I have a small dilemma.


The point I was trying to make was the access issues in the middle. Clear the middle section out with no tracks. The mountain has an access hole so leave that, it looks fine.

Just take out the elevated track around the outside edges, and keep those benchwork level. And try to move the yard closer to the edge so you can reach it.

Then you can build a town in the middle there. But you will have to do that first before you lay any more tracks.
 
OK. All the tracks I marked with the red lines. Remove those tracks completely.

The mountain loop. Use this for a reversing section so you can turn your trains around. You will need an auto-reversing unit. Easy to install though. It switches the polarity of the rails automatically.

Move the yard tracks closer to the edge. Then you can also add some industry sidings on the right side there, when you clear all those tracks out.

Also, you can keep those mountain tracks elevated.

8x14%2520Rework.jpg
 
Dale,

You can tell me to butt out if you like, but thought I might try to make what you have (track plan wise) a little less complicated. I am anything but great with this sort of stuff so tell me it is "poo" if you want, wont hurt my feelings.

TONY-PC-2014-aug-25-002_zps7aae99eb.jpg



TONY-PC-2014-aug-25-003_zpsa96047cf.jpg
 
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The layout is 8x14 ft. Allowing 2 ft around the perimeter minimum that means the layout space is roughly 12x18. You can do waaaaaaaaay better in that space than with the current plan.

Making a schematic of the plan, its a folded dogbone with 4 alternate routes. The unfortunate part is that even with all that trackage its still really just one loop. You can't really run two trains simultaneously, hands free, because at some place, at some time, they will both have to operate over the same track or their paths will cross. Building a double track loop would give you more operation, more trains running at the same time.

Plus with it being a dogbone, with multiple routes breaking off the loops, the reversing section wiring could be exciting.

The plan Wombat drew would give you way more operation than what you have now. (Be careful though because the plan and 3D elevation are NOT the same layout, plus the plan has a minor trap in the way the elevated line connects to the lines at the "bottom".)
 
Wow. What a convoluted plan. Before you throw too much more money at this plan I suggest you look at some other track planning books.

This plan doesn't look like it does anything well and it will be very difficult to put scenery on and make it look anywhere close to real.

Picking out what you want to do is important to getting a good plan. No answer is wrong, but you certainly can get a wrong plan if it doesn't satisfy what you want out of a layout. Generally simpler is better.

I have to agree. Even if you finished that, it would probably be a nightmare to maintain.

I'd at least check a couple of Mindheim's books.
 
I started a HO scale layout several months ago.
I have a lot of track for this layout.
I used the Fast Tracks for all of the track.

The problems I have are:
1) I did not plan much of anything.
2) I built all of the track before I build the the inclines or laid any road bed. Now I have no idea where most of the track goes.
3) I have learned so much from trying to build this layout, I can see there are quite a few things wrong with this layout.
4) I want to do more switching than just running in a loop.
5) I don't have any sidings for industry.
6) I started way too big for my experience. I thought I was a master modeler. :eek:
7) I have way too much track for my space. The entire layout is covered with track.
8) I don't like it anymore.

Question:
Should I continue with this layout or should I tear it down to start over, again.
The is my 4th false start on a layout.

Thanks,
Dale

Dale…You made the same mistake many, including me, have made…too big,too complex too soon.

Based on your list, especially #s 4 and 5 I would say ..stop, dismantle and save what you can of your track…and do what I did….take a page from our friends in the UK and build a small switching layout…what they call a "shunting plank".

Something about 6-9 ft. long and 12-24 inches wide…don't let the apparent small size fool you…it offers a lot of running and switching opportunities and many other advantages over a big layout like you started.
Chief among those advantages are you can build it to a very high standard quickly and have an actual layout you can run on and do lots of switching in a few days……this allows you to practise various building and modelling skills without getting frustrated, gets a layout up that you can finish in a reasonable time while you plan your next layout.

It was the best decision that I made….and don't let the size fool you…some track and a few switches on a 9ft by 18 inch layout can easily give you an hours or more switching with no trouble at all….and it works great as a test track for new loco or rolling-stock purchases.

Cheers
Gene
 
I totally agree with Dave1905 with a 12x18 space you can do much much better. I would tend to consider an around the wall with loops at each end. Start with a loop on each end and a meandering mainline connecting the two loop then think a few main industries to start with along the route serviced with spurs. Then think involving some sort of scenery. This would give you a fairly good foundation. You must think of a purpose for your layout, the reason it is there. To have a good operations and scenic layout each industry should be able to supply the other industries, whether its a sawmill to supply to a lumberyard , chair factory, pallets etc or coal industry to supply to a steam era engine coal or coal to a ditributer to supply private sector customers to heat there homes or businesses. You may want a wharf with a couple fishing boats or barges that will ship out lumber or bring in fresh fish for restaurants or fishmarkets. Gotta get your imagination working.
Lynn
 
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My suggestion:

STOP!

Get some of the classic books on track planing and railroad operation.

Study them.

Study them some more.

Take a break.

Study them still more.

And then get yourself a good track planing CAD program (I favor 3rdPlanIt).

That current plan is, IMO, a huge mess with no purpose.

It boggles my mind that you undertook to do this with FastTrack products.

Good luck - I think you are going to need an extra helping.
 
Again, lots of good suggestions.
The book is 101 TRACK PLANS For Model Railroaders by Lynn Westcott.

Page 32
 
The book is 101 TRACK PLANS For Model Railroaders by Lynn Westcott.

Page 32
Hmmm, I thought I had every plan in that book memorized, but this does not look familiar. I'll have to look it up tonight. Thumbnails of them can also be looked up on-line, but it is by plan number.
 
Plan 57.
Baltimore and Hudson

Been changed a small amount.

Here is my total space for trains.
Left and back sides would be against the walls.
Right and front are open.

The cutout on the upper right is for rather large window AC.

8-24-2014 layout.jpg
 
Thanks for the updated information.

The plan in the book is a bit easier to fathom.

Still I'm not a fan.

For starters it has a access opening and I don't like plans where I may have to crawl under.

Second I see some grades there that are marked as steep (wonder what %) and one way.

Now with enough space to expand the plan these could be made less steep. I always try to limit grades to no more the 2%.


If the plan as shown is in the same orientation as the space it seems you intend to put that yard at the rear?


With my layout I spent a lot of time trying to decide what compromises I was willing to make. Eventually I decide that ease of access was high on my list. So I designed a walk-in plan. To do so I had to settle on less scenery then I would have liked to have.

Here are some photos:

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/cq1m3o0mcyki8e2/AADLEsFX50kem9ajz34qwKlma
 
Here are my thoughts on an around the wall plan just to give you an idea what I meant. I don't recall if you had mentioned using dcc or not. I use dcc and use tortoise switches with hares at the joining points of my loops as well as auto reversers for the reverse loops. This is what I was thinking for what appears to be your open space.dale idea.jpg

Hope this helps.
 
fcwilt, nice looking layout. very neat looking.

I am back in Anyrail trying some of the thinks suggest here.

Thanks again for all the replies. It gives me renewed hope. ;)

Lynn, I have been looking at a dog bone track plan. I am having trouble getting switching are and industries on the layout.
 
fcwilt, nice looking layout. very neat looking.

I am back in Anyrail trying some of the thinks suggest here.

Thanks again for all the replies. It gives me renewed hope. ;)

Lynn, I have been looking at a dog bone track plan. I am having trouble getting switching are and industries on the layout.
Dale getting a Dogbone track plan is all a matter of making it fit to the available space. Getting a twisted dogbone is just a matter of adding inclines and declines. Getting switching is a matter of picking your industry foot prints to fit and running spurs to them off the mainline so saying that you must also design the industry spurs in such a way that it is not overly easy to switch cars out as well you need a siding for the spurs so the industries do not block the mainline allowing for a continuous run. Its all a matter of balancing what is important.
 
Oh nice I like that dogbone version that Lynn designed, its fits your space perfectly.

You have all kinds of room for several industires. And even maybe a passing siding on the left?

How about a small 3-4 track yard on the bottom end. And then add a turntable inside the lower right loop. Then add your industries along the left side, and top sides.

What radius curves are you using? It looks like 24" ??
 
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Michael, I have 20 to 30 inch jigs in 2" increments.
I try to use nothing less than a 24" radius.
 



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