Layout plan revised....have a look and give feedback

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Ok, now that the train room is complete (or nearly so) the situation has changed relative to the room’s final configuration. I’ve modified my previous plan to take advantage of almost all the space the room has to offer. It’s a narrow gauge layout based on D&RGW and RGS. The ailses may be tight in some places but they should be manageable. It’ll be me 99% of the time operatiing with the occasional spectator or two to watch the trains run. If you notice there’s no staging or much yard space. It’s primarily designed for running trains through the scenery and “railfan” operations. There are some switching opportunities but one of my primary “givens” was continuous running. There’s room along the hidden trackage for a future staging yard if I decide to go that route. Track is ME code 55 HOn3 flex with FastTracks #5 turnouts.

Motive power consists of a Blackstone K-27 mudhen, a PFM 2-4-0 and a PFM 2-truck Cowichan Shay. Rolling stock is all narrow gauge (30’ box cars, flats, gons, etc.).

Benchwork will be L-girder with risers supporting ‘cookie-cutter’ ply roadbed. There’s a few places where I’ll be placing some wood and iron trestles.

Let me know what you guys think…

-G-

2

Designed both for railfanning and yet with room for three towns. Towns look sensible and well distributed.

You have room for a sky board/backdrop down the middle of the peninsula by the door (if you want to).

Ample curves for your rolling stock.

Good separation between lower plateau at 45" and highest at 53".

Incline along upper wall is about 8" (45"-53") up in roughly 10 feet (?) of running - ie 8 / 120 = 6.6% . You might want to not level off at the higher plateau until just before you cross over the other track - doubling the run for the climb would halve the incline to a more manageable 3+% (which is still steep enough by far).

As for the lower wall. Hmm - circumference for a circle is (if I recall this stuff correctly): 2PIr = 6.28xradius, ie a 20" radius circle has a circumferences of about 120".

You drop about 2" in about halv of the circle circumference, ie 2/60 = 3.3%. Steep, but doable for a mountain layout.

I expect short trains, and maybe helpers ?

But it might be worthwhile to consider dropping the level of the highest plateau from 53" to e.g 51" to get more managable grades.

Or possibly moving the whole thing up a little bit - setting the highest track level at 57" and the lowest at 51". For railfanning, you probably want to look in at trains, not down at trains.

You have a lot of hidden trackage, and reach must be the major concern with your current plan. You will have trains derailing or getting stuck inside tunnelse. You can try to run, and you can try to hide, but Murphy will get you in the end [:D]

You obviously must have considered this. How do you plan to access this trackage in case of derailments - hollow mountains you can stand up inside, liftout mountain tops and a stepladder to reach ? Or something

3

[quote user=“steinjr”]

Designed both for railfanning and yet with room for three towns. Towns look sensible and well distributed.

You have room for a sky board/backdrop down the middle of the peninsula by the door (if you want to).

Ample curves for your rolling stock.

Good separation between lower plateau at 45" and highest at 53".

Incline along upper wall is about 8" (45"-53") up in roughly 10 feet (?) of running - ie 8 / 120 = 6.6% . You might want to not level off at the higher plateau until just before you cross over the other track - doubling the run for the climb would halve the incline to a more manageable 3+% (which is still steep enough by far).

As for the lower wall. Hmm - circumference for a circle is (if I recall this stuff correctly): 2PIr = 6.28xradius, ie a 20" radius circle has a circumferences of about 120".

You drop about 2" in about halv of the circle circumference, ie 2/60 = 3.3%. Steep, but doable for a mountain layout.

I expect short trains, and maybe helpers ? Most narrow guage ops had short trains so that will be true here. Perhaps 10 cars at the most.

But it might be worthwhile to consider dropping the level of the highest plateau from 53" to e.g 51" to get more managable grades. I’ve thought about that…my shay and mudhen could do it but not so sure on the little 2-6-0.

Or possibly moving the whole thing up a little bit - setting the highest track level at 57" and the lowest at 51". For railfanning, you probably want to look in at trains, not down at trains. I know…I know…unfortunately that big red bar on the top right is a circuit breaker panel and the max height I can go there is 53" to clear the door on the panel for opening without hit

4

You’ve got an awful lot of track inside mountains against walls. Hope you have a way to access those for cleaning and derailments.

5

G,

First, excellent drawing! The cut/paste of the MRR people is really a nice touch.

Or possibly moving the whole thing up a little bit - setting the highest track level at 57" and the lowest at 51". For railfanning, you probably want to look in at trains, not down at trains. I know…I know…unfortunately that big red bar on the top right is a circuit breaker panel and the max height I can go there is 53" to clear the door on the panel for opening without hitting the track.

A bit of a warning here. The building and electrical codes require full access in front of a breaker panel. I know it is your house but if you ever had any construction work done in the future the inspector would make you tear out the layout before you could pass inspection. A removable section would probably satisfy the inspector.

Be warned that the lower right hand corner is going to hard to reach from the aisle, even if you lift off the top of the tunnel - reach looks longer than 30". The lower right corner trackage is hidden and will be accessable from underneath.

It looks like this area may be 40 to 50 inches from the edge of the layout to the mountain in the back. You will have to climb or lay on the layout just to plant a tree. Construction and scenery will be a real pain. The only solution would be to make the entire lower right corner removable so you could take the whole mountain off and work on it.

Other than that and what Stein already noted this looks like a really nice design.

Good Luck,
-John

6

There’s access from below. I had a previous basement wall length, N scale layout with over 50% of the track hidden and I had no trouble. The key was to have good track work and continuous runs with no switches.

But I do share your concern none-the less.

-G-

7

Only one comment to add to what everyone else has said. Even though you don’t plan on operations now, things can change. I would try and add two passing sidings between the two areas where you have single track between tunnel portals, and add a short spur off of each passing track for small to tiny line-side industries. (Lower rear track and upper front track) If they are on slight grades, you can add car brakes as needed for switching, if the need arises. Try and level off the added industry spurs though.

Elmer.

8

First off, I like it. Flows nicely, and I subscribe to the “railfanning” style of model railraoding as well. I actually envy the amount of “operation” opportunity you’ve built in.[swg]

I would go ahead and extend the area along the left wall to the window edge. A spur off of your return loop might facilitate a mine, or stockpen. Just seems to waste that extra bit of space.

Next, along the upper portion, I’d push the trackwork 6 inches deeper into the benchwork. Keep the profile edge the same.

Last, too much hidden trackage along the upper and right walls. “Daylight” several areas with a tunnel-trestle-tunnel scene. If I had that much hidden track on my 9 x 13 O-gauge layout, I’d be bored while running trains. And you’re running narrow-gauge, which deserves slow realistic meandering through the scenery.

9

Basic design and use of space, excellent!

Minor tweaks:

  • Increase the radius of the bottom right hidden curve. I notice that it’s approached with 24" and 26" curves, so there’s no reason it has to be a 20" - and adding a few inches will dramatically reduce the tendency for problems.
  • Your scenery in the bottom right corner could be built with a “topless” hill, crest above eye level for yourself and the average spectator. That way, when you do have to use it for access, the pain in the neck factor will be considerably lower.
  • I would have passing sidings with spring switches on the hidden track along both walls. You have a really long way between the town at the lower left and the town at the right, and one train on that marathon run (largely hidden track) effectively ties a knot in the railroad until it gets in the clear at the next station. Also, the passing sidings can be used for staging - and would lend themselves to automation.
  • You might consider adding a little trackage to the town with the turntable. You WILL acquire more rolling stock than you’ve planned for, including some (Jordan plow, Rotary) which will normally be parked awaiting an infrequent need.

Your aisleways appear to be well thought out - plenty of width at the towns, choke point where there’s nothing but single track and scenery. Looks good.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

10

Thanks for all the great replies and suggestions.

I will probably add some cuts to the hidden track along the right wall. That way you can see the trains as they run. A few more tunnel portals are no big deal. I’ll also incorporate some of the other ideas suggested. You’re right that I’ll eventually want a rotary snow plow [;)] and a Jordan spreader. Once I start laying track for real I’ll be able to see where I can add some spurs and additional trackage.

But you have to have a plan to start out with.

-G-