Here is the track diagram for my new multi level layout. Not 100% yet but it fits the space. I still need to fill in the industries. I know I will have a refinery and fuel oil, coal and feed dealer. I would like a scrap yard and lumber yard. The upper level will be mountain country area and the lower level will be more city like. The third level is not shown yet but, will be a shelf layout around the whole room. The max grade will be under 4% in some spots but will avarage more like 2%. I will have a helper district to add power to get long trains up the grade. There will be Amtrak passenger operations also to make it more interesting. Any thought or suggestions will be welcome. This plan has been more than 2 years in the making and to make it work I need to remodel some of the room first so I wont be starting this till the fall. Joe A.
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perhaps a small logging operation in the mountains to supply the lumberyard?
That will work for me. Thanks!
you’re welcome, was the first thought that came to mind, especially with the industries listed. If theres a place the layout “connects” to the “real world” (or another route), perhaps that route could supply the oil and/or coal for your purposes. I don’t critisize other layouts, though i do find it somewhat unrealistic ( i guess) when i see layouts with large industries, and no apparent connections to the raw materials needed (or i just put too much thought into pictures and layout diagrams)
I figured at least a few industries that consume something produced on the layout would be worth it. I was also thinking of a factory for auto parts and possibly a auto assembly plant. With a small flat classification yard on the plan I can send and receive any kind of car. I forgot to say my railroad is a shortcut between two large class 1RR so alot of traffic flows through it also.
wow, thats going to be a nice layout! hope that it works out well for you [:)]
Thanks
Here is a little more info about my railroad. It will be a short line RR. the setting is somewhere in central or western PA today. My RR is a major shortcut between Union Pacific and CSX, but all 7 class 1 RR use it so you will see them all. I still need a name for my RR. any ideas?
Wanted to bring this back to the front to see if there are any new people who want to comment on my new layout.
i suspect that even with the pop up access holes you’re going to have some areas that are hard to reach for building scenery and rerailing cars that go off the rails
other than that it looks pretty sweet
Thanks, I thought about the access problem but could’nt come up with any other easy solutions. Any Ideas?
Does anyone out there have removable access and find it does’nt work out as they planned ? I would rather avoid something I have to remove everytime I find a derailment or for maintenance, but I cant see any other way.
IMHO I’d rather have less model railroad than deal with access hatches. YMMV, of course.
Now that I’ve ranted, how does one make the best of a bad situation?
Build the layout fairly high. The less you have to crouch or bend over, the less painful the hatch will be to use. Also, the higher the layout, the easier it is to hide the access hatch.
A permanently open pit is the easiest to use, and the easiest to build. Drawback is hiding it from view.
A hinged up hatch is the 2nd easiest to use, but the most difficult to build and scenic. The hinges must be higher than the terrain along the edge of the hatch. Both hinges must be on the same straight line, which means a straight line on the hinged side of the hatch at the very least, which means a harder time disguising the raised blocks where the hinges are mounted and the edge of the hatch. There has to be a way to hold the hatch in the raised position - easiest is a “sky hook” from the ceiling.
A lift-out hatch is the 2nd simplest to make, and a real pain to use. The big problem is where to set a lift-out hatch when you lift it out. If you could reach a place outside the layout with the hatch, you wouldn’t need the hatch in the first place. The only feasible plan I have seen is ceiling suspension cables or shelf brackets protruding from the wall. Or set it on nearby unfinished portions of the layout, and never use the hatch again once you have finished the set-down point.
A hinge-down hatch is a mediocre solution. My biggest complaint with this style is that I can’t seem to avoid brushing my leg against my senicked hatch in the down position while popping up through the opening. Otherwise, this solution is actually pretty good. Maybe if my hinge down hatch had been an epxoy lake surface where brushing against the surface would have dusted it…
Don’t ask me how I learned all this. Let’s just say my ironclad rule is that no point on a shelf is more than 30 inc
Hmmm … a few things come to mind with this plan.
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Have you tried coupling and uncoupling cars on curves? You have lots of yard and industry tracks with curves … in my experience you need to use a factor of 5 times the length of the car for curve radius or you won’t be able to couple the cars without a lot of hand fiddling with the couplers. So for 40 foot cars in HO, the cars are about 6" long, which means any curve below a 30" radius (6" x 5) will give you coupling trouble.
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You should consider a shelf walkaround design as an alternative. As I get older, I find crawling around under a layout to get access is really annoying to say the least and downright painful at times. With a walkaround design, you and everyone else can reach everything from the aisles and life is good! With less of a massive tabletop you use less lumber and need to build less scenery.
I was wondering if that is going to be a problem. One solution would be to have some straight section of track for coupling some where in the yard.
I thought about a shelf but a few problems arise; 1. I want continuious running and with a shelf there is no way to turn around or keep running. Any Thoughts about that one? 2. I dont have access to any wall except the two corners where the layout is located. I have to many kids who use the room and there desks and toys and all the other stuff that comes with kids is there. One solution was to go high up. Wife says its ok as long as it dosnt get in the way. So I will have an around the room shelf about 6ft high 6in wide in some spots. The problem is where do you put a yard? Cant go much wider than 12’’ and even at that width you cant see to the back tracks. This solution of having the yard at a comfortable hight to see and work with is solved, except for the access problem. Keep the Ideas coming. Joe A.
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QUOTE: Originally posted by fwright
IMHO I’d rather have less model railroad than deal with access hatches. YMMV, of course.
Now that I’ve ranted, how does one make the best of a bad situation?
Build the layout fairly high. The less you have to crouch or bend over, the less painful the hatch will be to use. Also, the higher the layout, the easier it is to hide the access hatch.
A permanently open pit is the easiest to use, and the easiest to build. Drawback is hiding it from view.
A hinged up hatch is the 2nd easiest to use, but the most difficult to build and scenic. The hinges must be higher than the terrain along the edge of the hatch. Both hinges must be on the same straight line, which means a straight line on the hinged side of the hatch at the very least, which means a harder time disguising the raised blocks where the hinges are mounted and the edge of the hatch. There has to be a way to hold the hatch in the raised position - easiest is a “sky hook” from the ceiling.
A lift-out hatch is the 2nd simplest to make, and a real pain to use. The big problem is where to set a lift-out hatch when you lift it out. If you could reach a place outside the layout with the hatch, you wouldn’t need the hatch in the first place. The only feasible plan I have seen is ceiling suspension cables or shelf brackets protruding from the wall. Or set it on nearby unfinished portions of the layout, and never use the hatch again once you have finished the set-down point.
A hinge-down hatch is a mediocre solution. My biggest complaint with this style is that I can’t seem to avoid brushing my leg against my senicked hatch in the down position while popping up through the opening. Otherwise, this solution is actually pretty good. Maybe if my hinge down hatch had been an epxoy lake surface where brushing against the surface would have dusted it…
Don’t ask me how I learned all this. Let’s just say my
it’s nice until you get older…those access ports are going to be really hard on you once your bones start all those aches and pains…i’m with joe, a walk around with everything in reaching distance might be better…not only will they be hard on you as time goes by, but once you’re in the port you’re gonna start knocking things over with your elbows that you don’t want knocked over,… not to mention, it’s really hard to turn around in those ports…my last layout had acess ports and it was a pain in the neck, shoulders arms, legs, ect…don’t feel bad if we critique your hard work but from experience (and being an old guy) a walk around will serve your purposes better… chuck
I appreaciate the help and info! I would rather learn from someone elses mistakes than my own. Besides I asked for everyones opinion, so lets keep up the dialog.