelf switching layout with cassette staging).
The computer program I used to draw the track plan was XtrakCad (http://www.xtrkcad.org).
But don’t worry too much about downloading and using a computer program to make a track plan. People built layouts long before there was any computer sketching programs to make the plans.
You still need to consider the size and other uses of your entire room, to see what would be the most feasible style of plan for you.
Stein