Hello, I’m looking for help. I’m trying to jump start my layout project but can’t seem to get a clear direction for my track design. My son is a passenger train fanatic. We have a small fleet of 85 ft passenger cars that we will be running. Here are my parameters:
I have a large area in my basement to work with, 10 ft x approx. 24 ft
HO scale
30” curve radius
No. 6 Turnouts
I want to design the bench work to go around the wall with at least a 2 ft wide surface area. One major feature we would like to design is a reasonable size Union Station with a track design to accommodate either 2 or 3 passenger platforms. I want to add limited industry to run a freight line also. One design that has caught my eye is No. 76 on page 60 of the MR magazine 102 Realistic Track Plans. That is the general design I was interested in.
If anyone has any constructive ideas on a track design I would love to hear them, any input would be a big help.
What I do for layout design (have done so far) is define my area and benchwork first. (You have done this already.) Next I decide on a theme. (Mainline running, with a branch line(?) or other special interests.) Then I put in a mainline. I am fond of twice around the room types divided by scenery and grades.
Since I have gotten into operations, I also have a staging area of some sort, whether it is a lay-over for entire trains, or a yard that simulates an interchange yard. One track in staging is a through track for continuous running. If I put cars on it, the layout becomes point to point for operations.
Next I try and determine how many small towns I can have, and possibility one city with a yard and loco facilities, without them crowding one another. Usually small yards and facilities unless I have the room for larger ones. I will try to fit in a way-side industry or two just for variation as long as it won’t crowd things.
Then I go looking at plans for modular railroads. I look for ones that would make good towns or cities because their track plans are usually fairly compact, and most of the way they will be switched is already determined with a good track plan themselves. One good town type design is on page 25. Another part of your design could be plan 42 on page 40. Don’t be afraid to use parts of track plans from other whole plans to make up your plan.
Except for the around-the-room arrangement, this particular plan does not seem to be a great fit for the Original Poster. It represents two separate rural branchlines or secondary mainlines.
For the Original Poster’s needs, it might be a good approach to consider twice around the room of one railroad’s mainline for a longer run. Conceal part of one lap for staging. Set aside a good-sized area of the visible layout for the passenger terminal and perhaps associated express, coach yard, servicing tracks, etc. for more interest with the passenger trains. Then fit in some freight operations where you can in what space is left.