this is my proposed layout loop
i want to add a town in each loop but i have no idea what to add. i do know i want a runaround in each town and an interchange in one or both towns any ideas any sort of help will be greatly appreiciated.[bow]
Maybe you could add some siding tracks and some industries to switch beside them. It looks like maybe you could add a parallel runaround track in the middle of the plan, space is a bit tight. The runaround track would help you if you want to do any switching.
A few non-railroad town buildings placed around the middle of each loop end help break up the scenery a bit and hide the fact that the trains are really just going around and round.
In the middle you may be able to add a crossover track for reversing, but you would have to know how to wire it.
A few random thoughts on my lunch break. Have a good day.
Charles
Hillsburgh, Ont.
Personally, with the space you have (12’x4’), I would consider putting a view block right down the center of the table and then work each side as a separate area. That way you actually have 24 feet of linear railroading versus what would otherwise appear to be 12 feet.
This assumes that you can get to both sides of the table.
If the table is reasonably high (i.e. 48") then the view block would only have to be 24" high to be effective.
You could even support two operators in that manner with each operator managing one side and “handing off” trains to the other.
My thought for the day.
Good luck,
-John
My first layout was similar to this.
It was the same overall plan with two loops, the inside loop was 18" radius and the outside loop was 22" radius
The inside loop was used for a shay and heisler logging and mining railroad. The outside loop was used for the larger engines and both freight and passenger.
The areas within the the oval was the site of the mine and logging operation and the other oval the town site and rail yard facilities. You can gain height by using risers so that you access each oval by going over the trackage of the other loop.
The quick and dirty way to get a runaround in a turnback loop made of sectional track is to replace the last straight section (on both sides) with a turnout facing inwards. Then put in enough curved pieces to fill in the gap.
We can’t really answer what kinds of towns to put in until you decide (and tell us about) a few things like the state(s) you want, what era the layout is set in, if you want downtown or small-town. Of course, we could tell you what would make US happy…
sorry i forgot the specifics ok i am thinking of modeling the early 1900s in the western us one town will be a small mountain town with mining and logging the other will be a port (similar to S.F. or LA?) where the coal and planks would be shipped.