What would be the best type of layout for my room.

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S

stang_crazy

Member
Ok so ive had a layout planned for my room, an di like it I just think it needs a little more to it.

SO here is a drawing of the room, & a pic of the layout. The layout isnt finished no spures or industries have been added.


layout
Layoutfinal2.jpg


room
trainroom3.jpg


Now just for a bit more info on the framed walls id like to put shelves up on the walls, and have a work bench, but would still need some room to get in and out and also to the layout.

I want to have at the least a 24" radius would like to go bigger if i could but not sure.


any ideas of other possabilitys?
 
No windows it correct. well there is but there at the top of a wall as its basement. the shelf is not moveable as its built into both walls. It covers up some plumbing coming down from the main bathroom. If need be some of it could be blocked off
 


Have you thought of adding another level to hide the yard (if you want) and increase the mainline run? What type of operations do you want (eg: mountain, prairie, switching, industry)? I'm assuming this is HO scale.
 
The width and shape are great. Any idea how you're going to get to the middle? If it's always going to be crawling under the layout, that will get old fast. Some kind of gate or lift-out will make it a lot easier.

I don't understand the track plan at all since it's apparently not finished. Once thing I would do for sure when you're working on the trackplan is move those tracks on the edges back at least six inches. You'll have better scenery opportunities and less chance of your train flying off into space. :)
 
how about a true around the walls layout with a non-reversing loop at each end, leaving the doorway clear and no duck-unders at all? It will give you longer run distances; a reasonable point to point operation with continuous running possible. Longer runs will allow more elevation changes.

This is sometimes called a dogbone layout; it is what I designed albeit folded and rather convoluted. It maximized running space and scenic potential in a way that also gave me the most walk-around room.

Here's a VERY, VERY rough sketch of a dogbone layout for your room. Note that along the right wall, you can have the track along the wall elevated much higher than the forground track and have lots of running space to make the grade change.
 
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Yeah, as long as you have about five feet at each end to make a "blob", you can still have 24" radius curves and a lot more trackage and scenery possibilities. My layout is a folded dogbone and I've been very happy with the concept. As long as you keep the curves out in an area where you still don't have to reach more than about three feet, it should work. I didn't follow that rule and have about a 50" reach in my corners, which causes me no end of problems. It's one of many things I'd change if I started over but the basic folded dogbone works well.
 
sorry I forgot to say it is HO scale. Id like to have a more modern layout with some switching and industries but also at least a loop. I wanted to do a 2 mainlines but i guess that all depends on the layout.

Like i said though id like to have shelving and a work bench on the framed walls.


Also if i stick with something like i originally planned id make a lift out.

I think mine personal problem is all the space that is wasted doing it with the plan I have set up.
 
UP2CSX said:
The width and shape are great. Any idea how you're going to get to the middle? If it's always going to be crawling under the layout, that will get old fast. Some kind of gate or lift-out will make it a lot easier.

I don't understand the track plan at all since it's apparently not finished. Once thing I would do for sure when you're working on the trackplan is move those tracks on the edges back at least six inches. You'll have better scenery opportunities and less chance of your train flying off into space. :)
Click to expand...


Jim,

I would have a lift out section, the plan was to have a double mainline with a nice sized yard and also have enough room for industries and some switching also.

I think i should just make up a bunch of different style of beinch work in the room on paper and go from there.
 
Id like to make up bench work in RTS like what kenw showed up above, just to see what i could come up with, but dunno how i can do benchwork besides whats offered from the bigginng any suggestions.
 


Stang, have a look at Ken's sketch again. The folded dogbone is a loop, it's just not an oval. I find it's the best type of plan for any around the wall layout, especially if you have a door in the way. The liftout section will not only get just as tiresome as crawling under the layout but you'll start to have electrical and mechanical problems over time. Any type of layout you can dream up that leaves that door space open is going to be better than a complete around the room layout.
 
If you're going with a donut or around the walls, can I put in a vote for the HOG (Heart of Georgia)? It's a donut layout that's easily adaptable to different spaces as long as they are more or less rectangular. There's a Yahoo HOG discussion group or you can Google it. Another would be the Wildcat Central that was written up in "MR" several years ago.

Assuming the grids on your drawing are 1-foot grids, crawling under 3 feet of layout to get to "the pit" is going to get old really fast. I have mixed feelings about lift-outs though. They can be very simple mechanically and electrically, but UP has a point.

Here's a thought - if you went with Ken's folded bone, could you "tunnel" through or under that bookcase? Might make an interesting scene divider - kinda like some of the hills around LA - lots of vegetation on one side but very dry and sparse on the other.
 
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Ok heres something i came up with quick for if i decide to leave the one side of the room open for shelves and a bench, not sure how i feel about it yet, wanna make up a few plans on it then will see any idea how i can make the bench work look like this in RTS??

roomlayoutplan.jpg
 
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Here is another option if i would decide to just leave the bottom area open. Figure i could still put shelves on the one wall on the right side where i extended the layout to.

Not real worried about the shelf in the corner. Im actually liken this one better as it give more room for a nice sized yard.

roomlayoutplan2.jpg
 
I've only doodled with RTS so there's probably a way to make angled benchwork edges but I don't know it. I'd do an all right angles benchwork and then add thick lines to mark the real edge of the benchwork. I'm sure we have some RTS experts on here who know a better method.
 
Beachbum said:
I've only doodled with RTS so there's probably a way to make angled benchwork edges but I don't know it. I'd do an all right angles benchwork and then add thick lines to mark the real edge of the benchwork. I'm sure we have some RTS experts on here who know a better method.
Click to expand...

ive used it quite a bit, i believe there is a way to make custom benchwork but im not sure how.
 
The benchwork on my "around-the-wall" layout is simply cantilevered off the wall. I use a diagonal brace from the outer edge back to the base of the wall. It is incredibly strong. Some wider places as well as the end "blobs" (as Jim calls 'em) have legs.

And end view would look sorta like this: the grey is the wall. Build a frame (the top black), attach it to the wall via a ledger strip. Use the diagonal brace to hold up the outer edge.

This is very basic and certainly doesn't show all the details, but you can get an idea of how to get started hopefully.
 


kenw said:
The benchwork on my "around-the-wall" layout is simply cantilevered off the wall. I use a diagonal brace from the outer edge back to the base of the wall. It is incredibly strong. Some wider places as well as the end "blobs" (as Jim calls 'em) have legs.

And end view would look sorta like this: the grey is the wall. Build a frame (the top black), attach it to the wall via a ledger strip. Use the diagonal brace to hold up the outer edge.

This is very basic and certainly doesn't show all the details, but you can get an idea of how to get started hopefully.
Click to expand...


i thought about that but 2 of the walls are outside concrete walls and dont really wanna drill holes in it.
 
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