I need your help. I would really like to have a river on my layout, but don’t know exactly where to put it. Your opinion(s) will be greatly appreciated.
I could put it on the left side, but worry that it would have to be narrow and it would be too close to the curves. Would it look out of place?? What do you think??
I could put it on the bottom, but it would be pretty close to the switch that leads to the engine shed. Would it look out of place?? Would a real RR place an engine area that close to a river?? What do you think??
Hi Greg, in my opinion, a river or any water is a great excuse to highlight its rail crossing - with a neat bridge! I know there are other reasons - to soften the ends of a layout - to highlight some ship modeling. Another way is to imagine what the land looked like before the railroad got there - and imagine what the road needed to do to get through this area to get to whereever you have it going. It might then be easier to ‘add it in’ - I liked either location you mentioned.
I agree with Doug - a river is a great excuse for a neat bridge and an under bridge scene.
I would be inclined to put it near the bottom and have it fall off the end of the table. In that way, you don’t have to put a lot of it up into tehHE layout, which may take space for whihc you have other things planned.
On the layout, I would also continue the loop to be a full reversing loop at the top and bottom. Once you get trains going in one direction and take one trip through the loop at the top, you can’t reverse direction again without backing up.
Agree with what has been posted by Frank and Doug, but to take it a step further, if you add a turnout with a siding going around the whole track lead, you can run trains around the yard and also do seperate switching operations by isolating the two. So in effect, run more trains and have a more realistic operation. If you have command, you will enjoy building a consist and then heading out on the main with it.
My comment is continuity - maybe a lake, or have the river run all the way from left to bottom. Maybe you could channelize if you need to save space. Looks like a fun layout, how big is it?
I’m going to assume that the benchwork is going to be U shaped (the center is going to open). If that’s the case, I think putting the river on the left side with its bridges would give a neat focal point as visitors enter the layout.
Thanks for all the input thus far!! The layout is ‘U’ shaped or ‘C’ shaped depending on how you look at it!! The dimensions are 18ft by 13.5ft. I figured one reverse loop was enough. I don’t plan on constantly changing the train direction. I just didn’t want to get bored or stuck having either clockwise only or counter-clockwise only running. I really wanted to be able to start out with an engine of my choosing, then pick up a train (either passenger or freight), and then run with it. The engine shed will be primarily for steamers, while my 2 GP7s will stay in the yard. They can handle the light switching or pull a train around if I choose to do so. It’s not the most elaborate layout (restricted by space), but should be fun to run while offering some variety.
To answer your prototype question, NS has engine facilities right next to rivers in Roanoke, Enola and Conway. WESTERN MARYLAND had its Ridgley facility next to the Potomac.
If I can suggest, do away with the ladder track on the bottom portion of your diagram, and complete the return loop (just opens up your operations…)
As for the river, I’d run a diagonal gorge beneath the new 3 mainlines on the bottom portion.