I am recently reattempting to build a layout. I first tried when I was 13 but was frustrated with failure. Ever since then I always entertained myself with the idea of having a pristine layout. For Christmas, I asked my parents for the permission to build a new layout in my room. I am now a student in college and must live at home so it took some persuading. Nonetheless, I am having trouble designing the layout. Part of the persuasion process is having an elaborate plan.
I already have a Broadway Limited SW1 ran on NCE DCC. I would like to incorporate point to point switching while having an urban atmosphere and possibly a yard. I like the idea of Walthers Background Buildings and would like to include those to achieve such an environment. Although I am 19, I am enthused with the 40s-50s era of railroading. Even though I have a SW1, in the future I’d like to have a medium sized steam locomotive (Consolidation, Mikado, etc) which could easily maneuver in the layout.
My question, I suppose, is much needed help. I do not have the resources to accurately plan out a track plan on paper according to scale. As well as the possible location of magnets to decoupling and whatnot, I am quite stumped on this process…
I appreciate the repost. I realized that I incorrectly uploaded the picture. The 6 foot side is supposed to be on top with the 5 foot side on the left. I used a scale of 1 inch equaling 1 foot. Thanks again!
What scale would you like to model? I am assuming you meant HO BUT given a small space N might be better. Are you a MRR subscriber? If so there is a track plan data base that might be a starting point for you.
I should have specified… but yes, HO scale is what I am interested in. I already have a locomotive and rolling stock in that scale, so in my opinion it is too late to switch. And unfortunately, I am not a MRR subscriber.
I was going to suggest that even though you are mainly interested in a switching layout, you might want to consider making it possible to have continuous running. Even for N scale, 2 foot layout width would be a bit tight. I recently suggested to someone planning an L-shaped N layout 2 feet wide that he use larger radius end lobes and make up for it with a skinner layout in other places. This is NOT your layout space diagram, but it is similar.
However, you say HO, which would rule out end turnback curves in anything like 2-foot deep shelves, and thus rule out continuous running…
I have a general idea of what I want to have in my layout, just not any clue as to how it would look in real life. I will post a sketched track plan soon.
This HO switching layout is roughly similar in size and arrangement and may give you some idea of what is possible. The structure footprints are all actual kits. You may not be interested in a “granger” portion of the Milwaukee Road, but at least you can get an idea of relative sizes of things.
If you have track, lay it out and see what you get. You don’t have to nail or glue it down right away. As for buildings, use some boxes for buildings, if you are going to have silos, some empty soda bottles or paper towel rolls will work. A box may not be the actual size of the building but it will give some idea on clearance when going around a curve.
Is the above plan feasible? As previously stated, I have no idea how to scale out track or what turnout I would specifically need. However, with this plan I have an enjoyable yard and the possibility of many background buildings/industries.
Your turnouts are drawn much shorter and sharper than the space actually required for them. So no, unfortunately, not feasible as drawn. And with no runaround, that plan would be very difficult to switch.
In that tight of a space in HO, to-scale drawing is critical. This can be with CAD or hand-drawn with accurate turnout templates.
I would downloan Anyrail http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html and give that a try… You can put in the area you have to work with and it has rail and turn out sizes from the major makers of track. You can play around with what will work and what wont. In a space this small, less might be more.
There was an LA area layout in either the Layout Planning or Great Model Railroad issues in the last couple of years that was very similar in the size you have to work with. When I get home tonight I can look it up unless someone here knows which one it was.
You are probably thinking of Keith Jordan’s layout for “The Patch” in downtown LA from Great Model Railroads 2012. At roughly 8X8 in HO, it’s a bit larger than the Original Poster’s space. Keith Jordan’s Patch website.
I find it easier to build the space, then photo copy the turnouts and for curves and straits use cheap sectional track, you can lay it out and actually see the spacing finding that sometimes a slight change can mean another spur.
Frankly the easiest thing to do is to buy a left and right hand switch of the size you want to use, then photocopy the switches. Cut out the copies and lay them out on the benchwork or a piece of brown wrapping paper cut to the size of the benchwork. then just play around with different options.
Here is a thread on a different forum that illustrates how you can use photocopy templates to look at your planning options.
