New Indoor N Scale


goscrewyourselves

goscrewyourselves

I'm the one
Hi Guys,

Thought I would start the "New Indoor Layout" with what I have in mind for the track plan. This is only a "thought" at the moment and will, as I am sure you all know, will change before things get going:

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The layout is gong to be 90% + Passenger orientated with little to no industry as such other than a farm with silo's for crops/grains. As such, I have a double mainline for passenger and minor freight running as well as secondary track that will connect the lake area to the rest of the layout. That secondary track will be a "Tourist" orientated track giving me the option of running diesel or steam.

This is a little smaller in size than the current HO bench work BUT gives me the things I would like to have. Being smaller in size I think is a good thing though as it will give my wife and I more room to move in the room. As said, this is just a thought at the moment, a taste if you will of what might look like the end plan.

To be 100% honest, the track plan is in the hands of the same gentleman that designed Hawkes layout, so do not take this as a final plan by any means as I am sure Bill will come up with something that offers the same feel but a WHOLE LOT better.

Just on that, I don't want anyone here to take offence at my using a "professional track planner" to design this layout. Everyone here has great ideas and suggestions as was seen with the shed layout but there were so many ideas that I became a little confused in the end. Working with one person, I believe, will make getting the end design done with fewer decisions for me to have to make.
 
Being that passenger trains will be the main focus of the layout, this will give you a decent main line run and easily support two trains running at the same time. This will leave you a lot of room for scenery too. Why not. Keep us posted on any updated changes. I like it.
 
Another adventure in the making, GREAT stuff.

Nothing wrong in having someone design a layout for you. Sure if you want a layout that just goes round and round and round, you don't need someone to design it for you. In my case, my knowledge of trains, never mind layout, was less than 1% and not being satisfied with the start of my first layout, I decided to have someone design it for me. This gentleman took the time to explain the logic of a layout and the operations via back and forth emails. Like he told me, he'd be very surprise if the layout was build 100% exactly to the plan....I've already made a very minor change to accommodate a scenery I have in mind.

PS. If you have google hangout, he's going to have a show on the 19th of December and more in 2016

Good Luck on the new layout
 
montanan said:
Being that passenger trains will be the main focus of the layout, this will give you a decent main line run and easily support two trains running at the same time. This will leave you a lot of room for scenery too. Why not. Keep us posted on any updated changes. I like it.
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Chet,

Thanks mate and what you have said is exactly what I want to have. Once this is finished, I want to be able to sit back and just watch the trains going around BUT also have the option of running a third train that I COULD control, hence the secondary line from the lake.

I really want something that is interesting, not just straight runs or a plan that follows the edge of the bench work (which this does to a certain extent) as well as having enough room for scenery. I think this provides those things. I also think the "curvy bit" breaks the landscape up and gives me some "small pockets of geography" to put different, little things in.

You ought to know that updates will be often and keep everyone up to date with what is happening :)

All in all I kind of like the plan BUT am really keen to see what Bill comes up with.

Hawkesburytrain said:
Another adventure in the making, GREAT stuff.

Nothing wrong in having someone design a layout for you. Sure if you want a layout that just goes round and round and round, you don't need someone to design it for you. In my case, my knowledge of trains, never mind layout, was less than 1% and not being satisfied with the start of my first layout, I decided to have someone design it for me. This gentleman took the time to explain the logic of a layout and the operations via back and forth emails. Like he told me, he'd be very surprise if the layout was build 100% exactly to the plan....I've already made a very minor change to accommodate a scenery I have in mind.

PS. If you have google hangout, he's going to have a show on the 19th of December and more in 2016

Good Luck on the new layout
Click to expand...

Hawke,

Thanks mate and honestly, I just couldn't be bothered beating my brains over another plan especially when my "creative skills" in that field are almost non existent. I kind of get stuck on an idea and find it very hard to budge from it, even if the idea sucks - which it probably would. Having Bill design things for me removes all of the headaches and will give me something that can really be appreciated by all.

The other reason I am using Bill is because what I think will work may not and I am hoping that he will point all of the problems out and put together something that is similar to what I am thinking BUT will work and will work with nil problems. For example, the first problem I see with the above is having access to the Tunnel for the double mainline. Maybe Bill can resolve that problem as I can't see any way around it.

I also expect that what the end plan is will not be laid "exactly" as designed and that small changes will be made.

Any way, I am excited about this and can't wait to be able to start things - the first step obviously is removing the HO layout and that is going to be a pain in the but to do.
 
John,

It is a strat but I expect it to look different when the end "product" is done :) If I can't get that, then I will probably go with the above or something similar, simple a little interesting and allows me to run two trains and let them go while being able to run a third and control it for the "hands on" side of the layout.
 
Great News:

Bill "The Track Planner" has agreed to design my track plan for me and will be starting that task on (or before) the 28th of this month. He estimates that the the completion of the "Plan" will be 14 to 21 days after commencing!

It looks as though this layout will go into "production" toward the end of January 2016!!!!!!!
 
No you'll be able to start earlier. He'll send you and early overview, so you'll be able to work on your frame work and some buildings to get a head start.
Can't wait to see the layout.
 
Hawke,

I figured there would be a couple of drafts before the final design is settled upon. The biggest issue at the moment is being able to get the old layout ... out. Getting it out isn't that much of a problem it is just the timing that is going to hold things up a little. Being so close to xmas and with my eldest step son coming home I don't want to start ripping things apart.
 
This will be an empire of a layout. Who might the trackplanner be Tony? Someone I know?
 
Hawkesburytrain said:
You don't need to start ripping stuff out..............................Let your step son do it....LOL
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Ahh yeah, right ... my wife would love that, him coming home and me putting him to work ... works for me though :D

Lynnb said:
This will be an empire of a layout. Who might the trackplanner be Tony? Someone I know?
Click to expand...

Not sure if it will be an empire but it is going to be a little bit bigger, length wise, than the "shed layout". I guess for an N Scale, it will be a decent size though and I am sure the guy who is doing the track plan will use every bit of space to its maximum effect.

The layout is going to run along the same lines as the shed layout (now defunct due to this one) primarily a passenger orientated layout, double main with a secondary track along with any other branch lines, spurs, sidings etc that can fit and work.

Well, actually no I'm sorry to say. The person you are thinking of wasn't all that keen on just designing a track plan for a specific bench space, so I have employed (literally) the same guy that designed Hawkes layout - Bill "The Track Planner". Once I explained the full situation, fully expecting him to say thanks but no thanks, he was happy to do the design and is going to do the track plan to suit the space I have available. Basically, I gave Bill the dimensions of the usable area, told him what I was wanting and said go for it ... do what you want. It is going to be interesting to see what he comes up with.
 
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Lynn,

I am not going to be rushing anything on this build. This, in my mind, will be the last one so I want/need it to be perfect (or as close as I can get it) in all respects.

I think doing, starting on the shed layout with n scale taught me a lot, and I didn't rush that by any means, at least not by my standards/speed. I think this one will go a little slower still with my focus being entirely on getting the track work and wiring spot on before anything else. While this maybe being a little conceited, I think I got the track work on the shed layout pretty good so if I can replicate, or improve on, that then that will be a darn good start.

My over all plan is to get the track plan then have it blown up to 1:1 size which I can then lay out on the bench work. At this stage I don't know what style of bench work I will be using or be able to use - that I think will depend on the track plan to some degree. Once I have the bench work frame built (which wont take long) I will be laying the full size plan on 1/2" ply and (if using open grid which I hope to) will cut out the track plan.
After that, I will lay the road bed (cork at this point) then the track then the wiring.

That is the strategy at the moment any way. If you see a problem with that plan feel free to let me know. :D
 
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That's also my plan, except that since the size of my layout is a little bigger and since I want to see trains running ASAP, I'm going to mix it up a little bit on one section of the layout, but it's a very narrow section with not much happening.
 
Tony , do you think the 1/2 inch ply will work? I used 5/8 on mine and questioned on spot enough that I put extra support on it . My girders were on 16 inch centers .
 
Jim, my layout is build with 1/2" plywood with 16" center and there's no bend anywhere. Where there's plywood connection, there's double 1"x4" for support.
 
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