Reality check, new track plan ideas


Secondhandmodeler

All new now!
After moving into my new townhouse, I've decided to abandon my crazy idea of an around the walls layout. I could probably get approval from the wife, but it seems a little too invasive. I have decided to return to my original size of layout. Not too big, not too small. The only way I could go any bigger is to convince my wife to move the TV and her book shelves to in front of the wall of windows. I'm not sure she'll bite. Also, I now have the right dimensions of the room to work with. My last try at planning was from memory of seeing the room once.

Here is the new direction I'm heading. I'm trying to keep the sections small and light weight for future moves. As a disclaimer, I am more interested in having key scenery items than an operating layout. However, the input I received form you fine folks didn't take away from my core ideas last time. This an HO layout based on Mankato Minnesota in the early 1950's.

Thank you for humoring me! Fire away![:)]

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Looks pretty good to me. What's the purpose of the track that comes off the mainline at the right top and then connects to the yard track? I can't see an obvious use for it and I always hate to have more switches in the yard than I absolutely need.
 
I guess it was so I could get up in to that area without having to go all the way past the town. I was also trying to simulate what the prototype had without having a two ended yard.
 
I may be able to go above or behind the book shelves. They are a couple of inches off the wall right now anyway. That's not a bad idea. The only problem would be that it is not open ended. I would have to back the train in. Is that a problem?
 
I may be able to go above or behind the book shelves. They are a couple of inches off the wall right now anyway. That's not a bad idea. The only problem would be that it is not open ended. I would have to back the train in. Is that a problem?
That's what I currently do with mine. My classification yard is at one 'end' of the pike; after I assemble a train there with my switcher, it makes a full loop around the visible layout then disappears into the "great beyond", i.e. the staging yard.

For westbound pass-thru trains, I back them out of the staging yard and have them pass the full way around and head straight into staging; and the opposite arrangement for eastbound.

Much as I'd love to have a double-ended staging yard, I don't have the space for it - at least not without tearing out part of my existing layout. [And I've had my fill of carpentry/electrical work for awhile! :D ]
 
My wife decided that she wants the TV to go between the computer desks. The book shelves are going down into the living room. I now officially have rights all the way to the wall of windows! This is so much better. I can have a train stretch it's legs without trying an around the room layout. Something tells me that I should start from scratch on the planning side of things. There is no reason to have Mankato so cramped and convoluted. Sorry to think out loud to you folks. I think my mild case of ADD is getting to me. I'm starting to feel like Chip with all of these different versions.:)

I don't want to make Mankato too big, or else the rest of the rural running will be silly. Maybe just a nice, small, double ended yard with engine service. I am going to rebuild the plan with bigger curves and bigger turnouts as well. That way I don't have to scour the earth for short passenger cars. Maybe I should use some of the entries from Chip's 2x8 contest for Minnesota Lake.

Any ideas on how to stretch this plan out?
 
Not quite sure how much new right of way you've acquired but I would stretch out the yard area and broaden the curves on both legs south of town. A drawing with the new amount of space you have to work with would help.
 
The south section of the layout can go all the way to the windows. As can the north section. I think I'll build it at a two foot depth in a duck under style. I agree with you on the broadening of curves and use of bigger turnouts. Right now it has #5 's from Peco. I think I'll use #6 north American style turnouts in the new plan. The section I have to work with is roughly 14x11.
 
Sounds good to me. The bigger the curves and switches, the more fun you'll have running since you won't be limited to what size equipment you can run and you'll spend a whole lot less time fixing derailment problems caused by longer equipment pulling shorter equipment off the tracks on curves. I think you still need to come up with a new track plan rather than just mentally strectching the one you have. Hidden dangers always lurk. :)
 
New space!

I don't know if you guys are sick of me yet, but I'm getting closer to what I want. I finally have the room size that I want. This is an expanded version. The bottom section is accessible from both sides. All other areas have a wall behind them. I tried to add some sort of staging behind a lift of bluff section on the right hand side. I'm not sure if that's worth doing or not. Is it a bad idea to have staging go right into your yard? I think I may need to add another track in the hidden section so I can pull one train in and one out. If I do that, I think I'll put the turnouts before they are hidden. I think I could add more online industries in the Mankato area. I figured that I could add those later in the design process. I know I've been a scatter brain with this process. It's been a interesting negotiating process for the ROW. The wife decided that this configuration is something that she can live with.

What do you guys think? I'm off to work right now, please feel free to add any opinions or ideas. As you can tell, I don't really know what I'm doing! Thanks again.

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Corey, I like the double ended yard and the hidden staging idea. I agree, you really need at least two tracks for the staging area. However, that big lift off bluff thing bothers me. It looks like it would be about 7 feet long. Even if it's made out of foam, it will need enough reinforcing to withstand handling and it will be both fairly heavy and unwieldly. I won't even get into how much scenery you'll end up knocking off the bluff every time you use it. :)

Seems like you have the perfect place for hidden staging by moving that bluff down behind the Red Jacket trestle. You'd have clear access from the other side and nothing that would need to be lifted off the layout. Chew over that idea and see what you think.
 
Jim,
I had thought of running the staging behind and underneath the trestle. I had originally planned to drop the bench work down about one foot at the trestle. That way I would be able to see the trestle from the computer area. I suppose I could make it visible only from the middle 'pit'. I would have to have a bluff or back drop behind the trestle to make it work. You're right, I may need to chew on this for a while. I may be able to use a back drop where I have my 'bluff' right now. I just can't figure out how to disguise the entrance and exit from staging. There weren't any tunnels in southern Minnesota. Any thoughts on how to do this?
 
I came up with something that I think will work. I may need to use a backdrop instead of a bluff for access. I think it would be easier to remove. The two tracks in staging are around five and a half feet in length each. That's the portions inside of the turnouts and hidden by the view block. My simple track plan is getting more and more complicated! The funny part is the lack of things for trains to do. I don't have much for industries so far. There will be a grain elevator in Minnesota Lake as well as a depot. There are larger versions of the same in Mankato. I may need to add something on the left side of the layout. What do you think of this idea? Any and all replies are welcome.:)
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I agree with Jim that you need more staging--even if you are just going to railfan (and you may change your mind and decide to play ops from time to time.) I think you should try to cram as many tracks in your staging area as you can, even if some end up being stub staging.

Here's a possible solution to the bluff/backdrop issue.

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Another possible thing you have to work with is extending your layout size. On the wall with the staging you could add another 6". The side with bridge could be as much as 5 ft. wide. Now remember it does not have to be a square, you can be very creative with your layout shape. You probably want the duck-under narrower even than you have it.
 
Chip, is that a view from the top, or a profile view? I'm guessing it's from the top. I will try to add as much staging as possible. I think with less industries, I'll need more staging. Does my track route look completely out of line? I kind of like how the staging goes to the Main line, then around to the yard. My only problem is that both towns are on the same siding. Somehow that doesn't seem realistic. Oh well, running in circles isn't realistic either!

The bench work at the trestle with be lowered a foot to allow for the trestle without adding a grade. I'll either have to enter under Minnesota Lake, or at the left in the corner. Part of me wants to build a lift out right there. I probably wouldn't use it much, but it would be nice for guests to not have to duck. I'm just not sure if I want the headache. Speaking of headaches, I suppose if I don't have the lift, my chances of that will increase exponentially!:) How much more staging could I fit on the right hand side? I figured that every time I add a turnout, I lose a foot or two in length.
 
Thanks, I'll have to figure that one out. There is a window behind that area, so I'll have to build in the back support. What do you think of the plan?
 
Sorry, I still don't like that lift out bluff idea no matter how you do it. You're going to end up with most of your staging on curved trackage, which is an invitation to disaster as you back to make up trains. That lond straight section by the trestle has pleny of room for at least three staging tracks and it's easily covered from the inside of the donut by a bluff you don't have to move. You can even extend the bluff over the staging tracks and make that removeable if you want scenery on both sides but at least you can remove the bluff from the outside and not be lifting it over finished parts of the layout. I can see nothing but problems any time you're having to remove large parts of a layout.

You can make a lift out section or lift gate on the bathroom side of the layout pretty easily since you're ony dealing with one section of curved track. That's where I'd put a lift gate.
 
Jim, I have no intention of that bluff being lifted out. I assumed the staging would be open from the south side and from underneath. The bluffs are just there to hide staging.

Corey,

There are two major weaknesses I see. One is the lack of industrial switching. You can add a lot if you can work in an interchange track with another railroad.

You also loose a lot by having double ended staging. You have to leave at least the two smallest tracks clear to make runaround moves to switch the industries. If you have the largest track clear for local traffic, then you have one track for sorting and building a train. If you were to go to a stub yard and make a runaround at the front end of the ladder, you could get three or more of those tracks back and they would be longer tracks.

Also the back track behind the industry will be a bear to manage. Why not move that industry a little to the front and have the tracks from staging come out behind them, then build the yard up from the back side.

That would extend all the staging tracks by several feet.
 



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