Long-winded request for opinions


F

Fazby

Member
(I don't know how to straighten out the upload.)


The top photo is from a Kalmbach book, which I really liked. I started that version a long time ago, but needed to put it all away for a while.

The second (feel free to admire the artwork – I don’t own a camera) is what it morphed into so it would accommodate the desired industries and a tunnel (“requested” by SWMBO).

Givens and druthers:
- I am not modeling. I am playing (am I alone here?) and having fun. While I admire the skills and dedication of the so-called rivet counters, this layout will never meet those standards.
- I have no particular road in mind and actually prefer demos (have two, looking for another and one lease) engines. Period is debatable – anything from 50s to today. It is not important to me. (Please forgive me.)
- HO
- Diesel only – steam doesn’t attract me.
- 4x10 plywood. If another layout is ever decided upon, it will be against a wall, probably dog bone or similar. This works for now, especially as right now I have no idea what I would change it to. The best part of all this is that most items can be reused, so, there are some costs that don’t need to be incurred again.
- Lone wolf (single MRC power pack for running plus a cheap one for AC power)
- DC with one block, which doesn’t get any easier. (DCC is really cool, but for running a single engine, not worth the additional cost.)
- I realize now that the tunnel is at the wrong end, but it is not going to move. But feel free to point it out again. ;-) Quite a learning curve when one knows nothing at the start.
- My main goal was an Inglenook puzzle (the yard) and a “victory lap”. I added the industries to provide switching activity.
- As it stands, the tunnel is part of the run-around (the yard lead being the other half). The opposite end is 10 -20 miles of track selectively compressed to about two feet, so one does not simply use the oval as the run around.
- 18 radius; sectional track; Atlas custom and snap switches w/ under table switch machines.
- Hands-free is the goal with Kadee couplers and delayed uncoupling working its magic. Occasionally, a whole half hour will go by with nothing hanging up on a switch, no derailments and no couplers being uncooperative.

Operation at present:
5 industry spots two cars each:
Meat packing plant
Stock pen
Icehouse
Tannery (the box was marked pickle factory, but what does the manufacturer know)
Team track (at least what I am calling a team track)
Yard holds 8 cars
Interchange holds 6 cars

I laid out a matrix to plan out the switching (four cycles using Micromark’s card system) and 24 cars (2 x 5 plus 8 plus 6) works. Some simply cycle from interchange to yard. (This will require further planning. As I said, I am learning.)

One cycle is desired to be 5 runs of 5 cars. Yes, that totals 25 and the current spots total 24. I may make another spot on the packing plant spur, away from the dock.

Turntable will currently hold 9 engines (8 owned at present).
Four cycles of road engines will be:
East
East w/ caboose
West
West w/ caboose
(After running a few cycles in one direction, reversing it gives a nice variation)
Switch engines will rotate also.

Suggestions welcome with respect to:
-additional operational possibilities
-what to put in the middle. I am thinking Polly Tischen’s Manure and Fertilizer Supply with ready materials from the stock pens. How does one model a compost pile?
-Anything else that would add to the fun.

Thanks for reading and for any suggestions, polite or otherwise. I will compile a list of what I have learned by trial and error for another post.
 
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Since your plan has no scale, it's hard for me to tell for sure, but I can't imagine how you have enough room for a turntable, yard, and meat packing plant in the area they are shown.
 
You don't say what kind of packing but if it's fruit, put the ice house next to the packing house, & the stock & tannery next to each other. Lose the turntable. If you want loco facilities put in a two stall engine house. The temptation on a smaller layout is to keep putting in track until all of a sudden you have one of those 1960's spaghetti bowl layouts can be very strong. Less can be more. Fit in a view block if you can. Use the interchange so that incoming off road cars are dropped and you replace them with outgoing off road traffic at the end of operations. 4 x 8 layouts can be great fun, and not so intimidating ("I'll never get this thing finished!") but you have to remember your space limitations too. The turntable in most of those Atlas designs is their little one that's been around forever. It won't turn anything much larger than a four axle diesel or an 2-8-0 if your tender isn't too big. Any modern turntable will eat your space up like mad. Good luck and congratulations on building something!
 
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Be sure your train room is large enough to give you access to the back of the layout. If the back edge of a 4 x 8 layout is against a wall, you won't be able to reach the back without climbing onto the layout.

I'll second the concerns being raised about the turntable. You may be surprised at how much room it takes. I ran into this while designing my own small layout. I eventually abandoned the turntable altogether in favor of other features I consider more important. At the very least, you will have to re-arrange your track plan to accommdate the TT.

This is where a scale drawing will help you. My advice would be at least to get some graph paper and make an accurate drawing. Or you can use track planning software.

- Jeff
 
Thank you for the comments.

I wan't clear and I apologize. This is HO, 18"radius, and is up and running with clear space around it. (It is in the basement.) The drawing is not properly to scale, but it does fit. It may not be prototypial, but I am learning about railroading at the same time I am learning about HO stuff. I figured it was better to learn on one layout rather than waiting until I "know everything" and can build the perfect layout. That day will never come. In the meantime, I learn what not to do again and what I would do differently. No analysis paralysis, but several forehead slaps.

Rearranging the industries will wait for a second layout. It is a bit tight, but all runs smoothly.

The turntable is an Atlas. I run GPs right now, and don't think an SD would fit properly.

Since my powerpack is on one side (haven't invested in a tethered controller yet) a view block won't work. I would be driving blind.

The non-intimidating factor is why I went with 4x8 and stretched it two additional feet.
 
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Why not build a small downtown in the middle with a few businesses? Since a town would be a static display, you wouldn't have to be reaching for anything. Also, it would give you a break in the scenery without obstructing your view.
 
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