My new layout concept!

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

So I’ve decided to not go with a helix or a nolix as this is my first layout and don’t want that complexity.

It’s going to be a N scale around the room loop that is 12’ x 10’ with a single liftout for access.

I’ve struggled to come up with a plan that will fit a staging yard, a railyard, and some mainline run.

Last night it hit me!

My new concept is to take one of the 10’ legs of the loop and make it unscenicked staging.

The staging tracks will wrap around the corner and onto one of the 12’ legs of the layout, through a backdrop opening hidden by an overpass and that will be the arival / departure track for the yard!

That way all the train has to do is just peek its engine and a couple of cars out from staging and it will be “on the set”.

Then I will have some shorter classification tracks that also go under the backdrop to give the look that they are longer than they actually are.

I’ll try to come up with a track plan tonight and post it!

The only problem I see so far involves trains going in the opposite direction as it will be harder to unhook a locomotive that is behind the backdrop.

Any adivce would be great! :slight_smile:

2

If you’re going to be using Kadde couplers, And ellctromagnetic uncoupler is an obvious choice.

3

I would love to do electro-magnetic uncoupling, it’s just so expensive to convert all that rolling stock. :frowning:

4

Convert the engines to MT’s. Convert HALF of a car to MT’s. That lets you couple the engine to the converter car and the converter car to the rest of the train. You will be able to electro-magnetically uncouple the locomotive in your hidden staging. You cn have as many converter cars as you have engines. The only problem is that you will always have the same converter car behind an engine.

Eventually, as you convert other cars to MT’s, they will couple behind the engine and your converter car will move farther and farther back in the train until you have all cars converted. Sure beats spending a lot of money to convert everything at once!

Darrell, quiet…for now

5

Good advice, I might try that, and I should probally decide before I start building the layout.

How about my idea of off scene staging also being part of the yard?