I've got some creators block, anyone here up for a trackplan challenge?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Okay, my creative juices have stopped flowing. I’m looking at probably adding another industrial area to my proposed trackplan. Of course, I also suck at trackplanning. So, is anyone here up to the challenge?

So, the part between the right blue line for staging and the bottom blue line near the church is where i’m looking for some ideas. I would prefer no switches for industries in the staging area; however, trains can run up it for switching moves. The beginning track to to the passing siding and industrial area is set in stone, but the staging track can be at whatever angle you wish. same for the track by the church, where it comes off the passing siding is not up for grabs, but the line can do whatever. i would not like any switches there either. Here’s some of the basic facts:

scale: N

era: 2008

locale: Aiken, South Carolina (sandhills region)

curves: 15 in. radius on main, sidings can go down to 10.

switches: all #5’s, please

Track: Atlas code 55

Feal free to add whatever industries you want as long as they are in the Southeast. The passing siding is what I’ve planned, and I don’t want to repeat that on the other area. Any other questions, please feel free to ask. Thank you folks very much for your time!

EDIT: here’s the plan w/ the industries spelled out in the passing siding. please ignore the shirt factory and downtown, this is before i decided to remove the shirt factory and add the church wher

2

Try searching the MR track plan database for module or shelf layouts. Check the track plans and look for industrial track work that looks good to you. You can adjust the length to fit. Check through all scales, not just N scale. After all, you are looking for ideas, not a definite track plan.

3

Thank you, I’ll start doing that.

4

I had a n scale layout around that size before, the center was the operators pit, it was a knock of of the wildcat central layout featured in a few MR books and magazines… the layout was alot of fun andi actully wish i still had it! you can find it in the MR track plan archives. good luck

5

Here’s what I’ve got. there will be the walthers GEO roberts printing and walthers hardwood furniture co. also an agriculture supply lot, recieving anything from boxcars w/ feed or fertilizer to tank cars of fertilizer to flats with John Deere tractors:

6

Aiken is a pretty town with some beautiful old homes. I would be much more inclined to model one of those neighborhoods than a trailer park.

7

You’ve been to aiken? I’m gonna chuck the trailer park and go for just a large church.

I was wondering about maybe doing downtown’s tracks that run between south boundary and that other road (for those of you who have never been to Aiken, there’s a stretch of line that’s cut straight through a hill. there are probably around 8 road bridges or so over it (the streets here are split in two, one street for each way, same name), and I might eventually build a module or something foir that if I ever get this layout done, lol (and yes, I know a layout is never “finished”).

8

Yes, I’ve been to Aiken, although it was a number of years ago. The main thing I remember is the beautiful old homes. The Church sounds like a great idea.

9

I might be able to model the downtown area w/ the passing siding 9bring back the old industries though) and go past that to the fiberglass plant, but stop there. I MIGHT do that (I may be getting a different room than the attic that has long walls).