After four long months of home renovation, my new train room is finally ready for action.
I plan to kick thing off by building an HO scale switching layout. This layout is going to be roughly contemporary so I can run modern equipment. It will be set somewhere in the northeast, perhaps somewhere between New York and Philadelphia so it can be served by NS or CSX. I have a really sharp looking NS genset switcher that I could use on this layout.
This layout will be built on Kamkonnect modules. I'm currently thinking of using four 42" by 18" modules arranged in a straight line. I verified that this will comfortably fit in the space available. Why modules for a fixed layout? I have had to take down several layouts in the past when we had to do some plumbing repairs or renovation projects. By building the layout in modules, I will be able to easily move the layout if it becomes necessary. Also, being able to take it to shows may be possible as well.
To get started with the design, I bought a new license for 3rd Planit. This is my favorite design tool and I have used it in the past. But it is very complex and I am a bit rusty so I had to spend a couple of days reacquainting myself. Here is my first pass at a design.
There is a double track mainline passing through the layout. The orange blobs represent industries. The idea is that a switch job will start with a train that has just arrived from a yard on the mainline. Cars will have to be pulled from industries and replaced with new cars.
Track is going to be Atlas Code 83 flex and #4 turnouts. I would have liked to use #6s but there's not enough space really. Also note that the turnouts do not span module boundaries - to make it easy to cut gaps.
I will be trying out a few alternative designs in the next few days. tomorrow, I want to explore if using 24" modules instead of 18" might give me more room for industries.
I plan to kick thing off by building an HO scale switching layout. This layout is going to be roughly contemporary so I can run modern equipment. It will be set somewhere in the northeast, perhaps somewhere between New York and Philadelphia so it can be served by NS or CSX. I have a really sharp looking NS genset switcher that I could use on this layout.
This layout will be built on Kamkonnect modules. I'm currently thinking of using four 42" by 18" modules arranged in a straight line. I verified that this will comfortably fit in the space available. Why modules for a fixed layout? I have had to take down several layouts in the past when we had to do some plumbing repairs or renovation projects. By building the layout in modules, I will be able to easily move the layout if it becomes necessary. Also, being able to take it to shows may be possible as well.
To get started with the design, I bought a new license for 3rd Planit. This is my favorite design tool and I have used it in the past. But it is very complex and I am a bit rusty so I had to spend a couple of days reacquainting myself. Here is my first pass at a design.
There is a double track mainline passing through the layout. The orange blobs represent industries. The idea is that a switch job will start with a train that has just arrived from a yard on the mainline. Cars will have to be pulled from industries and replaced with new cars.
Track is going to be Atlas Code 83 flex and #4 turnouts. I would have liked to use #6s but there's not enough space really. Also note that the turnouts do not span module boundaries - to make it easy to cut gaps.
I will be trying out a few alternative designs in the next few days. tomorrow, I want to explore if using 24" modules instead of 18" might give me more room for industries.