I am getting back into the hobby and am working on a layout plan that I can share with my kids. Continuous running is good for the kids and I also like to watch a train move through the scenery. I am planning a switching area to keep it interesting for me but not overly complicated. My idea is to have the two loops connected with an interchange yard that I can move cars to and from the industries. I wanted to get some input and ideas on the layout. Thanks.
Hi, JEA,
It looks like you’d have quite a long reach to get to the lower left corner of the layout. Having to reach over the industry in that corner will make access even worse. You might want to scoot your blue and green lines closer together there, or relocate the industry to between the blue and green tracks, to avoid having such a long reach. Unless that’s a donut-style layout in a larger room, and you have access around the outside, in which case, never mind! [:D]
You have the blue line for continuous operation. Hiding that long stretch of it behind the backdrop to disguise the loop is a good idea. But the loop of the green line is right out in the open. I would cut the loop on the green to make it a point-to-point arrangement. This will make your operations more realistic, while still letting you (or your kids) run trains around and around on the blue line. Since you need the access on the right to get to the interchange yard, I’d remove the green track on the left. That will let you relocate industry 5 and make the benchwork narrower there.
I’d also suggest an engine facility, even if it’s a small one. An engine shed, dispatcher’s office, and diesel fueling stand would do it. You can put it at the end of the line, on the top left, after removing the green line to the left. This will greatly increase your operating options, giving you a place for your locomotives to start their operating day and to tie up at night.
I would also add one or two tracks to the part of the blue line behind the backdrop at top. That will let you stage more than one train there, making your interchange busier.
Good start! Do you have a prototype in mind? Or an idea of which industries you want?
Steven,
Thanks for the input. I like your idea about making the green line point to point and adding the engine facility. Does it make sense to have the green line split at the interchange rather than being one long lineal branch or does this not matter?
I agree with adding staging behind the backdrop.
No prototype in mind. Just modern era reflecting industries seen in NE Ohio – Warehousing, Manufacturing etc…
I don’t see a problem with splitting at the interchange. What I’d do is reduce the number of blue tracks at the interchange yard to three, make the one closest to the green line the interchange instead of the middle one, and connect the green line to that. Then put another green track or two alongside your passing siding to make a small classification yard for the green line. These new green tracks can be stubs, doesn’t matter. What you’d be doing is creating a place for the green line to temporarily store cars bound for the interchange, and sort cars after pulling from the interchange, to put them in the proper order for delivery to the green line industries. (You really only need three tracks for this, so the fourth one can be solely a spur to industry 5.) This puts the operating emphasis on the green line, and reduces the purpose of the blue to come in from offstage, pick up and drop off cars at the interchange, then return to staging. Since there isn’t much else for blue to do on your original plan, might as well not give it more tracks than it needs to do that.
You should probably also consider a crossover in the middle of the longer passing siding near the industries, for easier switching.
Nice plan. Steve makes some great points.
Definitely eliminate the left side loop to the green line and make it strictly point to point.
I think you may have a reach problem in the NE, complicated by the location of industry #4.
Industries #3 and #4 do not have buildings. What are they supposed to be? Maybe make one of them a team/transload track and the other an engine house, provided there is no reach problems in the NE.
You can eliminate the entire #5 spur and convert the runaround to a spur instead. You don’t need a runaround there since it will be switched from the right as a trailing spur. I would also flip the direction of the stub yard tracks, have them face left or West. It would be easier to switch #5 then by simply dragging the cars out of the yard and you would tend to use the green line as the switch lead. As it stands now, the blue runaround will be the switch lead, which looks like it might be a bit short. The green line would make a better lead for the yard. (I hope this isn’t confusing!)
I’m a bit concerned about the lack of length for spurs #1 and #2. Looks like 2 car spots each, which is Ok I guess. I like longer spurs for at least 3 cars, but that’s personal preference.
JEA,
We have a similar layout (and two boys). If you favor the elimination of the continuous run in the industrial areas, I recommend going to a double mainline on the blue, outer loop with cross-overs. I find that it keeps multiple operators happy (two boys) and would allow for more realistic operation for the other switching.
-RJT
hi Jea,
Steve Otte asked you a question, about the space where your layout will be build. It might seem not obvious at first, if your layout is placed in a much larger room a different use of your space is possible.
I would shy away from larger area’s behind industries and backdrops, especially when it involves hidden turnouts leading into a couple staging tracks. An alternative could be grades. When the staging area is up front under the branch-line, you could reach in more easily. With viewing holes trains are never really out of sight.
The remark about a double-track-main is valid since you have 2 kids. Here i disagree with Steve’s thoughts about building the branch, when not building a double tracked main, as a point to point line. Your solution makes it possible for both to let their trains doing laps on different ovals. The question however is also the age of your kids; if they are 10+ they might be interested in switching as well.
I do agree with Steve’s remark about the best spot for your yard. Having it on the freight branch would be an improvement. A small engine terminal can always be added, with or without an engine house.
An other design question is about the placement of the branch. When build inside the main loop you can not use the backdrop along the wall for industries. You could consider building the main up front, near the operating pit.
Smile
Paul
Thanks for the great feed back. I will take a few day to think these ideas over and will post a revised plan. This was my first post and I am impressed with the willingness to help.
I tend to think from an overall perspective, Paul has some good points. My first question to you is, how old are your kids and really consider that as you plan. I have a son and daughter and it’s amazing how quickly they grow up, especially in relation to how long it takes to build a layout.
My son liked having the interaction between vehicles he could move( like trucks) in relation to the layout, track, train, scenery(roads), everything. My daughter enjoyed the houses and taking a trip on the train(great imagination there). We had double tracked mainlines and it was key early on at say ages 5 and 7. Starting about age 10, my son liked shifting loads from the vehicles to the trains and back again–got to be a big deal. As did sound and building kits. At age 12 my son wanted to start scratch building/kitbashing locos as well as scenery–so maybe plan on them having some space to build some things of their own on the layout. BTW, starting about age 13 my daughter lost interest, oh well–we still have her equipment on the layout and she comes by and checks every now and then(she’s now 16). So, having something for the double track mainlines to do, like stop at stations/team tracks allows the kids to load/unload, move people and vehicles around,etc will really help keep their interest.
I have also found that delicate rolling stock can be left to use when the very young ones aren’t around. Athearn blue box kits are very durable. Keep in mind(and if you’re lucky) they will want to invite their friends over to “play trains”. Great for Mom to have some cookies around then too!!
Richard