Hey all,
Back trying a new plan for N scale in a 4x8 layout. My last attempt was too “spaghetti bowl” with no real point outside of continuous running. Trying to correct that with this one.
Blue line is the mainline.
Brown/purple (picture color looks different to me each time I see it) is the branchline with some industry possibilities.
Orange is the passing sides and yard with staging. Saw that design for a yard on a website and stole the idea. [}:)] Hope it’s functional.
Green tracks are what I’m going to be using for main industries and switching purposes so my trains have something to do. The track on the lower right will be my interchange track. The green thru track is going to be some industry, I haven’t decided yet, but I’m not sure if I will keep it as a thru track or change it to a spur. The upper left corner needs work as I know the location of the Left hand switch is not ideal.
All curves are 11" radius or larger (few that are) which are sharp turns. Will revise plan as I can. Would eventually get the plan up to 13" radius with an easement or two [;)] Grades will be even as far as track height is concerned, not looking to climb or dip on this layout.
I’m still trying to get a feel for the planning aspect so any thoughts you have are greatly appreciated. I know I have some points to work on, but if you see anything else that I’m missing or something that jumps out that screams that plan won’t be any fun whatsoever (if that’s possible with running trains), please let me know. I have to learn xtrac, atlasRR is kind of restricting.
Picture of layout is below, hope it comes out, it did in the preview of the post.
Thanks
Rob
If you want to build a layout that is perfect for you, you need a few answered.
What is the era of your layout?
What is the location of the layout?
What is the roadname of the layout?
What is the purpose of the layout?
Once those questions are answered, the next two questions fall into place. Wha is the scenery like? And what industries are you servicing? Take a wander through Walther’s and find buildings that fit the industies your layout will service. Note the size. You will have to work these into your plan. You have to make sure the scenery fits. Work backwards from a complete vision rather than starting with the track and trying to flesh it out.
As usual, Spacemouse is right. Those questions do need answered before much else can happen.
With that in mind, I looked at your layout plan and overall it’s a sound one. There are a few things that I saw though. One thing was there were some “S” turns that needed to be delt with. Most were with turnouts and such, and those can be hard to spot. Also, your branchline seemed to be more of an extended passing track then a true branch. Furthermore, the layout can only be run in one direction without the help of “the giant 0-5-0 switcher from the sky” (your hand). You also expressed a desire for larger radius curves.
With this in mind, I set about playing with the plan to see what could be done. This is what I came up with;
Click to enlarge
It’s far from perfect, but it addreses a lot of issues. There still may be an “S” turn or two, but right now I’ve got to run and don’t have the time to tinker with it more. I’ll revisit this tomorrow though.
Right now the minimum curve is a 13.75 inch curve and if that’s on the main it has a 15 inch easement. Most all turnouts are #7’s, with one or two #5’s thrown in where nothing else would work. I also added three possible connection points to the outside world.
Like I said, I’ll goof with it more later. Let me know if you’re interested in this and I’ll pursue it further. If not, let me know what you did have in mind and maybe we can come up with something. [8D]
Hey Spacemouse,
I should have included that in the original post.
Time period will be post WWII. Figure 1946-1953. Haven’t nailed down an exact year as of yet.
Location will be a northeast state(s). Since I’m in New York I would base it very loosely on my state or Pennsylvania. It’s a freelance design obviously.
Point of the layout is to get some switching in via the classification tracks and 2 industrial “towns” that I would want to have. Town upper left and lower right.
Industries I’d be looking at would be maybe a coal mine which would probably run along the green passing track or the brown, or combine the two to make a bigger complex and add spurs or another sidetrack if needed. I would also want someplace to dump the coal if I go that direction. I could also change the coal to a lumber yard with a few industries that would use the lumber yard, i.e. furniture or other manufacturing facility in the upper left corner of the layout. There should be enough room for the foot of the buildings. From what I have seen in the Walther’s book and online the N scale buildings would fit as long as I use that space a little better, which I’ll be working on.
Wanted to see if the plan has some potential with some modifications or in the opinions of those who have solid experience I should try again and scrap this one instead of trying to modify it.
Thanks PC,
I was responding to Space while you were posting. Great job, love the turntable and roundhouse. Something I always wanted from when I was a kid. Love some of the other ideas as well. I’ll take a look at them tonight after work when I get back to the mad scientist’s lab. Would love to see/hear more of your ideas. I think I’m still a little robotic in my designs sticking to typical loops and ovals. Have to work my brain out of that.
Thanks again.
Rob
When you think of creating a closed system, you build yourself into a trap. Most industries are not locally oriented. For instance a brewery will need glass, hops, fuel, grains yeast–not all of which will come from a local soource, and if they did you wouldn’t fit them on a layout. If moving products and raw materials is a concern, then you really need a way to work in staging.
You are right I’ve never seen Atlas look so good! I think I recognize some Paint help in there too, lol.
Couple questions for you.
Grade going up the hill could be kept under 2.5 because I would be determinig the height of the hill?
Operationally, would traffic be moving in a clockwise direction around the main and backing into, or pushing the cars into the branch line as well as the town?
I’m digging the turntable and locomotive service tracks. Saw the article in MR mag that highlighted loco service tracks, very cool stuff.
I’m trying to visualize operating the trains but haven’t seen how trains should run.
I appreciate you taking the time to design a better version of what I was doing. This is perfect for me to see because it breaks me out of a mold that I’m in.
Now that you redesigned that for me to show improvements I was wondering if you think my (or your much improved) design has too much track for a 4x8? I was trying to stay away from putting too much track into a small layout but I’m not sure if I accomplished that.
Thanks
Rob
Thank you, and you’re right, there’s a ton of paint in there!
Shoot!
The height of the hill would be determined by the grade going up to it. You’re not going to get a lot of height here, an inch or two is probably about it. But combine that height with some rock work and LOTS of trees and it will be visually seperated pretty well.
You would want to pu***he cars up the hill and pull them down. In real life this gives the best braking on the way down and on the way up the cars may be starting the grade, but the loco is still on the flat so it retains full (or almost) pushing power and traction. Notice too, at the top of the grade I’ve provided a run around for switching. This way you can switch all of the businesses on the branch, and do any run-arounds to get up or down the hill.
I’ve always liked loco facilities. I used a turntable on this one because otherwise you had no way to turn a loco other then with the 0-5-0 switcher. You don’t have room for a turning wye and a reversing loop would eat up a large portion of your layout. This was the most efficiant solution. Besides, it’s pretty cool too!
If the plan fits your dream–remember Philip came up with this not you–there are a couple issues I would look at. Looking at the layout as if it were a clock, at 3:15 there is a pair of turnouts next to each other. The spur going down to the lake doesn’t really do anything. If it is eliminated, then you don’t need the double turnout.
If you are looking to eliminate track, the innermost loop from 4:30 to 12:00 counter clock-wise does nothing for operations and eliminating it would allow you to extend the yard.
The long industrial area (outer stub loop) can be switched in either direction, but if you head in, it would have to be switched from the end out.
Good point! When I did this yesterday it was arranged a bit different. It was set up as a switchback with the opportunity to have two businesses. I changed it slightly today and so you could either replace the lake with a business or, as Spacemouse said, eliminate the switchback. I’d probably eliminate it myself. Cuts down on some of the trackage.
This is true also, and I might have gone that route myself, but I was trying to preserve the integrity of the original plan. I’m not sure how that plan was arrived at and I tried not to deviate too far from it. It is very worthy of concideration though.
Chip know’s his stuff. His opinion is something that should be listened to. As he points out (and I think I did too), this is MY vision of this plan. Think of it as food for thought. Take my suggestions, and Chip’s suggestions, and the suggestions of others as well, mix them up with your own ideas and create YOUR plan. You’re off to a really good start!
If you were to compress the layout about 6" vvertically, you could squeeze in 2-3 staging tracks along the top (or bottom.) Without changing the height of the track, these could be hidden by building a hollow mountain over them.
[img]
