I am currently running a version of the Denver & Northwestern layout #39 in Linn Westcott 101 track plans. Mine is based on C & O steam era from early 40 to 50’s. I run a lot of big steam engines with coal as the main product. My wonderful wife has decided to give up her sewing room so I now have full control of a 11x11 room. My problem is I am not completely happy with the current layout and would like to expand. I have been toying with the idea of running it around the room in a ‘U’ shape but have a lot of time and $$ invested in the current layout. I would like to know if anyone had expanded this layout into an ‘L’ shape to allow for an additional turn around, a turntable and some inclines.
well if you don’t want to expand it, take a pic of it, place it on MRR or ebay.m Let some one buy it and ship it flat service, extra care. OR if they live close to you haul to them in a trailer. Are if you are generous give it to a friend that is not finacably stable enough to build their own layout. you might not get the $$$$, but you’ll fell GOOD!!![angel]
If you are not totally happy with it now, it won’t get better once you expand it. I would say try and save as much track and switches as you can and start over. If this was your first or second layout, you know what to do to make a better layout now. If the track work is flawless, then consider the following suggestion.
The following suggestion assumes that you have the roundhouse and turntable in place where the plan shows. I would try and remove the double mainline on the upper left section. Re-route the track around the roundhouse in a configuration to make a double track loop that goes into the double track main at Bolder Junction. (By adding a second track through the North Platte area.) Then make your extension a double track mainline from Bolder Junction going to the left into the new area around the walls. You may even be able to remove part of the bench work at the upper left and use it elsewhere. Basically save the roundhouse, the Denver station area, and the loop around them.
I appreciate your ideas. I have a large coal tipple located in the Denver area so I don’t have room for a turntable. I will take a look at your sugessitions this weekend. Sounds like it might work. I was considering adding a 4’ addition to the bottom left and running double tracks from the curve on the left. The problem with this is it still won’t give me another reverse loop to get the trains running in the other direction. If I can figure out how to down load some pictures that may give you a better idea of what I am trying to do.
I’m just starting out and am seriously considering the Denver Northwestern plan. I sure could use some help converting the plan to a tack list. Could you give me the details of what track and turnouts you used. Also how you wired it?
When my daughter moved out of her 11.5’ x 11’ bedroom, I stripped my 50% completed layout,gave it away and started building an 8’ x 10’ duck under. My second best model railroading decision I’ve ever made. No regrets.
Looking at a previous thread, 3 month ago you were asking:
I have been without a train layout for several months now and am having trouble putting everything together. I can’t seem to see the big picture. These pictures are of the room and some ideas I have put together to try and determine what type of plan would best fit the area. (Sorry about the plan, I am not much of an artist) I have most of the tables completed and am trying to decide if I want to use a foam overlay or stick with plywood. My givens are:1-A 11’ x 11’ layout room. I have build tables going around the room and will have either a duck under or a lift out. It could also support a peninsula coming off of one side of the room.2-Limited knowledge of around the wall layouts. My previous layouts have mostly been 4’x8’ or 5’ x 9’.3-Large Steam Engines My Druthers Are:1-Double main lines or twice around. I like to watch the trains run sometimes.2-Coal Mine.3-Power plant.4-Yard.5-Staging.6-Town of Thurmond includes engine service, coaling tower & city.7-Saw mill and logging camp. I would
My advice is to salvage what you can, and write off the lost time and money to “education and training”. I suspect your skills and methods and “good enough” level has grown substantially since you built that layout. Take what you have leaned, and start over.
Frankly, pretty much every model railroader I have known has several layouts in their history (at my age anyway). My last layout was with me for 14 years, and it was nice - but it had a few quirks that nagged at me the last few years. Sooo, last year I tore it down, and am well on my way to a “new and improved” layout.
I won’t lie to you, the decision to start over was very hard, and those first cuts were difficult, but it only hurt for a little while… and then the excitement of starting over took hold, and has been with me since then.
Yup, I have torn down a number of layouts, because they had something which I did not like at that time. But I made it a rule to have some good ideas about the new layout before the sledge hammer commenced work…
I am assuming you built the #39 plan in the 5x10 ft space show in the book. If that assumption is correct, there is no way to fit it into the former sewing room with aisles around 3 sides - much less any serious expansion. Where you presently have the layout is actually longer, assuming you have 2ft aisles around 2 sides and an end.
Given the 11x11 space, and again assuming you no longer want an island layout, an around the walls with duck under entrance and 24" shelves would give you a center peninsula of 24" width by 4.5 ft length. This would leave a U shape aisle of 30" width. The center peninsula would be reasonable for a mining or port unloading area.
A water wings layout is going to very difficult to fold into the 11x11 space and still maintain your 24" minimum radius. There won’t be much room for anything besides the turnback loops and access aisles.
The island with shelf extension is practical only if the island is limited to 5ft width, 8.5 or 9ft in length (shorter than existing), and the shelf leg is limited to 12" deep along the one wall. Since the new space won’t fit the existing layout without reducing length (not easily done), there seems to be little point in worrying about salvaging it. Take it apart, and design a new layout that better fits the room.
I appreciate your ideas. I did tear down my layout and am in the process of starting over.
I have the tables built around the room with a peninsula coming off one side and am trying to come up with a layout that will fit the area I have to work with. I have layed out several track plans but nothing seems to work so far. I haven’t given up yet but am getting close.
I think what’s happening with the old threads is that PowhatanFan is searching for and finding items of interest, then replying to the olders with some new questions.
Discussion resurrection of this kind doesn’t bother me at all, but some forum members can get confused about what’s old vs. what’s new.
Maybe a better method is to start a new discussion thread that has links to the older thread.