another first layout

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H

hpdrifter

New Member
Good day gents; name is Rick and I'm a semi complete newbie. Well, let's go ahead and make it a complete ....

I was/have been studying my situation for a couple of weeks and I'm still in limbo. Been reading mschreuder's "First layout" and am almost a complete 180 from his circumstance.

I have almost unlimited space. A 30 by 30 basement that is all mine except for a little storage which can be rearranged any ole way. But, have limited funds so can't really fill up the area.....quickly.

I have some(4) BB Athearn locos, which I have hardwired to eliminate the rubbing metal electrical connections and a small assortment of Athearn cars. One set is an Amtrack F-7 with 4 streamline cars. 2 GP-38s and an SW1500 in HO. I also have some N scale "stuff". One being an Atlas U25B with various MT cars. I just don't know which I'd want to go with. I'm leaning HO, but I like the idea of looong trains although I think I'd really like switching quite a bit.

I'd like some input on an idea I have in HO. Make a main track with 22" radius curves for some heavy 6 axle motive power in future with smaller 18" inside for the smaller local runs. I've developed benchwork with 4'x4' ends with 2'x4' connecting wall shelflike connections. I'm looking at probably 24' of around the wall layout with the 4x4 ends and 2x4 connecting it around one corner. Of course it'll be basice 4'x8' at first with expansion.

For right now tho, I've got about 18' of N flex track ordered to setup for a "test" track to see if I can get the feeling for N scale. If I can buy into N scale and think I can work it, I'll prolly go that route and scale down the size a bit.

Any future locomotive purchases will be DCC oriented and I like intermodal and coal cars. A long line of the same style of equipment seems to be my orientation, but then again I think the short line switching would be interesting also.

I really don't know which way I wanna go, gonna have to figure it out. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Rick

Ps, have got "Laying track for Realistic Operation" and "Yards" ordered for some learning.
 
Hi Rick,

first off, welcome to the forum!! :D I think you will enjoy this place, alot of great guys here and everyone is very helpful and knowledgeable about the hobby.

If you have a 30'x30' space to work with, i would say go HO. I dont wanna say thats too much room for N scale, i dont know, maybe its just my personal preference of HO scale lol. I wish i had a 30x30' space LOL. The choice is up to you however, its your railroad and you can do what you want with it, thats the great thing about this hobby :D

If you going to do HO, i would certainly make your radius bigger then 22" to run large 6-axle power, i would go more of 28" or 30". 32 or 34" would be the best, and you could definitely get away with it in the space you have. The you could do 22" radius minimum for all the spurs and sidings that sure the various industries you want to have. Try and stay away from small radius's if you can.

Even in N scale, i would do at least 26" radius for the bigger power, trust me, you will thank yourself later and have less issues with broader curves. 20 or 22" radius on the inner tracks such as the spurs and sidings for industries....

What era are you wanting to model? Do you have a specific time frame in mind? You say you want to run 6-axle power as well, so im assuming sometime in the modern day or near past?

BTW, if you need help with designing a layout plan, i can help you out and draw up a plan for you in my planning program i have :D
 
I'll second Josh on the issue of curves. 22" radius curces are the minimum that most six axle power will run on reliably but not the most desirable. They'll make it around the track but the overhang from larger engines and even larger modern rolling stock makes them look terrible. Prototype size passenger cars are enevn more picky and 28" curves are about the minumum you want to have. You have a large space so put in the largest curves you can. Your railroad will run better and look more realistic.
 


Modern era with some not to distant past would be ok. Just thinking about some local area representation; delivery to different spurs, i.e. hardware warehouse, chemical company, glass manufacturer and maybe a Wyoming(?) to Texas trunkline coal delivery to one of our local power plants. There's an intermodal yard about 40 miles away that looks interesting also.

30" Radius!!! I suppose I could extend my 4x4 with a round extention and cut the transition from 4' to 2' section with an internal section 45° bench.

I really think I'd like HO better, but I don't want to get to gaudy too quick. lol.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
well what i did for my industries and stuff, i went around town (dallas) and i mean all around town looking thru industrial areas, street by street and drawing out the way tracks were layed out there on a sketch pad, i even asked permission to some of the warehouses to measure the height of the bay doors for loading and unoading boxcars so i could get correct distance between the track and the building, the distance between the loading doors and the height of the doors just so my model wouldnt be all off scale, now that just me, u can do whatever u want. there's also other people on here that have kool designs, i'll post their links up later
 
up dallas sub said:
well what i did for my industries and stuff, i went around town (dallas) and i mean all around town looking thru industrial areas, street by street and drawing out the way tracks were layed out there on a sketch pad, i even asked permission to some of the warehouses to measure the height of the bay doors for loading and unoading boxcars so i could get correct distance between the track and the building, the distance between the loading doors and the height of the doors just so my model wouldnt be all off scale, now that just me, u can do whatever u want. there's also other people on here that have kool designs, i'll post their links up later
Click to expand...



here they are:

http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1112&start=15

http://www.lancemindheim.com/index.htm

http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=169
 
up dallas sub, I live in Corsicana, but lived in Dallas for 22 years. Grew up there.

Heres the bench I've got about half done with. The red if it shows up is extentions for 28" radius turns.

OOoops, thought you could upload from the computer. Gotta use an internet photo site?
 
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