14'x12'(room)/10'x2.5' layout. What would you do?

[CharleyDiesing]

First let me explain my situation. I live at home currently and probably will be for the duration of me going to college. I am blessed to live close to the campus I will be attending school at + me and my parents get a long great!

So I plan on doing a layout in my bed room. The actual space of the main layout will be 10 feet by 2.5 feet. But I will have a mainline going around the entire bedroom(like a shelf).

So my question is what would you do? I really don't like clutter and I like it to look realistic so a yard+industry won't look very good in my opinion. So I'm guessing my question... If you had 10' x 2.5' of space what kind/type of industry would you go with? Also if you could post some good model kits in such in order for me to get an idea of how to create that. That'd be awesome!

Also my era/railroad is. 50's-70's Rock Island Railroad(I haven't decided what exactly what I'm going with yet, but steam will not be part of it)


Thanks in advance!

-Charley

 

[zoegraf]

First let me explain my situation. I live at home currently and probably will be for the duration of me going to college. I am blessed to live close to the campus I will be attending school at + me and my parents get a long great!

So I plan on doing a layout in my bed room. The actual space of the main layout will be 10 feet by 2.5 feet. But I will have a mainline going around the entire bedroom(like a shelf).

So my question is what would you do? I really don't like clutter and I like it to look realistic so a yard+industry won't look very good in my opinion. So I'm guessing my question... If you had 10' x 2.5' of space what kind/type of industry would you go with? Also if you could post some good model kits in such in order for me to get an idea of how to create that. That'd be awesome!

Also my era/railroad is. 50's-70's Rock Island Railroad(I haven't decided what exactly what I'm going with yet, but steam will not be part of it)


Thanks in advance!

-Charley

I once had a very narrow shelf layout going around the walls of a bedroom about the same size as yours. The widest part of the layout was 2Ft and the narrowest was 9".

Here are links to that layout and a pic of the track plan.

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16941&highlight=narrow+shelf+layout

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16986&highlight=narrow+shelf+layout

Not only could you model industries, you could model a coal supplier, and other small trackside services/businesses or even a little quarry.

 

[beiland]

Do some searching on this forum, there are lots of discussions of small room layouts.

And if you send me your email address (not the private message stuff of this forum) and I'll send you a couple of 'bedroom layouts' I have saved in my files.
Brian
railandsail@gmail.com

 

[beiland]

.....

So I plan on doing a layout in my bed room. The actual space of the main layout will be 10 feet by 2.5 feet. But I will have a mainline going around the entire bedroom(like a shelf).

2.5 feet deep should be plenty. have a look at any mnumber of modular layouts and see a LOT of crative ideas in relatively narrow depths

So my question is what would you do? I really don't like clutter and I like it to look realistic so a yard+industry won't look very good in my opinion.

I was just looking thru a bunch of photos I had taken at Timonium Train Show where any number of modular clubs come and set up displays. I'll just post a couple of them here (several of them from a club in NC,...can't remember their name right now, but theirs were AMAZING)

 

[joed2323]

Why will a yard plus a industry not look good to you?? If your going around your whole room with a shelf, why not make it a foot wide or 24 inches? Can you spare a foot wide shelf??

 

[CharleyDiesing]

Why will a yard plus a industry not look good to you?? If your going around your whole room with a shelf, why not make it a foot wide or 24 inches? Can you spare a foot wide shelf??

The only section that will have scenery will be the 2.5'-10' section. The rest of the shelf will just be around 6 inches or less. I'm trying to still have a bedroom at the end of this not just a model railroad with a bed.

So on the section that is not the 2.5'x10' section will have no scenery just track. This is so I can run a locomotive on a continuous mainline.

And I guess I don't really like the cluttered of some people's layouts with so much clutter of track that it's really not realistic of what a real railroad would look. Because in reality there's several miles between a industry and a big Railyard.

 

[Iron Horseman]

so a yard+industry won't look very good in my opinion.

hehehe, I think a yard+industry never look very good. Most MRs are over yarded and under industried.

Rock Island is one road that is almost all plains. Kansas, Iowa, Eastern Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas. There are lots of options for industries including grain, cattle, grain, limestone/cement, grain, lumber yards (receiving), refineries, grain, rock/sand, asphalt, oil, chemicals, heavy machinery manufacturing, air craft parts (Wichita), automobiles (receiving). Did I mention corn, wheat, barley, sorghum, and other grains?

I think a small Iowa or Kansas town along the length of the 2.5' wide shelf might look good. A small station with a grain elevator, lumber yard, and cement plant could provide some interesting switching. Replace the cement plant with an oil dock for a better mix of freight cars. Hmmm Jennings Kansas comes to mind.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q...291979&spn=0.004029,0.007092&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=6

Here is the station as it looked in 2005.

 

[cuyama]

Because in reality there's several miles between a industry and a big Railyard.

That's far from true in many US urban areas, where a very large number of industries are located nearly adjacent to the yards. Even out in the "sticks" yards and industries often end up close together.

For an example of this, have a look at the website of the Modesto and Empire Traction Co. As you can see from the map of the industrial park, there are three yards on the property and dozens of industries, all right next to one another.

This is just one of hundreds of examples.

If you don't want a yard + industry layout for yourself, that's perfectly fine -- but your statement above is not generally accurate.

 

[zoegraf]

You can also have the shelf layout as high as your chin height so you are able to have high furniture in your bedroom like a dresser, etc. The sections you intend not to scenic, you can put a scenic ridge of some type just high enough so that you can not see the track, but only the train. Gives the illusion of a completed scenic layout. I did this on some areas of my old shelf layout to save money, time, and materials such as ballast. Even using a structure and bushes can hide the un-ballasted track.

All these shots have track that is not ballasted and were taken at standing height.

 

[CharleyDiesing]

You can also have the shelf layout as high as your chin height so you are able to have high furniture in your bedroom like a dresser, etc. The sections you intend not to scenic, you can put a scenic ridge of some type just high enough so that you can not see the track, but only the train. Gives the illusion of a completed scenic layout. I did this on some areas of my old shelf layout to save money, time, and materials such as ballast. Even using a structure and bushes can hide the un-ballasted track.

All these shots have track that is not ballasted and were taken at standing height.

I've thought about that. My main point for not having any scenery is to keep the materials from coming down on my bed/desk. Also I just won't have a position to sit and work on the railroad. I would have to lean over beds/desks/shelfs. That my main point.

 

[CharleyDiesing]

hehehe, I think a yard+industry never look very good. Most MRs are over yarded and under industried.

Rock Island is one road that is almost plains. Kansas, Iowa, Eastern Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas. There are lots of options for industries including grain, cattle, grain, limestone/cement, grain, lumber yards (receiving), refineries, grain, rock/sand, asphalt, oil, chemicals, heavy machinery manufacturing, air craft parts (Wichita), automobiles (receiving). Did I mention corn, wheat, barley, sorghum, and other grains?

I think a small Iowa or Kansas town along the length of the 2.5' wide shelf might look good. A small station with a grain elevator, lumber yard, and cement plant could provide some interesting switching. Replace the cement plant with an oil dock for a better mix of freight cars. Hmmm Jennings Kansas comes to mind.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q...291979&spn=0.004029,0.007092&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=6

Here is the station as it looked in 2005.

Very interesting! I'll look into this! Thanks!

 

[Iron Horseman]

Very interesting! I'll look into this! Thanks!

Take a second look at the station picture too. That window in the center isn't just a window. It is two windodws. Unfortunately the angle on the photo doesn't show that it is actually a "V" of two windows, so the station agent could lean out and look up and down the tracks. Sort of like a bay window without the center flat part. I had never seen anything like that before.

 

[Burlington Bob]

By CharleyDiesing;

I'm trying to still have a bedroom at the end of this not just a model railroad with a bed.

First things first! You HAVE to get your priorities straight!

By cuyama;

That's far from true in many US urban areas, where a very large number of industries are located nearly adjacent to the yards. Even out in the "sticks" yards and industries often end up close together.

Very true. Often the two go hand in hand due to zoning laws and just the fact that no one wanted to live in those areas prior to zoning unless they couldn't afford anything else. So that fact alone made the area into an industrial area if developed or just farmland.

 

[CharleyDiesing]

So far I want to thank everyone for helping me out! Its been very helpful and I've read all the posts!

I have decided to go with Grain Silo/elevators. Kind of Iowa farmland based around the 1960's-1970's. My Question was what are the prototypical silos/grain elevators in that time? Did they have the big tall metal ones? Or where they all wooden still?

Also all farmland/buildings/etc used in that time era would be helpful to know about so please if you know just post below!

Thanks a ton!

Charley

 

[XtraLargeTall]

So far I want to thank everyone for helping me out! Its been very helpful and I've read all the posts!

I have decided to go with Grain Silo/elevators. Kind of Iowa farmland based around the 1960's-1970's. My Question was what are the prototypical silos/grain elevators in that time? Did they have the big tall metal ones? Or where they all wooden still?

Also all farmland/buildings/etc used in that time era would be helpful to know about so please if you know just post below!

Thanks a ton!

Charley

My first post on here but I do know a bit about farming and I happen to be going to college for it

Most of the elevators you'll see, especially along a railroad will be concrete and some have begun to add steel bins as well. The wooden elevators are much older and most are not used anymore. Here's an article that can explain it better than I can. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_elevator

As far as farmland, that's pretty explanatory. Iowa like you mentioned is mostly corn and soybeans while further west like was mentioned earlier is getting into more wheat.

Buildings are all up to your imagination since you can make them old or new or any combination. Best of luck with your setup, wish I was able to get started now

 

[Doughless]

Charley, Very interesting layout you are planning.

I would say that there would be plenty of examples of wooden grain elevators in rural Iowa in the 60's and 70's. Corrugated steel ones also.

Here are links to some Walthers products that would look good on your layout:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3036

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3096

Or a feed mill:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3061

I would also not dismiss the idea of scenicking the rest of the layout. If you have enough room to install a 6 inch wide shelf, a 9 inch wide shelf should not invade anymore space. If you can dodge furniture enough to install the shelf, you can dodge furniture enough to scenick it. The effort will be worth it, IMO. And you can put a finish board along the edge, so its top sits 1/2 inch above the layout, and that should keep the dusties off of your stuff.

A favorite modeler of mine is Tom Johnson, who models a freelanced grain hauler set in northern indiana. Some of his track is only 9 inches deep (the towns are slightly deeper). The illusion of depth he gets with his backdrops is amazing. You will likely not achieve his level of skill, but his layout is inspirational. Google his name and INRAIL and you will get more links in addition to the following:

http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12958

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=28839&whichpage=3

Good luck....

 

[CharleyDiesing]

My first post on here but I do know a bit about farming and I happen to be going to college for it

Most of the elevators you'll see, especially along a railroad will be concrete and some have begun to add steel bins as well. The wooden elevators are much older and most are not used anymore. Here's an article that can explain it better than I can. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_elevator

As far as farmland, that's pretty explanatory. Iowa like you mentioned is mostly corn and soybeans while further west like was mentioned earlier is getting into more wheat.

Buildings are all up to your imagination since you can make them old or new or any combination. Best of luck with your setup, wish I was able to get started now

Awesome thanks! I'm from Texas but my family is from Iowa! So I've spent many summers/winters there! Love it! Thanks for the link!

 

[CharleyDiesing]

Charley, Very interesting layout you are planning.

I would say that there would be plenty of examples of wooden grain elevators in rural Iowa in the 60's and 70's. Corrugated steel ones also.

Here are links to some Walthers products that would look good on your layout:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3036

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3096

Or a feed mill:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3061

I would also not dismiss the idea of scenicking the rest of the layout. If you have enough room to install a 6 inch wide shelf, a 9 inch wide shelf should not invade anymore space. If you can dodge furniture enough to install the shelf, you can dodge furniture enough to scenick it. The effort will be worth it, IMO. And you can put a finish board along the edge, so its top sits 1/2 inch above the layout, and that should keep the dusties off of your stuff.

A favorite modeler of mine is Tom Johnson, who models a freelanced grain hauler set in northern indiana. Some of his track is only 9 inches deep (the towns are slightly deeper). The illusion of depth he gets with his backdrops is amazing. You will likely not achieve his level of skill, but his layout is inspirational. Google his name and INRAIL and you will get more links in addition to the following:

http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12958

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=28839&whichpage=3

Good luck....

These are some awesome links! Thanks a ton! I've also gotten some inspiration from this guy I found on the internet! Enjoy these pics!

http://www.gatewaynmra.org/layouts/Bill-Giese.htm