Want to help with a new layout?


That's what they say ... so far as I am concerned, you need to build your layout in a way that best fits your needs, situation and circumstances. There is NO right or regimented way to do anything.

Building a layout ISN'T a case of "one size fits all", like some would have/want us to think, it is very much an individual thing.
 
Standards! standards! standards! The only standard that you need to concern yourself with Ian is the one/s that work for you.
I don't know that I agree with that. It certainly is nice to take a car out of the box and know it is going to fit on the track, and that the couplers will align, that it will pass other cars on a siding, and the DCC signal is going to make it go. All of that is only due to standards.
 
Don't often disagree with you either Horseman but "couplers will align" - tell that to my MT couplers when trying to mate with my Kato couplers. 4 or 5 different manufacturers of couplers and they are all different in design, with only one coming close to prototype, not much of a standard. A variety of DCC manufacturers with one of them not being compatible with all others apparently. Cars fitting on the tracks properly out of the box, hence the need for track and wheel gauges. Even track is a little different from one manufacturer to the next, from Peco to atlas to me to Kato and so on.

Standards such as those for the size of the scale or gauge ... N Scale = 1:160 OR 1:148, depending on where you are, for example. G Gauge = anything between 1/24th and 1/32nd scale. They don't seem to be too standardized either.

Those things aside, the standards that were being refereed to were those concerning bench work hieght, reach limits and so forth. Those things cannot be standardized as there are so many variables to be considered. Variables that pertain specifically to you and I.
 
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So, initial thoughts on layout table below. The two circles in each corner are 36" radius, to make sure I can make the turns I want to make. The aisle between the two blobs is ~3.5'. Thoughts or suggestions before I start planning track?
 

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Not sold yet. How about some sort of peninsula that comes out from the lower right corner? Another idea might be a to creat an operator's pit in that corner, and have the layout make a 45 degree angle with the lower wall and the right wall? 2-3 feet wide? Could be space for a town, and or yard, with maybe a 'branchline/cutoff, along the walls, running behind the operator's pit in the corner, to create operational options? 32" radii isn't large enough?
 
Not sold yet. How about some sort of peninsula that comes out from the lower right corner? Another idea might be a to creat an operator's pit in that corner, and have the layout make a 45 degree angle with the lower wall and the right wall? 2-3 feet wide? Could be space for a town, and or yard, with maybe a 'branchline/cutoff, along the walls, running behind the operator's pit in the corner, to create operational options? 32" radii isn't large enough?
I was thinking of a peninsula coming out at a 45 degree angle from that corner. I was looking for 36" radius on the mainlines for the 4-6-6-4 Challenger and BLI CZ cars. In preliminary layout design, I was dropping to 24" radius for the mine (top blob) and engine facility (bottom blob) areas.
 
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Long-shot, undoubtedly, but would anyone have this layout in SCARM or XtrackCAD? The more I look at it the more I like it, but would like to make a few adjustments.
 
Came across this on MRR.com... might try to do this,... removing the warf on the bottom.
I like it and its long main line, but do you think it will fit? Those grids are 24" making it 26' x 11'. I thought you had only 19 feet.

From what you came up with originally, If you flip the blobs moving the roundhouse to the upper I don't think you would be far from this other than the dual loops, and those could probably be worked in.
 
The diagram shows 11' x 22' (12' wide with the hidden staging). That's just the right size. I have 14' x 21.667',so a little reduction on the left side to fit. I think I'd need to expand the turntable area as the one in the MRR diagram looks like a 90' and I have a 130', and I'd like to modify the upper right corner (inner track) so that it joins with the lead to the mine (and I'd need 4 tracks to the mine, so that area will have to be reworked a bit too. Oh, and cut off the wharf section too... so, like this quick rough edit:
 

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After spending some time relearning XTrackCAD, this is what I came up with. The boxes in the upper left represent the archway entrance into the room and the revised location of the workbench. I didn't have enough space up top to do the loops, unfortunately, so I reworked it for the mine area. Thoughts or suggestions?
 

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Ian,

The potential layout you've posted, I've considered incorporating into something larger, in the past. It has an interesting design, that is not all track, or scenery.

Looking at your trackplan above, how about moving the mining to the left, outside of the curve, maybe on a branchline of some sort, if that isn't prohibited space? Or how about doing the over/under (like a partial figure 8) kind of thing on the top portion of the plan, to add more scenic possibilities, and maybe a longer run, with a passing siding?
 
Ian,

The potential layout you've posted, I've considered incorporating into something larger, in the past. It has an interesting design, that is not all track, or scenery.

Looking at your trackplan above, how about moving the mining to the left, outside of the curve, maybe on a branchline of some sort, if that isn't prohibited space? Or how about doing the over/under (like a partial figure 8) kind of thing on the top portion of the plan, to add more scenic possibilities, and maybe a longer run, with a passing siding?

Thanks! Upper left is as much room as I have. I was considering replicating the figure 8 like in the diagram. I'll put it in XTrackCAD and see how it looks. One thing I like about this currently is that open area leaves room for a town.
 
Did a quick edit on the top section. Couldn't fit in a figure 8 very cleanly, but I go a few more feet in mainline run.
 

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Did a quick edit on the top section. Couldn't fit in a figure 8 very cleanly, but I go a few more feet in mainline run.
Hmmm, that track between the mains on the far right didn't translate well. I think the tail track of the run around is too short. Maybe come off from the isle side track further up, to give some more room at the other end.
 
Hmmm, that track between the mains on the far right didn't translate well. I think the tail track of the run around is too short. Maybe come off from the isle side track further up, to give some more room at the other end.

Like this?
 

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