I’m sure everyone is tired of all this talk about track planning but I’m going to ask this anyway. This is my second attempt at designing an N scale track plan on my own and I need some help. I had a plan that I really liked but after I added everything up, it ended up costing me way too much for my budget and it took up more space than I had available. I had everything I wanted in this plan and I would like to incorporate as much as possible into this smaller, less complex layout. Some of the things I want to include are,
1.) Continuous running of 2 or more trains so I can just sit back and watch em go.
2.) A large industry with interesting/complex switching such as a grain elevator.
3.) The ability to run unit coal trains of 15 or more cars.
4.) 15" minimum radius main, 12" yards. Minimum turnout, #7 main and #5 yards.
5.) Enough room for some scenery.
6.) A few hidden staging tracks
7.) I would like to include a small yard with engine servicing if I have enough space.
I combined a couple different layouts that I liked and this is what I came up with. It doesn’t have all the things I want but its a start.
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I can expand the benchwork dimensions a little bit but I like the size and I would like to keep it fairly portable. I’m open to all suggestions so please respond if you have an idea on how to make this plan better.
I like the fact that you defined the purpose of your layout design - " 1.) Continuous running of 2 or more trains so I can just sit back and watch em go." This design will allow you to do so while preserving the ability to do some switching and changing tracks and directions with your reverse loop.
I like the overall plan. The only suggestion I would offer is to remove the crossover closest to the double track bridge. I don’t see a need for that particular crossover since there is one located just ahead and behind that turnout.
Instead of having your 2 track stub run parallel to the mainline in the lower right corner, why not curve them out along your gridline #13? That would allow you to use the industry (or whatever you have in mind there) as a scenery block.
No plan can be perfected. All you can do is improve one but they all have limitations. I’d use the area taken up by the reverse loop for a large industry or several. I can’t find the loops mate to reverse your trains. Eventually everything is going to wind up facing the same way and trains will need to be bcaked through the loop to reverse them
For starters, I would eliminate the reversing loop. If you really want a reversing loop there are a lot more clever ways to work one or two into this plan. One would be to just connect the track from across the bridge back into the inside loop. Or another possiblility is to run a track from the outside on the left over across the top of the whole thing and re-connecting to the outside on the right. In fact that would be a good place to put the staging.
Use the space where the reversing loop is for the stated desired loco facility.
The first place I can see to work in a yard is to make the curve on the upper right sooner and tuck the yard in behind it. This would sort of be where the current industry is. So then the industry could be moved to the other side.
I don’t know what complex switching there would be at a grain elevator. Set out the cars and then push them through slowly as they are (un)loaded. Complex switching would be a downtown industrial areas were certain spotted cars can’t be moved and have to be worked around, or super complex like a steel plant. Anything with ice hatch reefers involves cleaning them after unloading, or putting ice into them before adding to the complexity.
With 16.5" curves those outside corner spaces could be used to tuck in an industry or two here and there, instead of cutting them off. Cutting them off also accentuates the curves. If there is a real desire for cutting them off do it at odd angles rather than at equal tangents to the curve of the track.
Question: Do you have acess to at least three sides? I know you said it would be portable, but reach when it’s all set up could be an issue. If there’s a spot that you can’t reach easily, you can bet that is the spot that every train you ever own will derail! Don’t ask me how I know this…
I agree with TZ on the above. The reversing loop as it stands doesn’t add much since you don’t have a viable out and back arrangement with the yard.
What I do NOT recommend is leaving the corners square. Tends to cause language to degenerate and scars to occur on one’s body. In extreme cases, portions the layout will suffer moderate earthquake damage from acts of god. Don’t ask me how I know this.
But it only takes a couple of inches cut off to save clumsier folks like me from themselves, which still leaves room for industry spurs as TZ mentioned.
I also like the way you defined your operational goals, and designed the layout to meet them.
If you really want to keep the reverse loop where it is, how about using it as a mine loading or power plant unloading balloon track. You do want to run coal trains - that would give them somwhere to go. Not as convenient as a loads-in empties-out arrangement, but it’s an option.
I’d try to add hidden staging but that’s beyond the scope of this layout I think.
The reversing loop is there for unit coal train loading and nothing else. I’ve been trying to find a place to put a second reversing loop but I can’t find a good place for one. I could replace it with a large industry but I can’t decide on an industry I like much less a good track arrangement. Any ideas?
The crossover was supposed to be part of a runaround but I do agree its sort of redundant.
I’m trying to merge a bunch of prototype industries together for the “complex switching” That would be grain loading/unloading, liquid fertilizer unloading, bagged grain loading/unloading and farm equipment unloading.
I don’t think accessibility will be a problem. I will have the benchwork on small wheels so if I do need to get behind the layout for some reason, it will be easy to do so. The sides of the layout that will normally be against a wall are highlighted in red.
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I’m still trying to figure out a way to add a yard to the plan. If I can do that then I will have a place to reverse trains and I can use it as a staging yard. That adds about $300 to track and electrical expenses, oh well.
Thanks again for the responses. If anyone has more ideas please let me know!
