I in Spitting distance to the CN/CP/Via/GO transit tracks. I have always been a fan of steam, and of early diesel so naturally I will be modeling somewhere between 1941 -1960.
I have a decent sized space to work with roughley 150 sqft.
Now here in lies my need for help.
My friends and I who will be operating this layout have the need for lots of switching and industries to haul freight to and from, as well as a yard to sort and prepare the strings of cars to be moved.
But. My wife has the need for simplicity of a continuous loop so she can just set the turnouts and flick a switch and the train will do circuits while she is doing the laundry.
As for scenery I can look in my backyard and see what it looks like now but to do a model between 1941 and 1960 I need to find pictures and route maps, As well as some ideas of what industries where being served by these rails during that time.
There are quite a few layout ideas which combine continuous running with switching operation, so that should be not a problem to come up with workable ideas, but:
Without knowing your room, it is going to be quite difficult to make a suggestion. There are some fine and helpful folks in here, but they need to know the dimensions of your room. The best is to provide us with a fairly accurate drawing of your room, including any obstacles, like doors, washing machine, dryer, heater - you name it, that have a fixed location.
Welcome! I am in Newmarket, ON and am in the process of building my own HO layout. Check my signature for details of the layout and progress photos.
It sounds like we have a similar need to have a continuous loop and switching.
I am currently running DC not DCC, and have a dual control with one zone controlling my yard and track to several industries/sidings, while the other zone can run a train on a continuous loop.
My layout is basically a shelf layout with a duckunder to complete the loop. I am at the stage where I am finally happy with the track and it is tested fully, and now starting to work on scenery and industries. The sidings are not 100% completely done, as I need to make sure they integrate properly with structures etc.
I think based on my experience it would not be difficult to achieve both goals - probably even easier if you are using DCC.
One of the major issues you will face will be designing a layout or track plan. The first thing to do is define the space that you have. How much of the room can you use? Do you need to have a workbench in the same room? You will get more running track if your layout is along the walls with a peninsula or two sticking out toward the center if you have room. The longest that you can reach things is about 24 inches. Thus quite a few folks make their benchwork 18 to 24 inches wide. The peninsulas can be wider because you will have access from both sides and the end.
What I do for layout design (have done so far) is define my area and benchwork first. Next I decide on a theme. (Mainline running, with a branch line(?) or other special interests.) Then I put in a mainline. I am fond of twice around the room types divided by scenery and grades.
Since I have gotten into operations, I also have a staging area of some sort, whether it is a lay-over for entire trains, or a yard that simulates an interchange yard. One track in staging is a through track for continuous running. If I put cars on it, the layout becomes point to point for operations.
Next I try and determine how many small towns I can have, and possibility one city with a yard and loco facilities, without them crowding one another. Usually small yards and facilities unless I have the room for larger ones. I will try to fit in a way-side industry or two just for variation as long as it won’t crowd things.
Then I go looking at plans for modular railroads. I look for ones that would make good towns or cities because their track plans are usually fairly compact, and most of the way they will be switched is already determined with a good track plan themselves.
Because I freelance, I don’t worry about town and city names etc., but if you want to model a specific prototype, you can name the towns as the railroad you are modeling would, and
in the drawing of my basement the area with measurements around it is the space i am going to be using and no i have a workbench with all my tools in a seperate room. this whole are is going to be dedicated to trains. I havnt decided yet if i want to base my model off an real live area or freelance it i know i love shays and climax locos so an industrie such as logging would fit well
a freind of mine just stopped in, he will be lending me countless hours of help with this layout as he will be one of the guys comin to operate it during construction(a railroad is never done silly).
he purchased a an atlas layout book “Seven Steps-by-step HO LAYOUTS” the central midland jumped at me i love the idea of the train running under the table for a bit of the the main line run.and the open grid benchwork looks easy to do.
the shelf idea is great as well with the penisula ide i could but intusties off the main line alowwing the main line to drop from say 2 or 4 running paralel down to one or two and still have main line traffic running without interuption.
any other idea guys(girls if your out there)
im getting a clearer picture in mind as the minutes go by.
When designing the benchwork, remember to leave space to work underneath after the scenery is in place. Leave plenty of space around switch machines to wire, re-wire, replace them, and adjust them. You may be agile now, but passing years will inevitably make maintenance more difficult. After 65 years in the hobby, I know how it goes.
ok now looking for pros and cons of this idea from people who have been there and people who have a mond for this sort of stuff.
in the 4x8 area directly across from the off limits area seems like a good place for a engine/classification yard or should i split these up?
Im also thinking maybe 36 inch shelves with lots of scenery behind the lines to add depth so arms reach shouldnt be a problem while operating and a duck under to get inside the layout.
I plan on running passenger service as well as mixed freight to service industry,
tethered controls good enough or are wireless worth the money?
i have a digitrax DSC 50 from my old layout will this be good enough for multi ho loco control or should i use this system for Track compoents such as signaling and the like.
while running this layout im looking at around 3 to 4 operators and on occasion a 5th to act as dispatcher, when the 5th i not there do you guys think that it would be too much for the yard man to dispatch as well as putt together rakes?
ok here it is this is what im thinking at this point as far as bench work goes. Questions comments CONTRUCTIVE critism please.
the green is the possible bench work. of course the yard man can stand in the off limits are to opperate the others will have to duck under and operate from insidehttp://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]
It has 30" radius curves, staging, two industrial branches (one above the staging yards not shown), continuous loop running, and two towns. The isles are 30" except near town 2 and in the industrial branch. Plus you can make it easier to get around with making track over the walkway a swing gate.
I like the idea but when you say branch to industies over staging yard are you suggesting multi level? Im not adverse to the idea of multi levels. and i am hoping to maybe have some team tracks for farmers to load rail cars with produse and such i like that idea as well
It would be multi-level but it would only have 6" of clearance to allow some room to reach in but not enough clearance where that would be something scenic.
Also keep in mind you can have those industries at the towns as well, for this drawing I didn’t take the time to draw in industries or sidings.
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