New to Model Railroad My first N scale layout


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pnyxxpress

New Member
I’m in the design phase for my very first model RR. This will be Kato track with
Digitrax DCC unit. I used a free program I found online called Scarm.
I was hoping everyone might have a moment to look at the attached layout I have
been working on. I believe it is finally completed. Let me know if you see any
problems. My big concern is the portion I left in red. This will allow me to do
a reverse loop regardless of the direction I am going.

Will that reverse loop cause a huge wiring headache?
I may also switch a couple of my industries entries so I can only get there
when traveling in the reverse directions.

Thanks layoutbaseDBL2RLoop.jpg
 
Welcome to the forum, glad to have you onboard!

I am a novice model railroader so I can't help you with your questions, but check back, the experts will come along and help you out.
 
There are special automatic reversing units that work with DCC to make reverse loops easy with DCC. The trick on your plan is to find a way to make the reversing section longer than your longest train because your train can not be going in and out of the reversing section at the same time. Do you really need the reverse loop? Would you be better off operationally with some crossovers between the 2 mainline tracks?

Glenn
 
Good point about the train length. I never gave it much thought. The smallest loop will allow me to have about a 12 foot train. I do have a crossover but that only allows me to switch loops not direction. Thanks for the input.
 
That is quite an undertaking but I noticed you are using sectional track. If this is easier for SCARM that is fine but please use flex when building. $2000+ in turnouts, ouch but it will be nice. What are the dimensions?
 
The long section at the top is 11 feet. The boxed ends are 4x4. hope that puts it in prospective. My local Hobby store told me the loops are fine but mentioned the double crossover would be a problem. Any thoughts?
 
bwells said:
That is quite an undertaking but I noticed you are using sectional track. If this is easier for SCARM that is fine but please use flex when building. $2000+ in turnouts, ouch but it will be nice. What are the dimensions?
Click to expand...

Scarm has libraries of different track. I've been doing some spot checking on prices and I don't think I'll be over 1500 for all the track. Kato was the route I needed to go since I'll have a 7 and 10 year old helping.
 
pnyxxpress said:
Scarm has libraries of different track. I've been doing some spot checking on prices and I don't think I'll be over 1500 for all the track. Kato was the route I needed to go since I'll have a 7 and 10 year old helping.
Click to expand...


Smart choice! Glad to see you involve the little ones!
 
I layout is all Kato Unitrack it is great to work withand very reliable the only short coming is you are locked in to there radius track but there are ways to change the radius and even shorten track I will find the tutorial and post it. Some of you may have seen it one of Mike Fifers videos.
 
I have not seen the tutorial and being a sectional track with road bed guy myself I will enjoy it when you find it, thanks in advance!

I use Lionel's Fastrack and Bachmann's EZ track.
 
When I do my next layout it will be all Kato track I have so much of it plus I luv how good it works.

Chris,
 
If you are using Kato track, the double crossover shouldn't be an issue........Kato makes a nice one ready-made. They can be a bit of work to make one otherwise. And your revearsing section doesn't have to be the length of your longest train, only longer than your longest loco or group of locos. Your locos have to be isolated in the reversing section when the rest of the track switches........but the rest of the train can be hanging over......and of course if you have a DPU or pusher on the back of the train, then the whole train must fit in the reversing section. Overall looks like a nice track plan.
 
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Each reversing loop must be longer than your longest train. This is a cardinal rule of reversing loops. This plays into consideration if you run lighted passenger cars, have a lighted caboose or run a helper at the end of the train. Metal wheel sets also play a factor in this.:cool:
 
The rule of the reversing loop being longer than the longest train, is only to stop the train from going around the loop and running into itself coming back out.........the section where the electrical reversing occurs only needs to be longer than the locomotive grouping. I have 3 "reversers" on my layout that change the direction my trains are going, but they aren't true loops.........they are crossovers, but the longest is only 18 inches and my trains are usually 3 to 4 ft with 2 or 3 locos. My trains would have to be over 100 cars for the length to come into play. On pnyxxpress' plan, he would be able to reverse in either direction, but I got a headache trying to figure the wiring because the reversing sections are different..........and the length of the inner loop on the left would definitely affect train length.
 
Thanks for all the advice. MRLdave brings me to the next question. Where do I need to apply power? Here is an updated layout. I increased the reverse loops. Moved the yard and took out the double crossover.

layoutbaseDBL3RLoop.jpg
 
Going back to the reversing loop, just a word on that. While lighted passenger cars may present a problem (I'm not sure on that one), if you're running freights even with metal wheels you can still have a reversing loop that only needs be as long as the locomotive consist. The trick is to make the gap large enough so that a single metal wheel can't contact both sides of the gap at once and short out the rail. With N-scale that only takes about a 1/16th of an inch, and you can easily cut and fill that with styrene. The locomotives won't be affected by the slightly larger gap, but it does keep one single wheel from shorting the rail and causing the polarity to shift.
 
Your plan looks interesting. My only thought is to create a longer yard lead, and possibly yard, if possible.
 
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