Layout plan beginnings, opinions needed


Update: alternate plan!

Mr. Mouse helped me with my planning. At first I didn't like the idea, then I realized it would be a more faithful reproduction of Mankato. I just need to figure out where to put the mill. I have it on the extension on the bottom for now. Any comments of the alternate plan?
Chipsversion.png
 
IF you were to flip that turnout above the depot, you could have a straight line from the yard ladder all along the back of Front St.
 
I think I'll have to do that when I build this. My wife liked your version better than mine. I have to admit, it looks more interesting this way. I think it would make things more interesting in the future when I get tired of building scenery. Thanks again Chip.
 
Much better. The more angles you have between the tracks and the rest of the scenery, the bigger your layout will look in the same space. I'd add a crossover in the yard from the top track to the middle track to make it esier to swtich the yard. Without a crossover, your switcher will get trapped since the yard is stub end.

You'll have a interesting challenge with the backdrop on the right end of Front St. to get the real building to blend in with your backdrop. The nice thing is that you can make Front St look like it goes on forever if you do it right and the real buildings will serve as a good view block. Any idea how you are going to model the river and the road bridge that crosses it?
 
I have to admit, I like it better as well. I'm not sure how I'll extend Front street. I thought about trying to use a mirror in some fashion. Since you won't really see the fronts of the buildings on that end, a reflection of them may not be so bad. I may just try to use photo backdrops. I have zero experience in this area of illusion. I may have some research ahead of me.

How far towards the left side should I put the crossover? Should I add a crossover to the stretch in front of the depot?

As far as the river and main street bridge, I have no plans as of right now. I thought about doing the river edge, but the bridge will cause problems. I guess it will depend on the actual size of the layout room. My wife seems to like the idea of 'our' room. Her mess from work, my mess from trains. What a happy marriage!
 
Corey,
I'd put the crossover switch right in the middle of the yard. The idea is for the switcher to be able pull cars from one track and use the area behind the crossover as a tail track to shove cars without getting trapped behind other cars that have been spotted on the adjoining track. Another crossover on the bottom track towards the end of the yard is also a good idea but I think you'll lose too much car storage space with such a small yard. You'll understand all this when you're actually trying to make up or break up trains and have to work around cars already in the yard.

I wouldn't add a crossover to the depot siding. I assume that will be used for freights or local passenger trains that need to stop at the station for extended periods of time and you need to keep the mainline clear. This is a case where you want maximum siding length and a crossover won't serve any useful purpose.

A mirror would be a great idea. As you say, no one will be able to see the fronts of the buildings on the other side of the street so it will look convincing. You'll just have to play around with angles to get the best perspective.

I woudn't try to model the whole river unless you suddenly win the lottery and get a warehouse. :) What I would try is modeling about two feet out into the river and then have the Main St. bridge start across the river and just end at the layout fascia. A few feet is enough to create the illusion. It looks like one of the Rix bridges would be a good match for the bridge in the photo.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
This is a rare occasion where I disagree with Jim. I would not put a crossover in the yard as you only have three tracks and that would use two of them. Rather I would put a runaround on the main to the right of the yard throat. I would then run you industry off the siding.
 
Ah, I see what you're saying, Chip - missed that one completely. By having the runaround track come off the main, it can also double as the industry track lead. I'd have to see it on the track plan to make certain we're both on the right wavelength but I think I get it.
 
Looking better all the time Corey!
The angels will really take the toy train feel away from the track plan.
I agree with Chip about the runaround as well.
If you use a mirror try to get "scientific mirror", also called one way glass as one side will have no visible line between where the roads or buildings meet it.
Rico
 
All right, I have sketched out a rough approximation of the space I'll have. It is 13x20 or so. This needs to double as a home office for my wife. It also needs to have a place for my computer as well. My wife doesn't care if I block part of the windows. They are basically knee height to ceiling. We have these same windows on all three levels of the townhouse, so blocking part of one is not a huge concern. I do not have the luxury of mounting the bench work to the walls. It must be free standing. If you have any more ideas for me, I'm all ears. I'm thinking of extending the 'yard'' into the corner. I would have access for the outside in that case.

Roomwithwalls.png
 
Ya' know what, Corey, I just don't like the idea of the big square with a hole in it now that I see the room. It's going to take more benchwork to build it, it's going to take up a lot of the room, and you're going to have to do a lot of crawling around under the layout to get to the various parts.

How about this idea. Extend the the upper section to the bathroom wall but make the extended portion 3'x3'. Extend the portion against the outside wall by adding another 3'x3' blob at the end. You can then make two reverse loops, one in each 3'x3' section. DCC make it easy to handle reverse loops and you can then have continuous running with just the space along the walls. That eliminates the two connecting sections for the square and frees up a lot of space in the room. I just think this type of arrangement is going to much easier to build and operate than what I see now.
 
Jim, I had my concerns as well about ducking under. I will have backdrops on the two outside walls, but none in the middle. The long, straight section on the bottom will be a substantial trestle right in the middle. I will actually drop the bench work down for this area rather than add a large grade. What I'm trying to do is have a large enough area so my short passenger trains aren't chasing themselves. This room is a bonus room of sorts. My wife's work looks like a tornado came through the room. My trains will actually be the least distracting part of the room. I understand where you are coming from with your suggestions. Being 30 years old, I'm not too concerned about climbing into the 'pit'. I hope to spend a good amount of time building the city scene and the trestle. They are probably the only parts that I will really try to move whenever we buy another house. Now that I have a good idea of the dimensions, I may redesign the whole thing. We'll see.

I tried to add a larger yard to the city portion. Am I totally off base?
expandedroom1.png
 
Yeah, I know you really want that trestle but I'd think about the donut idea for a while. You can make a balloon track around the yard that will serve as your reversing loop. Looks like you could bring it off the existing main just past the right switch of the depot siding. If you bought the left side of the layout down six feet, couldn't you fit in both the trestle and a reverse loop there? You'd end up with almost the same running length of track without the compications of the donut.

The yard changes look fine if you want to stick with the original plan. It looks like you added a team track behind the depot, which is a good idea. The only change I'd make is to have the team track switch come off the connecting track instead of the yard lead track. The less switches on the lead, the better. Even with a small yard, you've alread got seven switches to keep track of and, the more you add, the more times you'll end up with a switch in the wrong position.
 
I'm trying to make the loops on either end. The problem I'm running into is the reach to make the blob around the yard. I think that may cause problems. I think I would have to redesign the yard area, otherwise I'll be running on the yard throat as the mainline. I think I'll go with the donut idea. I just don't want to rule anything out. I objected to Chips idea at first too. Now I wouldn't think of not building it on an angle. I appreciate all the input so far. The plan keeps changing for the better.
 
I would eliminate the runaround in the yard. You have the runaround off the main, so why waste the two yard tracks.
 
Do you mean where it crosses over in the yard? Sorry, I never cared about terminology before.:eek: Do you like the new run around going into the yard?
 
Secondhandmodeler said:
Do you mean where it crosses over in the yard?
Click to expand...

Yes

Sorry, I never cared about terminology before.:eek: Do you like the new run around going into the yard?
Click to expand...

I like the concept, but the way it is drawn is a big waste of space and turnouts. I'd connect the runaround to the short track in the center of the current runaround and slide the ladder up tight against it. That will lengthen the yard tracks and eliminate one or two turnouts. If you need that siding (although it doesn't do much there) we can find another place for it.
 
I thought I would use that siding for a business or team track. My problem with it was not having road access right now. I don't want to do crossings over turnouts. Maybe I could add a siding somewhere else?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top