Newbie looking for a two-mainline layout

ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.


M

MLEdwards

New Member
Newbie interested in lurking and learning--Thanks

I'm brand new here. I've been thinking of building a first "real" HO layout for a year or more but have been disillusioned because I couldn't find a decent plan that allowed two separately running trains, along with a few switching opportunities. Then I found this forum and see that two such new layout ideas are being discussed just today!

I say "real" layout because I have an experimental layout on plywood on the floor that has two concentric ovals and some spurs, but it's kinda boring because it's level, no scenery, and all the curves are the same direction. I built it basically to see if, after several failures, I could build track that worked most of the time. Peco 83 seemed to solve that problem. So now I'm ready to try something on benchwork that's more involved.

I picked up some recent issues of MR and wonder if I couldn't expand their 2012 annual layout, maybe double the size, and make it into two separate but connected mainlines.

Have to admit I'm relying on other people's ideas to start, because I don't yet have the imagination or visualization skills to just set out and design something from scratch. But I'll be reading this site and learning for a while until I'm ready to sketch something out. Thanks for letting me lurk.

Mike E in Southern New Mexico
 
Last edited by a moderator:
We need more info from you.

What size room do you have available? Draw the room up with dimensions and post it here.

What are your interests? Switching? Mainline running, short trains, long trains, freight or passenger (or both).

What kind of scenery? Mountains, tunnels, bridges, water, etc.

What era? Steam/Diesel Modern, 50s, etc.

Get a copy of John Armstrong Track Planning for Realistic Operations for Model Railroading.

What you should do is come up with a plan, and post it here and have everyone critique it. Nobody really is here to just design one for you.

Or you could seek out professional layout design people for a fee.
 
Last edited by a moderator:


Its a pretty tough start if you dont even have a room size for us to start giving suggestions on...
 
I'm terribly sorry. I guess I just don't know the protocol here. I am not yet asking for help. I'm just introducing myself and laying out where I'm at. I guess I should have used the Introduce Yourself part of the forum. My misteak. I hoped I could just listen and learn here for a while, then I'll be ready to be more specific and propose something. Sorry to have wasted your time.
 
Ohhh....maybe I read it worng. You are just looking for ideas for when you decide where and when you are gonna start? You are not sure yet of which room you will be using for the train room I am guessing...
 
Thanks, CbarM, you're guessing pretty right. I'm really just beginning to think about a layout. I'd like to build one, but I have a terrible time visualizing how to lay one out. No experience! So I'm going to watch what the knowledgeable people around here suggest to those who propose specific layouts. And later, I'll come up with something.

My only hard-over requirement is I want to be able to run two trains simultaneously. Mostly running, not so much switching, but it would be fun to learn a bit about that too and build in a bit. I actually have the book the other fellow recommended. I'd never have "operating sessions" but it would be fun to learn and show people how it works on a small scale.

Right now my simple layout on the floor is about 8x11 in the middle of a large room. I can walk all around it. I don't have a room I can dedicate as a train room, but I figure if it sits there now on the floor, that a raised layout about the same size shouldn't cause too much consternation!

So that's where I'm at. Not far along at all, but eager to watch and learn, and then sometime soon, get to work.

Thanks again. Mike E
 
Well some folks have outfitted their garage with a cable/pulley system to raise and lower a big layout. You could fill a whole 2 car garage with a nice sized layout and flip a switch and it all heads up toward the ceiling out of the way when you need to get the ol ladys car in...haha
 
MLEdwards said:
... I'm really just beginning to think about a layout. I'd like to build one, but I have a terrible time visualizing how to lay one out. No experience! So I'm going to watch what the knowledgeable people around here suggest to those who propose specific layouts. And later, I'll come up with something...

Thanks again. Mike E
Click to expand...

Mike don't be too hard on yourself. You've received some excellent advice here. Sometimes some guys sound short in their answers, but don't mean to come across that way at all. Also don't feel that a question is too dumb, or weird. The only dumb question is the one not asked. The best advice so far was from Motley!

Motley said:
...

Get a copy of John Armstrong Track Planning for Realistic Operations for Model Railroading.

...
Click to expand...

It's published by Kalmbach, the same folks with MR. Its considered the Bible when trying to come up with a suitable trackplan. Sometimes it isn't easy. I spent over 15 years planning my current, (and last,) layout. This is number 8 as the count goes. I think I wore out 2 copies just doing this.

I would recommend this. Get a note book, like a composition notebook, full size pages and several hundred pages as well, and start writing down your own ideas, or others ideas from plans posted here and on other forums. Draw a copy of what stirs your fancy, or save a copy of the image, print it and put it in the notebook, with notes about this idea or that. I am one of those "plan for a fee guys", that was mentioned earlier. I don't solicit work off of here, as I have my hands full pretty much.

One thing I would start off with, is a "Concept" of what you want the railroad to be, what prototype, or not, you want to follow. It may takes weeks or months for the Concept to develop. I wrote my concept as a "history" of the RR itself. My own Concept is a small Southern shortline that grew into a giant, and I've got it based out of my hometown, and am only modeling a section of the line, north of that location.

I would also write down in the note book what John Armstrong calls his Givens and Druthers. These are things that you want on the layout (Givens) that contribute to the concept itself, some of which, if not included would damage or destroy the concept. And then there are things (Druthers) that you would like to have on the layout, but these things will only enhance the concept. You will understand this better when you get and read the book.

Good reading, and we will answer most if not all of your questions you will have for us.
 
Last edited by a moderator:


CbarM said:
Well some folks have outfitted their garage with a cable/pulley system to raise and lower a big layout. You could fill a whole 2 car garage with a nice sized layout and flip a switch and it all heads up toward the ceiling out of the way when you need to get the ol ladys car in...haha
Click to expand...
I have heard this kind of suggestion before but I have never really seen one that was practical. Maybe a 4x8 table, but anything larger would become a very weighty thing to crank up and let down on a regular basis. What I have seen are garage layouts that tend to stay on the ground, even through the winter months when it to cold to operate. Instead, the table gets pushed to one side of the garage and collects tools, clothing, yard equipment and everything else that tends to end up in the garage.
 
Gotta be creative with the layout hoisting idea...you could have a 24x24 or whatever the standard size garage is with around the walls style layout and rig it up with each module on a pulley system, but tie it all together on one rotating shaft so it all lifts at the same speed/time. Thats where a handy 8000 lb Warn winch comes in handy!!
 
CbarM said:
Gotta be creative with the layout hoisting idea...you could have a 24x24 or whatever the standard size garage is with around the walls style layout and rig it up with each module on a pulley system, but tie it all together on one rotating shaft so it all lifts at the same speed/time. Thats where a handy 8000 lb Warn winch comes in handy!!
Click to expand...

And just pray it doesn't pull the whole garage down ;)

I would go with swivel legs and independently hoisted sections then bolt them together on the ground. Having the layout operational while suspended from the ceiling sounds like a bad idea - too much swaying movement.
 
In the late 80s at the house we lived in I had a 42" x 10' layout in the garage. I built an 18" shelf off the wall and use piano hinges allowing the table to swing up and out of the way. The legs folded inside the table. There were some restrictions with the scenery, but overall it got the job done.
 
CbarM said:
Well some folks have outfitted their garage with a cable/pulley system to raise and lower a big layout. You could fill a whole 2 car garage with a nice sized layout and flip a switch and it all heads up toward the ceiling out of the way when you need to get the ol ladys car in...haha
Click to expand...
I actually saw one of those a few years ago when we lived in Southern California. We were out for a walk one Saturday morning, and it caught my eye for sure. It was a German setting running German trains, and the car parked out front (because the layout was down--the guy was vacuuming it) was a BMW. The layout was maybe 3x3 meters. Consistency of Concept!
 
MLEdwards said:
Thanks, Carey. I have that book and will get it out again. Thanks for your encouragement, I'll be around.
Mike E
Click to expand...

Later on you may even want to get several of the larger trackplan books like 101 trackplans for the Model Railroader, 102 trackplans...etc. When I'm designing layouts, I will "steal" ideas for a section from a trackplan out of the books. I'll take a siding & spur set-up from one plan and combine it with a spur section out of another, and still another part of another. MR used to be a great source for ideas for use on trackplans.
 
LoudMusic said:
And just pray it doesn't pull the whole garage down ;)

I would go with swivel legs and independently hoisted sections then bolt them together on the ground. Having the layout operational while suspended from the ceiling sounds like a bad idea - too much swaying movement.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly! Spot on!
 


MLEdwards said:
I say "real" layout because I have an experimental layout on plywood on the floor that has two concentric ovals and some spurs, but it's kinda boring because it's level, no scenery, and all the curves are the same direction.
Click to expand...
This statement worries me a little bit. Having hills, complex curves, and scenery is not going to make the operation of the layout less boring. Adding all those things will make construction intersting but the final result won't run any different than your experimental one. Perhaps it would be wise to experiment with some different track arrangments to find one that has more operational variety and does not get old so quickly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.




Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Back
Top