Lost in the Woods Switching Layout

[Sir Robbins]

This is an L shape HO scale switching layout built in modules of 48" x 11.25". A total of 4 modules for this build per the Microsoft Paint Drawing I composed below. This is a rough and will be modified from time to time as things progress or if I change something.

The location is "Somewhere in the Woods". The theme is "lost in the woods" relating to my use of old power units from various railroads that will make their appearance including some still in USA by Class A and Class B railroads. Lots of inspiration and use from Pennsylvania and Ohio lines. There will be 3 station areas for freight. Box cars are a heavy emphasis on this layout with a few hoppers. The forestation will compile use of Timber and Snag trees and will mostly resemble an early winter for the season. Some patches of snow, dead trees, dying trees and yellow grass.

I am starting with the bottom right module first. This will be heavy in the landscape department with trees, grass, snow and rocks.
A single box car will occupy the turnout for ground loading by use of a forklift. Pictures to follow next week of the board and beginning phase.

 

[Sir Robbins]

Module 1. I still have some trimming to do and more layers of foam will be added for the hills along with track bed and such. This is demonstrating where the track will go. The turnout will lose it's very un-prototypical switch box lol

 

[Rico]

I like it!
If I were to start over I’d do something quite similar.
Two suggestions tho, switch the warehouse and church with each other and maybe give some thought to a double ended siding where the blue and red boxcars are for operations?

An additional thought: put the building where the two cars are on an angle along the track to break away from the layout edge?

 

[MHinLA]

Get rid of the church altogether and have another industry there, instead...Where the blue boxcar is, extend that track around to the spur in front of the church and have the double ended siding Rico mentions... Maybe have a small trestle under it on the curve with a small stream, dry river, or dirt road..

 

[Sir Robbins]

It's all rough at the moment and still deciding on that later section of the module. The guy I buy trees from is out of town through the 18th and will likely take about 2 weeks to get me more trees to put on the first section of the layout. I just ordered the foam risers for the track to be elevated 1/2" from the base.

 

[Sir Robbins]

Ridges getting fitted this evening. More carving to do to smooth it out. Putty will fill the cracks when I finish assessing what I want and lay the adhesive down

 

[dave1905]

Foam scenery hint:

Don't cut your foam where you want the scenery to be. Trim the foam to be a bout 1/2 inch or more further away from the tracks.

You will be applying plaster, sculptamold, rock casting, foliage, etc. to the face of the embankments. If you cut the foam to where you want the scenery to be, then when you add the scenery it will make it close clearance to the tracks. If you cut the foam back a bit, then after you apply the scenery, you will still have clearance to the tracks.

 

[Sir Robbins]

Nothing but soil and leaves will be where the slants (cuts) are. Trees will only rest on the flat surface of the foam and it will still be cut back more from the tracks than you see now. I hope within 2 weeks to have the hillside formed. I can't get many of my trees until my tree guy comes back from vacation on the 18th so the trees will be awhile.

 

[J.Albert]

There's no runaround.
You can operate without one?

 

[Sir Robbins]

There's no runaround.
You can operate without one?

switching layout.... I'm actually altering some of the plans at this time. No runaround for this. I will be in the coming future doing a 4'x8' layout for full ops but for switching, I am working with what space I have

 

[Rico]

Better hope a car at the warehouse doesn't need to go anywhere else! wink wink
I've seen some pretty sweet 4x8's, theres a video of one that I can no longer find but it has two levels and signaling and is not crowded.

 

[Espeefan]

I see two places a runaround could go. Module 1, and module 3. I'd recommend you experiment while at the track on foam stage. You'll regret not putting one in

 

[Sir Robbins]

I see two places a runaround could go. Module 1, and module 3. I'd recommend you experiment while at the track on foam stage. You'll regret not putting one in

I, funny enough, have already changed a few things after putting down track and looking at it in person as opposed to just making drawings. There will be a runaround I'm working on putting in

 

[Sir Robbins]

The module in total will have 7 modules. I presented 4 of them in the drawing. I'm altering a few of them track wise and will post some photos of what some of the modules are based off of. Mostly Pennsylvania railroad locations...

 

[Rico]

You can draw and plan all you want but it always changes when you lay the track.
Always.

 

[boatwrench]

I like it. Simple linear plan, easy to get up and running, being modular you can make changes by simply either constructing a new module or rearranging what you have done

 

[Sir Robbins]

That was the plan. Simple and easy to extend when I have the space. I do try and plan ahead with additional modules and dimensions to ensure it will work out the way I want it to. It's heavily based on various areas of Pennsylvania. Telford, PA where Penn Northern is based has a basic switching yard I'll be putting on here to go with it

 

[Sir Robbins]

Since the layout is based heavily in Pennsylvania and I have loads of Penn rolling stock and power, my locations will be all around.

Here is a stock photo from Telford, PA for the Pennsylvania Northern Railroad taken by Dan Davis. The yard features a Wye connected to a Right Hand Turnout and a Left Hand Turnout.

Here is roughly what it looks like on one of the modules I'm constructing.

 

[Sir Robbins]

I meant to put Pennsylvania Northeastern, not Northern.

 

[Sir Robbins]

still waiting on track to arrive to complete the crossover and then this module will be full speed ahead.