First layout planning... Take 2


re re re designing

Philip I think that's normal!:eek: ;)For my last N scale layout( 4 x 3 feet) It took me 1/2 a year before i had a design to wich I could say: "mmwôh..that looks a little bit of what i was thinking of..." and it took me almost 2 months to make the finaly design/plan

Jos
 
pcarrell said:
You definately have a workable space. There is a workable plan that can be made for this area. Don't loose heart.

I went through 22 redesigns before I got something worth building. Hopefully you won't have to go quite that far.
Click to expand...

I only made it through 19 redesigns. But then again I had better help than you did.
 
Chip, what are you talking about man? I had you! I'd have had to do 40 redo's if you weren't around!

Mine was more a problem of trying to take a prototype and make it into something it wasn't, but still make it look like it was. Did that make sense? Hmmmmmm...........
 
Last edited by a moderator:
pcarrell said:
Chip, what are you talking about man? I had you! I'd have had to do 40 redo's if you weren't around!

Mine was more a problem of trying to take a prototype and make it into something it wasn't, but still make it look like it was. Did that make sense? Hmmmmmm...........
Click to expand...

See that's what I'm talking agout. You had me but I had you. You cut me down to 19 while I only kept you down to 22.

See I had better help.
 
I don't know about all that!

I know I arrived where I did because of the help of many....you included!

Now, what say we get Kevin rockin' and rollin'?
 
Just goofing around.......

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Track Plans/Kevin.jpg

20"r minimum on mainline with #7's. 17.50"r minimum with #5's on sidings. Decent room for some scenery. Could be built with or without grades. Only a two track staging with thru track, but it's on the same level and accessed from the back. Only one yard. Includes a good variety of customers, large and small, and several passing sidings. The window is blocked. Walk-in plan with a 2' pinch point.
 
2 feet forwards 1 foot back...

"My" result(s) ..so far..:confused: It is a very difficult one, I mean the space!
I still haven't found a good solution for the staging yard but I working on it!
btw it LOOKS like there is a double main line , but it isn't! In the "underground" there is a reverse loop to get the trains back to the station.
The right part of the layout is not the way I think it should be...That is something to worry about tomorrow!;)

Jos

ps: oeps..the turnouts are almost#6( 1 :6) and some on/at the mainline ": 1:8
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Phillip,

That's a great looking plan, except I'm a little concerned about the long reach distance from the aisle to the lower right-hand corner of the layout...
 
CSX_road_slug said:
.... little concerned about the long reach distance from the aisle to the lower right-hand corner of the layout...
Click to expand...

... I was thinking the same thing... the same problem may be had on the upper right b/c of the backdrop...

Although, still a much better plan than i've come up with.

Groveden.... i'm not sure why, but you saying its a difficult space actually makes me feel better about my pathetic first attempts!

... be patient with me guys... i will respond in further detial, hopefully with a new track plan, soon! I appreciate all of your input immensly, even if i am slow to respond sometimes!!

I did visit the local club for the first time last night... not an overlly talkative bunch... but they did answer any question directly asked of them (whoa... "a few good men" flashback there!!) I got some good ideas, and more inportantly, got a first hand view of how big a layout with all of the elements i want would really have to be. I think my next plan may be light years ahead of my previous efforts...
 
CSX_road_slug said:
Phillip,

That's a great looking plan, except I'm a little concerned about the long reach distance from the aisle to the lower right-hand corner of the layout...
Click to expand...

I know. That is an issue that I was concerned with. I measured it at almost 40" from the edge to the rear track. That's pretty far.

The upper right shouldn't be a problem as long as there is access from the whole right side (room side?) of the plan. I figured that the staging could be set up as sort of a train "showcase" so that when it's viewed from the room side it looks good too.

I was really more trying to get the creative juices flowing, but the plan did have some merits, so it was worth concideration more for it's parts then as a whole. It could be massaged a bit though if someone really liked it.

I have some more ideas I'd like to play with. I was thinking of something that would tighten up the turnback blobs without sacrificing the fine looks of those broad curves.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have provided a link to another sketch i played around with last night.

-I know the table edges are very SQUARE, but that can be easily changed to increase the curb appeal of the layout.
-I'm much happier with the overall look, and think its easily my best effort yet.
-I used the method of squares and i'm pretty sure the curves and switches in the yard will fit as drawn. If you can make out the grid it's 18" squares, so nearly broad curves, but much larger than conventional curves.
-I still have some concerns with the staging. I like how the staging space is incorporated more so than previous versions, but i'm not sure if the track arangement i've set is very functional. (Yes the entire red box at location (5) is staging).
-Removable shelf at the window is 12 inches wide, allowing access for cleaning, etc.
-I like the position of the port, and have some great ideas about pealing the top layers off of corregated cardboard to model steel sheetpile on the bulkheads!!! (we will see how the test runs go!)
-I have the ability for continuious running without the use of a helix or a second level. For my first model, i'm not sure if i can master the helix or not... i will yeild to the experince of others as to how tricky i could expect one to be.
-My river crossing is still curved, not very realistic... but i havent managed to fit a straight section of track long enough to span a river between the points of reverse curvature at (2).
-I have shown the port, one other large industry, a possible passanger station (blah), and 4 smaller industries... The two small industries at (4) could possibly be replaced with another large industry. Not at much as i had origionally hoped... but i had to sacrafice something.
-I'm down to one yard, and its single ended... kinda... i dont really know what you would call it...


http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd258/chas_kev/Layouts001.jpg

I look forward to any critiques... comments... suggestions... whatever!!

I think i'm getting close to a layout that i can plan in a bit more detail, including building sizes and the like!!

Cheers!
 
I'm afraid that you are still going to be pretty disappointed when you draw this to scale. A number of your sketched curves don't meet the straight tracks at 90 degreee angles, you have some unworkable S-curves, etc. In addition, some of the curves are drawn somewhat flattened, which suggests more will fit than will actually fit.

If you are using 18" Armstrong squares, it implies a minimum radius of less than 17". Hopefully this is N scale. I don't believe that your yard ladder will quite fit in either Armstrong squares or a scale rendering.

If you are enjoying the process of sketching, who am I to rain on your parade? But to avoid disappointment later, you might be happier in the long term if you used all of the Armstrong Squares discipline while sketching. I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be able to fit nearly as much as you have sketched.

Byron
 
agree with Byron

Yes I think. no I know for shure , you right Sir!
That's why I designed( have to!) so many curves.. Personel I "hate" tight curves ..love the large smooth ones..:eek: eeehmm on a mrrlayout!!:)
Did some more detailing on the sketch..
What you see is the left part at the bottom. Here is acces possible from both sides. So almost 4 feet wide is reasonable( 2 feet ranche from the centre and 2 from the "open side"at the bottom.
I did use/draw turnouts from 6# to 8# last one only mainline the "smaller ones in the yards and station..
Hope ,by tomorrow or next week, to post the whole "story":)
It is fun!

Jos
 
cuyama said:
I'm afraid that you are still going to be pretty disappointed when you draw this to scale. A number of your sketched curves don't meet the straight tracks at 90 degreee angles, you have some unworkable S-curves, etc. In addition, some of the curves are drawn somewhat flattened, which suggests more will fit than will actually fit.

If you are using 18" Armstrong squares, it implies a minimum radius of less than 17". Hopefully this is N scale. I don't believe that your yard ladder will quite fit in either Armstrong squares or a scale rendering.

If you are enjoying the process of sketching, who am I to rain on your parade? But to avoid disappointment later, you might be happier in the long term if you used all of the Armstrong Squares discipline while sketching. I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be able to fit nearly as much as you have sketched.

Byron
Click to expand...

Yes, this is N scale which probably responds to the simplest of your statements....

... maybe i'm missing some major aspect of the "squares process", but it seemed pretty straight forward in the book. I will admit that i'm terrible at drawing well defined curves... but i went under the assumption that it would take 4 entire squares to make the tightest complete circle possible... if that is the case, then my curves 'should' (cross my fingers) work. I defined the start point and then were the end point should lie then just free-hand sketched the curve in... (hopefully my shaky hands explane not meeting the tangents at 90 degrees)

With regards to the un workable S curve, i did account for about a 4 section of stright track between the points of reverse curvature. Is that not enough?

And for the ladder track comprising the yard, i went under the rule of thumb that it would take two full squares to create a 5 track ladder and that i could fit 10 parrallel tracks in the width of one square... so again... it should work.

I hope i dont seem overly defensive about your comments... I was just excited about taking another step forwared in the design process... and i was hoping that i made some ground... Dissiapointment is part of the process though, and if it still wont fit, then it doesnt fit. I would lean towards trusting an experienced eye over my novice sketches!!!

Keep the comments coming, i'll make the next one better....

Grove Den, your plans continue to look great, and i take little bits and pieces from everyone... Thanx for all of the help...
 
sorry for the cloudburst

As I said (and I should have listened to myself), I ought not to rain on the parade.

Good luck and have fun ...
 
cuyama said:
As I said (and I should have listened to myself), I ought not to rain on the parade.

Good luck and have fun ...
Click to expand...

Nah... it's all good... I want this plan to be perfect before i get to building... so i really do appreciate the comments... I need to get a stencile of some sort so i get a little more exact... Getting better with XtrackCad would probably help alot too..
 
Chas_SC_Kev said:
Nah... it's all good... I want this plan to be perfect before i get to building... so i really do appreciate the comments... I need to get a stencile of some sort so i get a little more exact... Getting better with XtrackCad would probably help alot too..
Click to expand...

I'd like to say that N scale templates are availible at any LHS, but I've only seen them once at one. They are availible somewhere I guess.
 
latest contribution..

Think it starts looking like a design...;)
Ad the harbour!
I'm (still) not satisfied with the solution of the reverseloop on the bottom left( amost in a tunnel...But I think will find something about that..

Jos

btw: i could make it point to point: railwaystation---stagingyard----back to railwaystation and the possebility to drive to the harbour( bottom left) and back to staging...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top