Need your opinions on my design


F

fiend540

Member
Hey guys, I finally figured out how much room I have to build my layout as well as figuring out what the heck I wanted to model and this is what I have come up with. I borrowed some of the design from MR's Beer line but I adapted it and changed it to suit my needs. What I am going for is a late 90's/early 00's functional switching layout based around Industries found in Buffalo Ny. Motive power will be your typical Geeps, single engine consists with small cuts of cars.

What I am looking for is your comments/advice and any changes you would make. I am pretty happy with it as of now but am open to changing it to have a better layout!

I want to point out that the dashed tracks are 30 inch removable tail tracks that not only allow me to maximize the usage of my space but also gives me a connection to the rest of the world. Thanks guys

Yeahhhh.png
 
Cory, looks like a real nice small switching layout. The only thing I'd add is a crossover track in about the middle of the four track yard.
 
Ahhh, now that's a plan, Bubba! Looks great! Let's see some construction pix once you begin.

If that second spur in the upper left corner is not a dedicated industry track, you could use that as an interchange track also.
 
Thanks guys, this is the first time in like a month where I didn't quit halfway through the design because I thought it sucked or it wasn't turning out how I wanted.

UP2CSX said:
Cory, looks like a real nice small switching layout. The only thing I'd add is a crossover track in about the middle of the four track yard.
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I think you are right Jim, I'm going to try and squeeze one in perhaps I will use some #5 turnouts to save space.

Beachbum said:
Ahhh, now that's a plan, Bubba! Looks great! Let's see some construction pix once you begin.

If that second spur in the upper left corner is not a dedicated industry track, you could use that as an interchange track also.
Click to expand...


Will do with the construction pics, Its my first real layout so I will need a bunch of help from you guys anyways :) The Idea for that second spur is that it can be for future expansion in the future and for now will be an Interchange for the Buffalo and Pittsburgh and shoulg be good for a couple cars.
 
It is a nice and involved plan. My only real caution would be on the apparently very tight curve just above the Photo lab place in yellow. I would find a way to broaden that by at least a couple of inches in radius.

-Crandell
 
Selector said:
It is a nice and involved plan. My only real caution would be on the apparently very tight curve just above the Photo lab place in yellow. I would find a way to broaden that by at least a couple of inches in radius.

-Crandell
Click to expand...

It's a 24" radius which while on the smaller side shouldn't be too small right? It looks a little funky because I didn't bother adding an easement to it, I figure that is something I can work on when I lay the track, too much of a pita to bother doing it in the program. I really tried to work in 26" radius but felt it took up too much space.
 
Cory, now that I look at it, are you sure that curve is 24"? Maybe I'm just looking at it wrong, but it doesn't seem to possible to get a 24" curve in a 2x2 area like that. Maybe a 22", but I don't think a 24" calcs out.
 
UP2CSX said:
Cory, now that I look at it, are you sure that curve is 24"? Maybe I'm just looking at it wrong, but it doesn't seem to possible to get a 24" curve in a 2x2 area like that. Maybe a 22", but I don't think a 24" calcs out.
Click to expand...

Positive unless Anyrail is wrong. I have it set up with a 24" radius, an angle of 90 degrees and doing the math (24*2*3.14)/4 comes up with the length of 37.68" exactly what Anyrail claims it is. Maybe it's just distorted because I screen capped it into paint shop to add buildings/text? I uploaded a screen cap straight from Anyrail showing a closeup of the curve and in the bottom left it's supposed measurements.
 
I am pleased to see your response. It makes me feel good knowing that you have considered this part of the layout carefully and taken steps to second-guess both yourself and the software. I agree that when you go to lay it all out, you can shift positions of turnouts, substitute different ones, and use different approach angles to tidy it all up. Easements might make quite a bit of difference to if it turns out that our suspicions are correct...they usually do.

-Crandell
 
Selector said:
I am pleased to see your response. It makes me feel good knowing that you have considered this part of the layout carefully and taken steps to second-guess both yourself and the software. I agree that when you go to lay it all out, you can shift positions of turnouts, substitute different ones, and use different approach angles to tidy it all up. Easements might make quite a bit of difference to if it turns out that our suspicions are correct...they usually do.

-Crandell
Click to expand...

Well there's no point in asking for advice unless I try to make the most of it right? I understand that the design on paper won't always work and some if not a lot of adjustments will be made, I just want to avoid costly and dumb mistakes by doing my homework when it comes to the planning stage.

My main goal of this thread was to present my goals/design and get good advice/critique so I can have a layout that I like, but that also is a functional operational layout with good track work. I'm all for making it look pretty but to me that falls second to the layout being fun to operate.

Now on to the easements, I read somewhere that the diverging route of a turnout provides a good easement into a curve so the the lower side of the curve should be fine, but what would you guys recommend for the top side of the curve? Is this something that you guys like to set in stone or does it make more sense to "freehand" the easement when it comes time to actually lay down some track?
 
I can see the 24" radius better now that you've posted that second drawing. What was confusing me was that you can't really fit a 24" section track curve in there but you can make it work with flex track because you're able to "fudge" the upper part of the curve a little. I don't think the curve will be a constant 24" radius all the way through but it should be close enough.

The lower switch diverging route will work fine as an easement. The tricky part will be going right into that straight track at the sharpest part of the curve on top. That's one you can play with using flex track and see if adding a little more curve through that straight track helps with the easement, especially if you're backing a train through the curve to the switch. Track planning software is a great help but getting the tracks down temporarily once you build the benchwork is the best way to fine tune the actual running characteristics of the track.
 
I would agree that any solid (including soldered...) flextrack anchored stiffly at two ends 'should' form a decent easement between the anchored ends. So, you need to anchor one end, anchor the other in very close alignment with its mated track's line at that end, and let the rest in the middle fall where it wants to...presto...instant easement.

Use suitably sized clamps, or use small nails, wood screws used outside the ends of ties at the ends to be anchored (driven in tight to the ends of the ties, but not enough to grab them and break them up, and just let the heads of the screws pinch the tie ends lightly, but securely. Use at least two on each side of the tracks forming the anchored section).

-Crandell
 
I freehand easements but you can offset your curve centerline by an inch or so from the tangent track on your plan. Connect the centerlines and *shazzam* there's your easement. Dunno if that's the best way to do it though..
 
Cory,
That's a very imaginative switching layout and think you've done a great job, after correcting the curved section, although that could have been done in the track laying, it does clean it up a bit.

Myself, I don't see how adding any other switches could be of any help to you, that's what you have the runaround track for.

I think that should provide a lot of operation for you!

Isn't this a great way to bring in the New Year!!
 
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