My layout.



Hi there,

My layout is still in the early phase, Yet when I look at my layout i like it, but how can I operate it? The Double Engine house is quesionable, the mine is a great industry but how do i operate it, I know i know cards, cards, cards, but think about it how can i operate this layout?

Orginal plan

Current Layout

any chance you could post a track plan noting what you have as far as industry/rail customers go? This would help at least myself offer some advice.

Right now your plan is set up more for just watching trains run with not much switching action available. So lets get back to basics. OK, lets first talk about what a RR does. It’s purpose is to transport goods, or products. Generally, you need a shipper and a receiver of those goods. Now either or both could be on-line industries, or off-line industries. Right now it looks like you have only two on-line industries. The mine, (can’t read the lettering there on the plan to make sure) and a team track. Neither of those industries can ship goods to each other, so the best that you can do is run trains from staging to the industries, and back again, and service locomotives. Now, locomotives need oil, sand, and a few parts, so you could deliver those to the loco shops too. A town with two industries would not generally have an engine shop as you have set up.

If you wanted to get more operations for the track you have down now, I would replace the mine with two smaller industries, one on each track. I would also change out the engine shops for two more industries. You would have more room for the industries where the engine house is if you could move the inside track in toward the center, sort of like the mine tracks are. You may even be able to put two small industries on one track. At the team track I would put in a track for parking one or two locos, and rather than adding a new track, just use the end of the team track. Also at that track I would put a fueling stand and a shed that could hold some sand bags and maybe a small office building. At small minimum facilities like that, it is typical that the sand hoppers in the loco would be filled from bags of dry sand by hand. For the new industries, one could be a lumber yard, and another could be a crate and barrel factory. That way the lumber yard could ship to the crate and barrel factory. The second industry by the lumber yard could be any type of manufacturer that needs to use wooden crates to put it’s products in for shipment. Now you can s

[quote user=“gandydancer19”]

Right now your plan is set up more for just watching trains run with not much switching action available. So lets get back to basics. OK, lets first talk about what a RR does. It’s purpose is to transport goods, or products. Generally, you need a shipper and a receiver of those goods. Now either or both could be on-line industries, or off-line industries. Right now it looks like you have only two on-line industries. The mine, (can’t read the lettering there on the plan to make sure) and a team track. Neither of those industries can ship goods to each other, so the best that you can do is run trains from staging to the industries, and back again, and service locomotives. Now, locomotives need oil, sand, and a few parts, so you could deliver those to the loco shops too. A town with two industries would not generally have an engine shop as you have set up.

If you wanted to get more operations for the track you have down now, I would replace the mine with two smaller industries, one on each track. I would also change out the engine shops for two more industries. You would have more room for the industries where the engine house is if you could move the inside track in toward the center, sort of like the mine tracks are. You may even be able to put two small industries on one track. At the team track I would put in a track for parking one or two locos, and rather than adding a new track, just use the end of the team track. Also at that track I would put a fueling stand and a shed that could hold some sand bags and maybe a small office building. At small minimum facilities like that, it is typical that the sand hoppers in the loco would be filled from bags of dry sand by hand. For the new industries, one could be a lumber yard, and another could be a crate and barrel factory. That way the lumber yard could ship to the crate and barrel factory. The second industry by the lumber yard could be any type of manufacturer that needs to use wooden crates to put it’s products i

OK, that works.

What happened to the other turnout and spur at the mine? You could have used it for a second industry. Also, any chance of adding a second turnout to the spur where the engine house use to be? That would give you two industries there. If your short on cash, don’t glue it in yet and put the turnouts in later on. Most model railroads are a work in progress, so don’t think that you have to get it all finished right away. Once you do, you may not have anything to do except run the trains. If you are a true modeler and builder, you will get bored. I know that I almost need to have something on my workbench all the time, even though I may not work on it everyday.

Whats going to happen is in the future there is going to be another turn out on the spur of some sort, at the mine there will be another spur. Cash isnt a problem but space is desired :smiley: also im going to add DCC, im tried of the DC , and one train running, sound is in my future

Looks like you are having fun… keep at it and keep posting pics as you go along!

Chris