Layout design suggestions


B

bclaringbold

New Member
Hello All

I’m looking for some layout design / suggestions and idea for my space. It’s about 10' x 20' but has some narrower areas in the middle.

I'm modeling using HO and am looking at running inter modal, auto racks and other general traffic. Continuous running would be a plus although i could drop it if the layout was better suited without it.

I have attached a PDF of the room I have to work with. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks Brad
 
My first choice right now is an around the walls with a peninsula design. Shelves are 18" in most areas and 12" in some others. Only thing I'm not sure about is the walkways. Will it be too tight the way it is? Any other suggestions to improve this design?
 
less than 2 ft might get tight in those aisles. Dont you think? Even operating alone....:confused:
 
Based on experiences with my own layouts, 24" aisles are kind of tight, particularly as you get older, and if you have people over.
 
ya i wasn't sure how bad it would be. The 2 main aisles would be 24" for sure except in one are where it has to bump out 5-6 inches. Other then that the peninsula are is around 20 - 21" aisles with a square peninsula, which it wont be. I plan on rounding the corners on it to make the aisles larger.

I also have a track plan that i have been working on.

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/3232/layoutyu.jpg

The red track would be the ideal main line. Left side is of the layout is the main yard and maybe a diesel facility in the north end.

left side of the peninsula is a 3 track inter modal yard.

right side of the peninsula is a 3 track autorack loading facility (new cars hot of the line, this area will probably need to be changed).

right side of the layout it opens up. less building more natural scenery. possibly a large bridge in the skinny area.

the area on the south right side for some small industries (not to sure what though maybe grain, plastic pellets, lumber, tank cars?).
 
Have you considered something along the lines of 8'x8' squares at the top and bottom of the room with a 3' wide segment running along the wall joining the top and bottom?
 
Although I would hate to do it, in your position I would eliminate the central peninsula. I just don't think ten feet and a bit is enough width for a turnback and an aisle each side. You could have a fine layout with a double deck around the walls design, and a helix in one corner, and maybe staging at a "basement" level underneath.
 
Less ambitious. Keep it simple, reduce to two yards and leave more room to walk around. Although I love continuous running!
 
I would second the notion of two or more levels around the room instead of the penninsula. That way you have room for grades and more running distance, plus you have room for wider yards.
 
I'm with John on eliminating the central peninsula, especially if you'll have a six-year-old operator by your side.

I think you'll have plenty to do with just the layout around the room. If you find that you want to add the central peninsula later, you can add pieces of it, perhaps even just to experiment with aisle-spacing.
 
on second thought, you could build a pennisula as a stub end yard. That way, it doesn't have to be wide enough for a loop. You will have to figure out a way to stabalize it because it would be pretty narrow.
 
How about loops at opposite corners of the room? Even 3' aisles are narrow, if you plan on more than just yourself.
 
Here's another crazy idea: Do have a peninsula, but make it a "mushroom", with a low level on one side, and a higher level above it accessed from the other side. That keeps the peninsula as thin as possible. Then instead of putting a turnback blob at the end, have bridges connecting to tracks on the end wall. The "bridges" could be in the form of a swinging gate, so you wouldn't need a duckunder. If the round-the-walls part was double decked, you could have an immensely long run this way.
 
BC,

Here are 2 concepts. Includes 26" radius, to be on the conservative side. Upper plan uses Atlas #4's. Lower plan, Atlas #6's in the yards.

Maybe 10 years ago, saw a layout in a mag, nothing but an around the walls oval, but it could take long trains, and had large industries, + plenty of ailse space in the center. Something to think about.

Good luck and Happy New Year!
 
Thanks for the replies. I have been reading through as many of the room sized layouts that I can find. I really like a few. When I get back to work next week I will share a few with you all for further discussion.
 
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