My first complete layout design


If you are against the wall, access to that upper left corner is going to be difficult without an access hatch. It appears the reach is in excess of 4 1/2'. An access hatch may not be a problem for you (depending on age), but as we get older, things like that matter.
Willie
 
The top and right side of layout are walls but to the left side is open. I was thinking of a open center mountain but not sire who much an issue the straight away would be that I need to get to much. I know the law - if you can't reach it, that will be the place with the most issues. I was thinking a mountain with a cut in quarry so I could do a cliff and that would cut the space needed for the mountain to a size I could fix in. I'm sure I can look at an improvement to this area now rather then later when I realize I can't work that area at all. Any thoughts on the track layout?

Thank you for your time and input.
Dave


santafewillie said:
If you are against the wall, access to that upper left corner is going to be difficult without an access hatch. It appears the reach is in excess of 4 1/2'. An access hatch may not be a problem for you (depending on age), but as we get older, things like that matter.
Willie
Click to expand...
 
Left side open should present no problems then. You're right that the straight track will present minimal issues in the remaining hard to reach spot. The track layout looks good, leaving plenty of room for scenery.
Willie
 
If it were me, I would pull the line along the top wall down about 4-6 inches and put 2-3 staging tracks along the top wall. they could be hidden under scenery or buildings or you could put a low backdrop (8-12") in front of them. That way you can stand on a stool and see or reach over the backdrop to work on the track or reach cars.
 
I've done some work on the layout to make it simple and more likely something I can get built before my son goes to college. Really, I just want to get something started so I will see how this works. Please let me know any thoughts on the new layout. I know there are some areas the bench will be worked to fit the track as I have it now. I will also be adding some more sidings to give areas of interest and allow me some basic ops for myself. The siding to the right bottom will be a loco yard and it will serve as my programming track. I would have liked to had a reverse loop so I could change directions but I don't see how I can get that in so I dropped it. Maybe someone has an idea I didn't think of.

Thanks for looking and please comment if you have any thoughts.

HLoopB.jpg
 
Looks like there is room for a turntable in there somewhere, at least you could turn the loco's if not the whole train. Pretty good really, folding the loop like that gives the illusion of different directions and with a long train it looks cool when 'passing itself', well done!
 
You are going to have one hard to reach spot, and that is along the right side about half way up. I have the same reach in mine and can get to it by standing on a chair, also built the bench work sturdy enough to put my weight on it.

I just made sure to finish that area first and having the straight runs there solved derail problems.

For some reason the one on the top side left did not seem to be a problem, although still best to start from the back with scenery and ballast.

I went a step further by making my layout free standing and was able to pull it away from the wall when I decided to upgrade my backdrop. I did not have "all the money" when I started my layout! Also gave me an opportunity to easily tweak the scenery along the edges.
 
Thanks Dave for the reply. I see the spot now you say could be an issue and I think I'll spend some time moving the switch to a location I can reach and just have that back area free of likely derail issues.

I too am planning to have a free standing layout not attached to the wall. Not sure it will be able to be pulled off the wall but this was the plan. I have a layout with the plywood figured on how I'll need to cut it to build the bench top.

I would like to see your plans for your layout as well as I would like to know the area your layout takes. Mine will be 13x13 if you count the extension to the bottom right otherwise it will be 9x13.

New Guy -

For a turntable I may add one to the engine yard but will see if there is room for that. May be fun for my son to play with that and yes, I can turn the locos around.
 
My layout takes 14' on the left and 16' on the top side. I did not make scale plans but also planned it out on plywood and made it fit perfectly.

Here is the plan I followed:

layout.png

I made a 7 minute video that shows all the plywood laying on the floor and also shows the materials I used and how I cut it. There is a shot in there on how I cut the plywood (at 2 minutes). There is another one (layout construction # 2) that shows the next step that I did.

As small as the legs are, I ended up taking a bunch of them out because I did not need them. The layout still supports me. I did add some angle braces, I made them from the legs that I removed.

[video=youtube;Ub1HEmvZyXA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub1HEmvZyXA[/video]

These are some of my first videos so maybe not that great but I tried to document what I was doing (the later ones not the greatest either but I am a work in progress). Now looking back it is fun watching them and seeing the layout now.

Here I got a screen shot from the video, it is pretty blurry but if you watch the video it will be clearer.

plywood, dimensions.JPG
 
Ok, I've done a little track update and some ideas of what I'm thinking to do with the sidings. I would love to hear ideas and what may work or not here.
Thanks.

Dave

layoutUpdate.jpg
 
Also, I will need to get on the layout program to see how the overpass of track will work. I need to be sure I can get over the yard feed track and not have a grade over 2-2.5%. I would like to see a 4" space between tracks so there is room for modern trains cars.

Dave
 
I was looking at the types of wood I can get for the layout tabletop and I wanted to get feedback on what is the difference between plywood and OSB boards? Wouldn't OSB boards be just find for a layout base. The price is about $5 cheaper a board.

Thanks
Dave
 
railBuilderDhd said:
I was looking at the types of wood I can get for the layout tabletop and I wanted to get feedback on what is the difference between plywood and OSB boards? Wouldn't OSB boards be just find for a layout base. The price is about $5 cheaper a board.
Click to expand...
There is no reason I know of that you cannot use it instead. I've seen many layouts using OSB. I do know that if it gets wet, it self destructs much quicker than plywood does. One other difference is that OSB will dull your tools (drill bits, saw blades, etc.) much quicker than plywood will. It is harder to chisel and sand than regular plywood. I do not know how strong it is per the same thickness of plywood, but I would guess that nothing a model railroader is going to do is going to push those limits anyway.
 
As far as the track design on the previous page, I found that the run around track is essential for getting the locomotive on the other side of the cars. In my design it is the track by the big circle on the top just off the storage yard. It is so I can back the cars into the industry area or get in front of them with the train goes off the layout.

There is also an issue of how long to make it. I can fit about 7 cars in mine, which is enough for me but some may want it larger or can settle for a smaller one. I am not at my good computer so would make a diagram but will get the switch numbers off my picture.

a,b,g, and h make one spot where I can get around the dropped string of cars also I and h.
 
I can appreciate your commitment to trying to get the perfect trackplan, we all do it. Unfortunately it can take a few layout builds to really find out what you like. I would suggest you get a firm mainline designed that way you can get some firm plans for benchwork and the type of benchwork. I've done most of my layout designing through xtrackcad and saving into a bmp then to jpg and bringing it into photoshop. You have the right idea there.
 
With the type of terrain your showing in your sketches I would recommend an open grid and using plywood on risers where the structures would be and trackwork on risers.
 
I've getting near the end of design. I'm working a few versions but I wanted to get thoughts so I'll be posting a few versions for feedback and lets see if maybe some of the the options into one.

LayoutWithNotes-1.jpg

More options to come.

Dave
 
Iron Horseman said:
I would put the engine house on the tracks toward the wall rather than toward the isle. As it is, the locos on the back track would be less visible and less accessible.
Click to expand...

That's a great point as I was also thinking of one of those tracks by the engine house being my program track. That section of the layout is near the bench so a great location for programming.

Dave
 
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