First, happy easter to everybody. I would like some help with my current layout plan. I realize it’s crudely drawn, but I think everything should (more appropriately…hopefully) fit. The main focus is one person operations with mainly just switching and local freights. I have included a town, which has 2 warehouses and staging (not shown in the layout plan, but there will be an old depot there). I have a powerplant on the top of the layout, which will recieve coal from the mine on the bottom. Also at the mine have included two similar staging tracks, which will also have an old run-down depot. In the middle is the classsification yard. I doubt this will fit as planned here, but with some minor adjustments, it should work. I am looking for any criticisms, stupid planning errors, or anything else you feel like! [:D]
You have more then enough of a drawing to get started. I’m involved with a club that is building a layout in a 60 x 30 foot building. When we started the design process the first thing we did was set a minimum isle width. We then enlarged that minimum by 6" to allow for future expansion of the members sizes around the waist. After setting our isle size we hand drew on a large sheet of brown construction paper a main line track plan. No detailed drawing has ever been made of the layout. I think it would have been a waste of time since plans always change. I’d suggest building the bench work and setting the stringers and see how your full size body fits inside the layout. Then just go from there.
It looks like it should work. If you can I would try to draw it to scale. This can be done with RTS 7.0 Freeware. This software actually lets you draw your table then lay track. It is easy to change if needed also, you will know if it works or not.
I think you might that your turnouts are a little bit too optimistic (diverging way to hard) for #6 turnouts - easy to do when drawing by hand - it is always surprising how much space turnout take. I tried the top of your layout, just for the heck of it. This is what it looks like:
You got about 27-28 inches of usable space between the turnouts on the middle track - enough for a short engine and 3 or 4 cars. You probably should look into having sidings extend around the corner curves.
And maybe reconsider whether you need to have all your yard tracks being double ended - a double yard ladder eats up a lot of space. A six track straight yard ladder could easily eat up 4 feet or more of space.
I also would recommend getting John Armstrongs “track planning for realistic operations”. That book contains a wealth of information on how real railroads do things, and how you can selectively compress track work and yet keep the flavor pretty good.
After reading the information about what you want at the link provided, I don’t think this layout meets the point-to-point requirement, or the double track main line. Too much of the main line is also industrial servicing trackage. It is more like two industrial areas serviced off a central yard. Nothing wrong with that, but…
I would think it would simulate the requirements better if:
move the lower staging to be behind the mine rather than in front of it.
make the upper staging go to the center of the island rather than the side. That opens up the other side of the island for another industry.
Make the mainline double track all the way through from end to end.
Currently the two staging areas can’t be more than 4’ long and are obviously fiddle yards. So, given the space, make them a switchback that goes underneight and connects the two together. This makes a two layer layout but gives a whole lot of staging space.
move the classification yard to the top center.
move the power plant over to where the classification yard was.
Disconnect all the industries from the main line and allow trains to get to them only from the industrial track that comes out of the yard. That means there would be 3 tracks around the whole thing (the double track main) and the industrial access track.
#7 would mean a bit of a redesign of the yard. Especially if you wanted to force arriving trains to be broken up rathern than going directly through to the industries.
But if you don’t like any of that. As drawn, the crossovers on the top next to the power plant (terminating the main and forming a passing siding) are facing the wrong way. The trains are being funnelled into the warehouse district rather than the main line to staging.
I’d curve the two ends toward each other in the event you decided you wanted to watch them go round. All you would need would be a drop in section for that then.
When a train arrives in one of the industrial areas from the main yard, how will it drop off cars? There is no way to get around the train to do switching. I always put a runaround at both ends of any point-to-point layout. Otherwise you will need to run your trains caboose first.
Check out my track plan in my sig (click on it to enlarge). Although it doesn’t look similar to yours, it operates much the same way. Rincon is the Eastern “point” of my layout and Silver City is the “West”. Deming is my main yard in the middle. Although it has circular running, it operates as a point to point. I made the circular running so I don’t have to turn my larger steam locos that pull my Mainline freights from the hidden staging.
This inverted “G” shaped layout is very similar to my shelf railroad that is housing my coal burning power plant that is shown in a post in this forum. My power plant would be in the same area as your yard. The only thing I did different is to put a duck under where your “mainline to nowhere” is located just to allow for continous running. I like just as it is.
Just to reiterate, it hasn’t been necessary to pay for XTrkCad for at least two years. You can register the copy you have for free using the info at the Yahoo group, or on the sillub page (about halfway down there is a link). It enables everything. There is a newer, user supported version at http://www.xtrkcad.org , I haven’t tried it yet.
Have you considered adding a bridge to "loop around the two end yards ? I assume the open area is for an access point , ie door opening ? What if you were to install a pocket door of a bi-fold door there? Then when entering the layout you could raise the “bridge” to gain access ?
Thank you all for your help so far! Just to make it clear, I want my layout to have a nice, open feel, not a duck under or bridge. I want plenty of space to move and interact in. I will try registering the XTRKCAD tonight. Thanks everyone!
I am currently in almost the same aspect as you Derrick.I am also designing and building a coal to powerplant concept layout.My layout starts with the coal mine at the top with 1% grade then going down hill with wide smooth curves and then though two small towns and then ending up with the powerplant at the bottom.At each end will be staging and a wye for the engine(s) to turn around.I will emphise on scenery , with less spaghetti track , rather more main or double main track. When I model , I think of what would be realistic in the space I my working, take a minute to think , dose it look like the real world. I have seen to many modelers cram way to much track in a limited space.I also have switching for sidings and a small stageing area. So I think you should follow those simular lines.I hope this will be a much better plan for you. The main reason why modelers model is to mimmick the real world. Happy trails…
