Continuation of small HO


K

kylewoody

Member
Hey guys!

I went to Home Depot today, got a 4x7 sheet of plywood and am making my legs now for it - will have it a bit below four feet, so the vantage point won't be too high.

Anywho, I think I've got a real good idea of how my layout would work. I drew this up real quick in Paint, and it shows a rough idea, somewhat close to scale (regarding equal turn radius, etc.).

I have Goulding yard on the right, which is where Alabama Gulf Railroad runs from in Pensacola, FL. In the middle, International Paper's mill in Cantonment, FL. In between on the mainline run, I have a small industry I tracked down that does exist in the middle, near Gonzalez, FL.

I plan to have just one GP-38, an old Grand Trunk Western unit probably, that's leased out to AGR. It can pull duty in running everything, and switching. It's small anyways, and my first one - so I don't have huge plans for anyone else being involved, nor jump into DCC and all.

Here's a pic!

Kyle
 
I assume you mean 4x8 plywood? I've been working on layout designs of that size also.

I've never built an HO layout, but I'm very interested in creating a model railroad when The Boy gets a bit older. Something that might be of assistance to you, so you understand from the start whether or not your idea is realistic, try using one of the freeware layout design programs: Atlas RTS or XtrkCAD instead of Paint.

Best Wishes,
-Bob
 
I assume 4x8 also. Is that yard your interchange track? If so, how does your interchange railroad get to the yard to drop off and pick up cars? You can reduce the long yard lead at the top and then add mainline track the run next to the yard for access. The yard really should be double ended so trains coming from any direction can work the yard.

The spur to the Plastic Coated Paper company is too small to do much more than spot one car. You'll need at least two tracks, one for empties and one for loads. Both tracks need to be a lot longer too. You can move the paper plant back further without interfering with the other industries. I still think you're grossy underestimating the size of your layout that paper plant will occupy.

Yur other insustries look fine but your spurs need some revision. You've got thee plants served on track. That's OK, although you'll have to accept that some switching moves will foul the leads for the other plants. What you really need is to turn that switching lead into a passing siding that's connected on both ends of the main. The way it's laid out now, only engines going away from the direction of the facing point switch will be able to switch the plants without getting stuck behind cars they are spotting. By adding the passing track and having the switching lead come off the passing track, trains from either direction can sevice the industries.
 
Hey guys, thanks for the input. Well it was a 4x8 but it would be a real tight squeeze to walk around - so I cut it to 4x7.


See, here's the thing - due to not so much money constraints, but rahter simplicity for this first model, I will not have DCC, or run more than one train. It will all be wired to a regular controller, and I will have a GP-38 run from the yard, drop off or pick up stuff at the mill (Which as you pointed out Jim, is very small) and also do a run to the other industry - wether it will pick up or drop off a car.

The Plastic Coated Paper industry is actually very prototypical - it only has one turnoff and can hold just a couple cars. Only difference being, the prototype runs off a passing track instead of the mainline. It kind of seemed almost model railroad simple and financial ineffcient to me too (even as a newbie!), but I guess that's how they run it.

So, with these in mind - do you think it would still be alright? I know I need to revise the yard though.

Kyle
 
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