New Layout Plan - Central WA


R

Rail Hobo

New Member
I am in the planning and design stage for my first N-scale layout and would appreciate your review. I am new to model railroading, but have some life skills and rail experiences to bring to the hobby.

My overall hobby room size is 17'x19' with a max layout and workspace of 13'x15'. It is on the second floor, so there are no water heaters, furnaces or plumbing in the way. For track planning, I reviewed a large number of layout designs ranging in size from 2.5'x6.5' (the "door") to 4'x8'. As a starting point, I selected Atlas Layout N-17, "Scenic & Relaxed", which is a 3'x6' layout size. This plan contains some broad curves and appears to enhance the rural terrain that I want to model. I expanded the layout size to 4'x7', eliminated all of the 9.75"R curves and set 11"R as the minimum radius. I moved the sidings and bypassess to fit my scheme and added a perimeter main line (M1) and a 3-stub yard. Turnouts in this plan are Atlas Code 80 No. 4 (qty 12) and No. 6 (qty 5). The maximum grade is 4%. Elevations are set to enhance the scenery aspects of Central Washington. The time era is 1950 to 1975. This will be a free-lance style layout with Great Northern and Burlington Northern rolling stock. Please see attached plan for Central WA (a temporary name).

Objectives are to have 2 locos running independently on mains M1 and M2. I want to run freight stock on M2 with passenger and/or freight units on M1. A switcher loco can be operating in the yard without interference with M1 and M2. The yard will be used to assemble/disassemble consists and park old favorites. There are two short M1 to M2 crossovers and 3 yard entrances. For the 13 turnouts near the front of the layout, I am planning to use Caboose Industries 220S ground throws. For the rear 4 turnouts, I would like to use Circuitron remote switch machine products.

I would appreciate your comments, suggestions and questions. Thanks for your help.

Rail Hobo
 
Looks like a nice plan. Do you have access from all sides of the layout? It will still be a stretch to reach the center of the layout if you do but nearly impossible if you don't. I'd try to reduce that grade somehow. It looks like it climbs mostly on a curve and through a tunnel. 4% is pretty steep grade to begin with and having it on a curve increases the real grade to more like 5% when accounting for wheel friction. You could decrease the grade by starting it near the bridge and replacing that crossing that leads out of town with a bridge, depressing the road under the bridge.
 
I like it... Jim may be on to something with the advise about the grades... although you could just put some bullfrog snot on the locos and they will make it up... heh
 
Looks like a great plan for switching and mainline running!
I might try to make the lower track into a upper track for scenic purposes, wouldn't be too hard to do. Otherwise I'd add what Jim already stated.
 
Thanks for the great comments. Regarding Access: the left, front and right sides of the layout will all have unrestricted access. The rear edge will be set out about 18 inches from a wall. Also, the benchwork will be mounted on lockable casters to make it easier to capture derailed rolling stock, collect carpet dives and do carpet cleaning, etc. Grades: I am still working to reduce grades from 4% to 3% in some critical parts of the plan. Thanks for the tip. Staging: This layout connects to a future module at the right which will have some staging features.

Gene

Rail Hobo
 
Gene, sounds like you're doing all the right things. Reducing grades really should be a priority since steeper grades, especially on curves, tend to be a never ending source of problems. Otherwise, it's a fine layout and looks like it will have a nice balance of scenery and operations.
 
Update Part 1 on Central WA Railway Plan

UPDATE - Thanks for your suggestions in March. I revised my N-scale Central WA layout plan. See Fig 1. The maximum grade is now 3% instead of 4%. I shifted the town plan to allow road access under a deck girder bridge at upper right. Minimum track elevation is now 1.5"; maximum is 4.25". Minimum curve radius is 11".

I started construction by building a 4' x 7' wood frame consisting of 1.5" x 1.5" and 0.75" x 1.5" fir members. See Fig 2. The next layer is a 1.5" pink foam frame. See Fig 3. The top layer is a 2" foam slab in (2) 2' x 7' pieces.

I have reached my 4 attachment limit, so will send out another message.

I would appreciate your comments, suggestions and questions.

Gene
 
Update Part 2 on Central WA Railway Plan

I used XTrkCAD extensively in the design of this layout. Fig 5 shows the full scale layout feature using 8.5" x 11" sheets butted together on the board. XTrkCAD is very useful in setting yard track spacing, for example. See Fig 6.

Gene
 
Update Part 3 on Central WA Railway Plan

I have completed about 90% of the foam subterrain. Figures 7 thru 10 are views of the subterrain construction progress thru August 8. All grades and curves have been tested by operating trains on a test track on the foam subterrain.

I would appreciate your comments, suggestions and questions.


Gene
 
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