Shlef layout

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hi all.

I am new to the forum and thought I would pose a question. I am in the process of finishing my basement and adding space for a layout. It will be HO scale, although I may make the change to N, and will be located in the left hand room of the image below

I am planning on a shelf type layout as I need to keep the interior of the space open for other uses. The room size is going to be 16’ x 13’ with an 8’ x 3’alcove. I will be doing a double deck layout since I want to increase my mainline run and am not averse to double deck layouts. See the below image for my proposed benchwork layout.

A helix will be located on the upper right corner of the layout. I had planned on making the max width of the benchwork 24" in the proposed yard area (top of image and 15" everywhere else). Am I limiting myself too much using a 15" wide shelf? I do not want to hinder views of the lower deck by going too wide on the top deck. Any thoughts are appreciated.

John

Fort Mill, SC

2

15" should be fine for the tangent (straight) sections. You might want to make the corners a little bigger (ie cut a triangle to fit) so that your curves can be a little wider.

If I’m reading your plan right, you’re going to have a duckunder to enter the room. you might want to consider a swinging “door” section. While a duckunder is OK for now, you (or your back) might really hate it later on.

3

NeO6784, I will probably make the corners larger than shown in the plan to account for 30" curves. 30" is my minimum for mainline and 24" for industry trackage unless a space is really tight and I will go to 18".

I will also be doing a swinging entry (both decks in one unit) into the layout area below the helix and by the door to my HVAC closet.

John

4

That plan looks similar to mine. A doubledeck N-scale layout. 15" is plenty for N for me.

Benchwork is 15" deep all the way around. Level 1 is 14" tall, Level 2 is 17".