Shelf Layout Design For Small Area...With A Twist, Literally


C

CSXfan75

Member
Hello railfans, this is my first entry on this forum. Although I have prior experience in basic 4x8 plywood layouts consisting of store bought trainsets with extra track, a few cars and 2 pro locos from a hobby shop and the traditional "green paper for grass". Was very very simple, but the layout design was intricate, and completely made up. With that in mind, my railroading experience went from computer games such as the one hit wonder MTS (microsoft train simulater) and some other not so great model railroading sims which I found uninteresting and unrealistic. Ive decided to pic up the flextrack and cork roadbed again (sarcastically put). But the area I have is a space about 9.5'x 14', and that includes an L-shaped PC desk, and a 42" flatscreen TV in which my live-in girlfriend shares (and its her place!) Shelf layout is my only hope. I took the liberty to draw up a rough floorplan of the space I have to work with using the paint program that every windows OS comes with...as I dont have any other program I can afford to use my drafting skills I aquired in high school JVS program. But using those skills I managed to put a shabby sketch of the floorplan so you may see what I have to work with.
Anyway, what Im looking for is suggestions for a shelf style layout with at least one return loop, if not two, and compress it into the area I have. I havent even come up with an actual track design, Im trying to take it a step at a time, first getting the benchwork idea figured out with the double return "loops" Im opting for. Now I have spent all night trying to research different ideas, mixing and matching typical shelf systems with the more common constant running loops at either end. I want to establish the operation of a point to point shelf layout, with the continuous running of the mainline "through train", although it wont be too long. You get my point!
OK, I typed enough. Feel free to tell me it cant be done to the point where it would look right, or feel free to give me productive criticism. Thats why Im here, a noob looking to the pros for guidence.


As it appears, the simple paint drawing is too big to upload, if you absolutely need the drawing, email me and I will send the image that way.
 
My first question would be what scale are you building in?
Second Q is how wide is your shelf going to be? Modern cars and locos are longer and take up more space and broader curves... etc.
Sounds like you could do a lower level going out to a loop on the far end then return on an upper level to double your run.
This would lend itself well to a coal mine / power plant, or perhaps a lumber line with a pulp mill and city on the other end?
Check out Josh's design that he's building right now: http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7079&highlight=josh
Hope that gets you going, ppost a pic of your plan when you can!
 
Well, the scale I had a long time ago was HO, but considering the space limitations and the other points you mentioned, I reckon it would be best to take a shot at N. But memory tells me (if Im remembering correctly) the detail is not as realistic among other things with N. I remember the handrails on the engines (modern deisels) were "too big" and the wheels in the trucks as well as the rails, the size ratios just didnt look too realistic. But of course that was when I was 16, Im 32 now!
As for an answer to your 2nd Q, Im not 100% sure how wide it will be, what I was trying to do is draw a scale floorplan of my room first, then see how much room I could spare considering the couple other peices of furniture that are in there. From there Ill have to test through drawings (thanks Chip for that link) to see how nuch room in N scale I will need to make the loops Im trying for. But in between the loops I want to try to model some local rail action area, I have a few in mind. I just want to take it a step at a time.

I have a rough windows paint drawing of the floorplan, but its too big to upload! Ill see if I cant size it down and give you guys a little insight on what area I have to work with. Ill check back in after bit.
 
room diagram, before

This is the "before" drawing of my computer room (none of the furniture is added as it can be moved accordingly) As I said its not exactly to scale, but the dimentions are pretty true, and its as close as I can get to the shape of the room
 
Areas of development

Here are two versions of the area in which I want to build. Mind you this may not be the exact shape of the shelf itself. The smaller shaded area is a "for starters" desgn, the other is what I would eventually like to have, based on the success of the first.
 
Correct me if Im wrong, but should I just come up with an imaginary route for starters , or use references for a live route, in order to configure the actual benchwork, in which to start the design on the Xtrakcad?
 
I've read your question several times and I'll be danged if I know what you are asking.

I'd start XtrkCAD by outlining the table edge.
 
LOL! Sorry man, im just as confused!! Well, Ill try to clarify my ?: In order to figure out the table shape, (benchwork I call it) I need to figure out roughly where the tracks will be laid...now I can come up with my own imaginary route, which for some reason I find difficult without a reference to go by. Or I could model a real route from around my local area, that is difficult cause my area wont come in real close in google maps, and I have no camera to take pics, and I dont have a vehicle of my own to go to a hot spot to check out. With that in mind, I cant really come up with a benchwork design cause I dont know how the tracks will go!!
As for the Xtrakcad, sweet program, but Im still tryin to figure it out. I been playin with it since you sent me that link, and I cant figure out how to draw the table outline. I got the room dimentions (basically) in, got the grid in 1'x1' scale, got the model scale in (N ive decided to be best). but Im running in place at that! So give me a little push on how to get the table outline goin, and Ill go from there! That program is awesome BTW, great potential.
 
Use the line tool. Put it roughly where you want it to go then use the ? to set the end points.

I'd draw a table edge at 30" out from the wall where you expect it to go then lay your track. Then you can modify the table edge to suit.

You ahve to do the tutorial or you will just waste a lot of time.
 
Ill tell ya what, let me do that tutorial, cause I dont want to waste time, let alone yours! Ill check back after the tutorial if I have further ?'s
 
Hey guys, I was just tryin out that CAD program n it seems kinda tough to get any kinda track work down. I did get the benchwork drawn out but after that I couldnt get far. Im no computer expert by any means so maybe thats the problem? My room is 112" x 88" and I'd like to do a shelf HO layout with a return at each end if possible. Any tips on what else might be a better start?? Thanks, CM
 
I tell you what I was told when I was about in the same situation and it worked wonders...run the tutorial for the program. That will tell you the most common and most important operations with a little demo. You can find the demo under the "help" tab accross the top as your looking at the open program. See if that helps.
 
LOL, you never told me about this page!! You just said tutorial, so thats where I found the demos on the "help" tab on top of the main window! Im gonna run this tutorial as well.
 
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