My first REAL layout.

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T

tredfern83

New Member
Hello all,

I would like to start out by saying that I am no more than a virgin to the model railroading hobby and I am definitely feeling "intimidated" by some of the stuff that I see. But with that said I do also have an intense drive to begin this journey and to also document it and absorb the vast amounts of knowledge and experience that the many members of this forum have. I do know that I have a lot to learn, and I look forward to learning it. I have never been the kind of person to take the easy road; my current hobby being saltwater reef aquariums. I am giving up that hobby for the time being due to some time issues that I have come in to this year since buying my first business. I still love my aquariums, I just need a hobby that won't die if I don't have the time for it for a week at a time.

As for my project scope; being as I never do anything half way, or just a little; I am devoting the rear half of my 20' x 40' shop to a layout room.
The project is going to be a double deck layout with a grade that will begin at the north end of the layout and run itself around the perimeter until it enters a helix, at which point it will raise an additional 8 inches to the upper level.
I would like to hide the helix in a mountain scene, with the mainline at the bottom covered in at least one place by a snow shed.
My lower level will primarily be country/ mountains with the main freight and passenger terminal. (Sort of like a larger city feel where all points meet.)
The upper level will begin or end (depends on the direction of traffic i guess) with mountain scenery, transitioning to country/ desert, and then into my smaller industrial towns where freight and passenger traffic will end or begin.
If it is not apparent already, I will be using this as a point to point railroad, with both levels having the ability to run continuously if I'd like, which I do.:cool:

Here is the plan for the layout as I have it currently. I would love to get some feedback on design, and if there are any major problems that I should change right away.

Tyson's Layout 1 (3650x3499).jpg
This is the lower level of the layout with the main line in RED.
The ORANGE line in the north end is the grade leading into the bottom of the helix.
The BLUE line in the south end is the lead heading into my staging yards and reverse loop that is hidden below the first level.

Tyson's Layout 2 (3650x3499).jpg
This is the upper level with the main line in GREEN.
All the TEAL lines are industry lines and sidings.

Tyson's Layout 3 (3650x3499).jpg
This is the sub level where I will be staging and storing all of the trains that I don't have... yet.;)

Let me know what you think; I look forward to some constructive criticism.
 
I am going to say I am a complete n00b and know very little (if anything) myself.

However, I would think you may want to minimize the number of tracks on the lift out section. While it may not be possible, if you "reverse" the mid level north and south sides of the layout, you would only have two tracks in the lift out. Again, I know very little about it, but I think you would want to have as few tracks as possible on a moving section.

I am also impressed at just how much you have placed in the space. That is a lot of railroad.


tredfern83 said:
Let me know what you think; I look forward to some constructive criticism.
Click to expand...
 


number9 said:
I am going to say I am a complete n00b and know very little (if anything) myself.

However, I would think you may want to minimize the number of tracks on the lift out section. While it may not be possible, if you "reverse" the mid level north and south sides of the layout, you would only have two tracks in the lift out. Again, I know very little about it, but I think you would want to have as few tracks as possible on a moving section.

I am also impressed at just how much you have placed in the space. That is a lot of railroad.
Click to expand...

I know what you are saying, and I did try to reduce the amount of tracks and turnouts on the liftout. The only parameter that is not set in stone yet it the placement of the door. I can move the door up to 6 feet to the right of where I have it now, and that should solve that issue.

flyboy2610 said:
It certainly is ambitious.
Click to expand...

Yes it is ambitious, and that is what makes it exciting for me. Like I said, I don't to half way, or just a little bit. If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right and I'm going to do it all. With that said, note that the layout is color coded. I forgot to mention that this is how I plan to stage the layout construction.

Phase 1 = RED
Phase 2 = YELLOW
Phase 3 = BLUE
Phase 4 = ORANGE & HELIX
Phase 5 = GREEN
Phase 6 = TEAL

This way I can break up my work and not overwhelm myself with the scope of it all. ;)
 
OK so I have made the change to the lift-out section on the layout to roughly 6 feet to the left of where I had it. I don't know why I never though to move it before. I can not move it any further to the left due to an exterior wall that runs perpendicular to the south wall of the layout room. I think this will be good though. Thoughts?

Tyson's Layout 1 (3650x3499).jpg
 
This looks like a very interesting plan and you sure can get a lot of railroading done with this plan. The change in the lift out section was a good modification. You could also make it a drop down by hinging at one end. With the area you have to work with I am assuming that you are going to go HO scale.

Good luck with the layout. Looking for updated and PICTURES. We love pictures here.
 
montanan said:
This looks like a very interesting plan and you sure can get a lot of railroading done with this plan. The change in the lift out section was a good modification. You could also make it a drop down by hinging at one end. With the area you have to work with I am assuming that you are going to go HO scale.

Good luck with the layout. Looking for updated and PICTURES. We love pictures here.
Click to expand...
I wish I had some picture that were not quite so cringe inducing, but I don't. But here ya go.

View attachment 47545
This is the wall where I will be placing the entrance into the layout room.

View attachment 47546
This is the location where I plan to set up a small work bench.

View attachment 47547
This is the current door into the space where the layout room will be. This door will not be used for the purposes of entering the space and will be semi-permanently locked and covered with background board.

0105150916b.jpg
And here is the space where the layout will reside. I think I have a few "things" that may need to move first.
 


Ahhh, yeah, maybe one or two things OR you could add a little more interest to your layout and design it around, over, under and through the one or two that might need to be moved :)
 
Yeah - a bloody great night mare! :cool:

Do me a favor though - should you have a complete insanity trip and do this, let me know - I wanna be there to see it happen! ;)
 
My thoughts would be as been said , very ambitious and nothing at all wrong with being very ambitious. The change you made to the lift out section was a very positive move. Have you thought about what you would really like to have in the layout and what is most important compared to what is important but you could do without if need be ?Type of benchwork, era, scenery , terrain , flat etc? These may help you decide if this type of layout is a good starter for you, and I echo what Tony said" a complete insanity trip " but a real adventure and would be great to follow along.
 
I guess you do have a few things to move. Rotsa ruck cowboy. You have a lot of work to do even before you get started.

Have you thought about the area or railroad you'll be modeling and the era ???
 
wombat457 said:
Yeah - a bloody great night mare! :cool:

Do me a favor though - should you have a complete insanity trip and do this, let me know - I wanna be there to see it happen! ;)
Click to expand...

Insanity is the driving force of any great adventure. But do not be fooled, insanity is only the beginning chapter in this book of life.

Also words and stuff that make me seem intellectually "with it." :p

Lynnb said:
My thoughts would be as been said , very ambitious and nothing at all wrong with being very ambitious. The change you made to the lift out section was a very positive move. Have you thought about what you would really like to have in the layout and what is most important compared to what is important but you could do without if need be ?Type of benchwork, era, scenery , terrain , flat etc? These may help you decide if this type of layout is a good starter for you, and I echo what Tony said" a complete insanity trip " but a real adventure and would be great to follow along.
Click to expand...

montanan said:
I guess you do have a few things to move. Rotsa ruck cowboy. You have a lot of work to do even before you get started.

Have you thought about the area or railroad you'll be modeling and the era ???
Click to expand...

I was told by a good friend once that a man without ambition is a man without success. I took those words very literally and have found that it is a great way to go about my personal and business adventures. I do have a great MANY thought about what it necessary for the success of this layout, and weather or not I am biting off more than I can chew. But I keep reminding myself that I have a great support team in my family, who all want to play their part, and also the wealth of information here on this forum.

As far as the layout goes; I would really like it to be something in the modern era with a smattering of history strewn about (mainly in the mountain areas.) I guess that also answers the question of scenery as well. I live in the Pacific Northwest where it is very green and grey, with loots of peaks and valleys everywhere. One of the great things about the area I live is that you can drive about 2 hours in either direction and see the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains, the sprawling Wine Vineyards of the Willamette Valley, the Columbia River Gorge (where the railroad is still very active) or the high Desert regions of eastern Oregon.

In short; my surroundings are my inspiration for the scenes I would like to set. I mean come on, is this not beautiful? http://www.ejphoto.com/mount_hood_page.htm
 
I have another question, and again I am a newbie also. Is the helix closed in? What I mean to say is, if it is not part of the feature/scene/etc, then consider where you will be standing most of the time, and where most of the action will be. Would it be best to have the helix there, or move it to say the upper left corner, which is the end of the room? I bet you might be in front of the yard/middle most of the time when playing/running trains, so if you moved the helix, maybe you could put something there more visually appealing (or better for playtime/running trains) and move the helix to the upper left of the layout. If you put it at the "end" then you can make the middle your main focal point.

I only point this out as I saw a huge layout with a helix at the beginning, right where the door was where you walk in, and everyone sees it first. If nothing will be in it, I might put it at the end and have another curve in front of it hiding it with a scene instead of in the middle, but I could be totally wrong.

Other than that, I would ask what others have asked (even to help with the helix question): what is your main point? I note you say modern trains, do you like modern scenery? What is the main focus of the layout for you? As an example, the users here had to drag out of me that I want modern trains, 1960s+ scenery, a train running all the time in the "background" and as much yard as possible. This makes you think about the layout a bit differently.

tredfern83 said:
OK so I have made the change to the lift-out section on the layout to roughly 6 feet to the left of where I had it. I don't know why I never though to move it before. I can not move it any further to the left due to an exterior wall that runs perpendicular to the south wall of the layout room. I think this will be good though. Thoughts?

View attachment 47535
Click to expand...
 
number9 said:
I have another question, and again I am a newbie also. Is the helix closed in? What I mean to say is, if it is not part of the feature/scene/etc, then consider where you will be standing most of the time, and where most of the action will be. Would it be best to have the helix there, or move it to say the upper left corner, which is the end of the room? I bet you might be in front of the yard/middle most of the time when playing/running trains, so if you moved the helix, maybe you could put something there more visually appealing (or better for playtime/running trains) and move the helix to the upper left of the layout. If you put it at the "end" then you can make the middle your main focal point.

I only point this out as I saw a huge layout with a helix at the beginning, right where the door was where you walk in, and everyone sees it first. If nothing will be in it, I might put it at the end and have another curve in front of it hiding it with a scene instead of in the middle, but I could be totally wrong.

Other than that, I would ask what others have asked (even to help with the helix question): what is your main point? I note you say modern trains, do you like modern scenery? What is the main focus of the layout for you? As an example, the users here had to drag out of me that I want modern trains, 1960s+ scenery, a train running all the time in the "background" and as much yard as possible. This makes you think about the layout a bit differently.
Click to expand...

I am "planning" to have the helix hidden within a mountain scene. I will have the lower main line come around through the base of the scene with a snowshed at some point along the way. I have no reason for putting in a snowshed other than they are neat-o and I want it.

I know there is a lot of decision making to be done yet, but I like to think that the layout will be a modern setting in the Cascade Mountain Range and throughout the Willamette Valley and Columbia Gorge. I know that is a lot to model in such a small space, but that is where the imagination is supposed to be used for. Although I use these names of places that exist in my real world, I will not be using the names of any particular place, I simply use these names to give reference to what I see and want.

My main goal for the layout is to have a fun place to hang out with friends and family, those who know operations, and those who do not. I have both levels of the layout designed in a way that I can at will go from continuous running to a point to point operations style when I want to. I have two young daughters who both show some interest in the "trains" and I would love to include them and their input into the layout. My girls are 9 going on 15 and 5 going on crazy.

I have a lot of planning to do and a lot of decisions to make, but first I am going to get a storage unit arranged this weekend and start moving a "few" things out of my new play room.
 
I also would like to mention my biggest inspiration for doing this; and that would be my father. He is the one who build my first "layout" on a 4x8 piece of plywood that was in our garage and folded up to the wall. It was an Atlas double main line plan with one small siding running on DC. This is one of my fondest memories of my father as he had me completely convinced that I was helping him build a workbench for his business. Little did I know I was helping him build on a life long interest in model trains. My father passed away in the fall of 2010 two days after Thanksgiving after a 3 year long losing battle with Colon Cancer. So in some sort of way I will be honoring my father in this layout; because without him I would have the interest in the hobby let alone have the resources to do something like this.
 


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