New City HO Layout

[Creepy]

Hi Folks
Well I'm about to start construction of my new layout in a couple of weeks, after countless plans in AnyRail I have a plan (compromise) that will fit in a beedroom, (small space)
I do have another plan but it has a duckunder, which I'm trying to avoid I will also put up the plan for your comment.

HO, Modern period, USA, BNSF, size 13' x 9', DCC.

First Layout, min radius 22", double track or larger single track with crossover, 4" high city viaduct, museum station and facilities for running steam and a industrial section. Both layouts will concentrate on being senic (lots of City sructures)
I have most of the structures from a previous layout but I'm also building lots of new ones.

Second layout, min radius 24" single track with passing loops. same city viaduct but an additional 8" tall viaduct at the rear with bridges and of course the duckunder

Of course I expect things will change a little during construction

I have no name for this layout as of yet, was thinking of "Metro City" maybe you guy's have a suggestion.

When construction starts I will post uo some pics as I go.

I would appreciate any comments good or bad as you guy's know things can always be done better.

Regards
Gary

 

[cajon]

Gary
If you're doing a modern era RR, there wouldn't be a turntable & roundhouse in most cases. These days there would only be & an engine house, RIP tracks & a wye to turn locos. Use the space for more yard capacity & other switching areas. And if you're doing BNSF there should be alot of intermodal trains so look into those kinds of yards. You could even have an ethanol train. If you just want to do manifest trains, add more industries to switch. You can find alot of this info by doing a Google search. Also 22" min. radius curves can be very limiting to the length of locos & cars you can run.

 

[NScaler]

Are you not leaving area from the track to the layout edge in the middle where it drops to 20"?

 

[kjchronister]

You'll probably get a bunch of folks saying "avoid the duckunder like the plague" and I do understand why... I've had layouts with and without, and it's definitely nicer without. BUT, I think your second layout offers many advantages: wider radii, longer more operable yard tracks, more operating options in general... That's the one I'd use if it were me.

As to roundhouse/turntable. There are prototype rationalizations for a modern-era survivor of that. But more importantly, if you want it, have it. I always wanted a roundhouse and turntable, so I have one. I model the transition era, so didn't have the "is it realistic?" issue... But definitely had to sacrifice on the layout to make room for it... which I did. No point having a 'totally prototypical' layout you don't actually enjoy as much as one with some anachronisms. MHO, YMMV.

 

[gator do 65]

modern turntable located in Santa Paula CA. OK I'll admit its used by the movie/tourist crowd but its working and has street view on google earth!

Also any layout you decide to build is yours and no one can change that! with that being said, both are really cool and I cant wait to see which one you go with!

 

[kjchronister]

modern turntable located in Santa Paula CA. OK I'll admit its used by the movie/tourist crowd but its working and has street view on google earth!

Yes, and there are still a few others too.

I view it as a "have fun" opportunity. Weather the... heck out of it! Make it rusty, dusty, musty and run-down - as would be real-world survivors. Make it LOOK like something that's only there because it's cheaper to leave it alone than dig it out and replace it.

Great example: The turntable and roundhouse in Enola PA are still there. Mind you... there's one track in and one track out of the turntable - 180 degrees from each other - and I have it on good authority from a friend who works there that the turntable hasn't moved in YEARS. The roundhouse (at least 3 stalls worth of it) is still there too, albeit there are no longer any tracks from the turntable to the roundhouse... Hopefully this google maps link will work right: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=enol...gl=us&ei=EY84U5TbObLPsATnm4GwCQ&ved=0CKMBELYD

That's obviously not what you want to model. Just saying there are plenty of turntable/roundhouse combos still out there in various stages of use/dilapidation. Could be fun to model one that's "just barely hanging on" because the accountants at HQ can't be bothered to spend the money to decommission it...

 

[Ozarks R. Lee]

Union Pacific maintains one up in Cheyenne, Wyoming and it services, I believe, 18 tracks. When they wheel out 844 for its annual run they use it to get it pointed to Denver.

 

[Creepy]

Thanks Guy's for your comments

I'm still torn between duckunder or not.
I realize that most railroads no longer have turntables rounhouses etc, but I have a soft spot for them, Great way to show off loco's. I live very close to a large railway museum (one of the largest in the country) and I could watch the activity on the turntable and roundhouse for hours.

As I will be running steam, older diesels and rollingstock from my museum I hope this is one way to mix new with the old.


Thanks again
Gary

 

[photoman475]

Hi Gary:

I made my estate layout larger to fit my space, but it required a duckunder to do it. My suggestion is that if you go with it, make it as narrow as possible and make the layout higher. I haven't seen how high you plan on making the lowest level of your layout.

That will be the key, the height. The higher it is, the less strain on you and others when you have to go under it. If you can go high enough, then it might be possible to use a mechanic's stool to go back and forth. I can't do that, because of the layout would be then too high to work on comfortably.

I like the idea of larger radius curves, so my "vote" is for the duckunder if you can make the layout high enough.

Photoman475

 

[Sirfoldalot]

I'm going for the "duck under" version, but I would try my best to re-arrange the tracks so as to have a lift up/down bridge section.
I would arrange the turntable section closer to the edge with the long yard tracks to the back of it.

I am confused by all the numbers and percentages: What do they mean?