Back after 50yrs

Looks good to me.  Welcome back.

Al

Welcome back!

Well, you tunneled your longest run in the back. Take one side outer track and the 15' run would give you 20' to climb 6" for a 2.5% grade. Go up and reverse and come down the same track. Climb to 12" and it's doubled to 5%.

Looks like a nice track plan. Room for spurs for some operational fun, too.

Also, welcome aboard the forum!

Hi Dave

     Like your plans & good luck.

Gary

• Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway

Thanks for the kind words

Dave

I lived in Detroit most of my life ... now in Florida

Take care

Dave50

Welcome back Dave!  I am envious because I remember when I came back into the hobby after many years.  The excitement of discovering the many improvements and innovations that are available were mind numbing.

Good luck on your new layout.  I can guarantee that you will have many hours of pleasure rediscovering the wonderful world of model railroading.

Plans look good. Look forward to the progress. By the way. Where in Florida?

Sanford between Orlando and Daytona

Hope to get my grandsons involved before they get too old

Dave 

I àm over by Tampa. Still waiting to see if this storm will be heading our way. One of the current tracks take it over Tampa.

See Dave? I told you there was a huge repository of knowledge and a lot of potential new friends here!

Welcome back to the hobby.

Hello Dave,

Welcome back to the worlds greatest hobby. On top of that,"Welcome" to the one of the largest if not, The Largest O-Gauge Forum In The World. If you need a question answered. All you need to do is ask.

Tried your idea and it worked out great see the attachment. thanks again!

Dave

DK&J RAILROAD

Do you know of a train show coming up is Oct? (at a fair grounds near me)

One in Kissimmee, FL. Not really worth it

http://trc.trains.com/events.a...fo&eventid=19776

I believe there is a show in Tampa around Christmas.  Our show in Bradenton is in February.

Dave,

I worked up your plan in SCARM. There will be a spacing issue with the elevated run supports as the 45° and the center switches set that for the 2 lower mains. This grade is now around 4% to 6".

I left out the tunnels on the right.

You'll be making cut pieces here and there.

WOW! Things have changed.  That is some software. Is pic #6 what is called for to make it work?  Thank you for your effort. That should say pic #3.

Dave 

Dave,

I am sorry.(50yrs, back into it) Yes, there was RR-Track and then other software for layout design. I generated that plan in freeware, free software, that is named Simple Computer Aided Railroad Modeller.(SCARM).

I edited your photo of you layout design to enlarge and enhance it. Then, using that and your dscription of what track system and curve size that you would be using, created the track plan.

The second photo is the build plan. It displays the track number and location. If you use that, it will fit. The numbers correspond to Lionel, or a manufacturer's part number. 5500 is the 10", 5505 is the 5.5", the small unnumbered are 301-xs, which were a 2" piece, 5501 are the 031 curves. The switches are the same size as an 042 manual switch.  Then, there are tracks with lengths displayed which are cut tracks.

I can then generate a three dimensional representation. This helps with the final result. It showed me that the elevated run between the tunnels was actually in a valley between the two tracks at the lower height, or climb portion. The tight spacing would make that difficult to actually build.

I am thinking that the elevated run should turn over the inside line and be supported by arches over that line to just past the crossover to the bridge and strip mine mountain.

The track plan should make the actual build go quickly as you know which tracks you need and where to place them. The 45° from the switches is a little tricky to fit.

Are you using a mobile device? If we get it worked out to your liking, I can send you photo that you can take to Kinko's or Staples. They will be able to print it on a large format that you can easily work from for the build.

I'll work with the elevation and put the sidings in next.

You made it easy with your hand drawn design. That was the work. I have designed a few layouts with that concept. That's one reason I liked it. It is functional and won't be boring.

Welcome back....and have fun!

Peter

Here is the latest rendition. I had to stretch the center a little wider to fit the yard on the left.

It's takes a decent amount of cut tracks to make it fit.

What do you think? Close you what you envisioned?

It is looking great! I went to one of the train stores over in Daytona today with the plans so far he thought it was cool. He mentioned that I should have a layout that can support two trains. Came home and made very minor changes two trains. I have twin grandsons that will be working with me along with my sp needs son and 9yr old special needs grandson hope you don't mind the change. I don't mind hard work I have a good metal shop and a cabinet shop I will be building all bridges and portals (meal and wood) .

Thanks again 

Ok,

The passing siding added to the left doesn't line up. Also, it is only going to be about 12" of straight and some curve on either end.

The switch doesn't line up because of the angles of the approach to the crossover.

Also, if I move the switch closer to the 90 cross, it will interfere with where you have the road planned.

I would most likely need an 072 switch close to the cross to get things to line up and provide something to park a train on at the left side. Still pond-er(pun intended) the right side.

The right side bypass may fit a little easier for the run around the pond, but it will also mess with the road.

Check out the pics attached and you can see what I am talking about.

Am I using the correct switches? To me, the 042 switch with an 031 turn-out is a manual switch. I didn't know if I should be checking switch motor spacing.

Regarding your train pals...is the space for chair access? Are there any motor skill problems?

I ask, because I have designed a few layouts for special needs railroaders. I modified a GW-180 to accept the jacks of a large button called a Jelly Bean. This allows the operator to contact the button and control horn, direction and whistle/bell with limited motor skills. The speed gets set at a fixed speed and allows the operator to control the train by cycling through the F-N-R. It added a lot more enjoyment.

This button could also be adapted to operate an accessory if needed.

We have a 41 yr old son and a 9 yr old grandson with what is call fragile x syndrome thank the lord no chairs.  The twins are OK. I have built race cars and customs most of my 65 yrs and work with the idea of what ever it takes. I could get the long tracks and cut them to fit. I would like to use as many 042 switches for dexterity and the ease of knowing where the switch is.  If using a different radius curve or switch if have the time to hunt it down.  The road and the river are very much fluid((pun intended).  

Dave,

the cut pieces can all be made from 10" s. Do you have the 5.5" half-straights? I'll stick with what you have and see how it goes.

Are you staying manual with the switches?

Dave,

I was able to get the changes in. See what you think. When you like it as a possible final, I'll add notes on the spacing and the lengths of cut tracks. They get rounded by the program on the track id.

If you use motors on the switches, it looks like the two at the left-center bottom inner are very close to touching the outer. The rest clear.

Here's some eye candy to reflect your changes

Very cool! The only motor switches will be the ones too far away, like the second level loop.  Does this program give a materials list? And a grade per foot? It seems there is room for my trailer loading rig. I'll build a coaling tower and a water tower for the train and the city. 

again thanks

Dave, DavidM, Dayln, Kaleb & Jacob

will be known as the 

DK&J RAILROAD

Dave50,

   Welcome back to the hobby and to the OGR, have fun with your new layout!

PCRR/Dave

Your original plan is a good start. Moonman's plans looks really good too. I suggest you start out with a version of your basic flat layout that you can add on to. What I like about my "traditional" O-gauge layouts is the flexibility to change things around with the sectional track. SCARM track planning freeware is really good for drawing up different plans to scale so you can figure all the track pieces. It will generate a list of track pieces required, also.

Before you build any long grades you should try out your trains to see how well they can climb the grades and if they tend to run away going downhill. And I would suggest not using too many switches because they can bring extra complications for reliable operation.

When you say O42 switches, I think you mean the manual postwar Lionel switches with an O31 curve. The motorized non-derailing versions are O22, also with O31 curves. Lionel confused the issue with those model numbers.

dave, the grade is 3.6% or a 2.06 degree slope. The elevations are shown at the track joints. If you zoom in on the 9.1.15 elevation track picture, you'll see them.

Let me clean out the eye candy and get the track list. Yes, this software does generate an inventory needed list.

Here's the track plan that you can have printed on a large format at a Staples or Kinko's.

You'll see the track #'s and elevations.

Here's the parts list with notations.

This has been a wonderful time. I was told if I joined this forum I would meet a group of fine folks and that I did!  Looking forward  to chatting in the years to come. Thank you again for the help with my layout Carl. Last thing how do I get a file on a format to go to Kinko's from my laptop?

Dave

DK&J RAILROAD

Dave,

Thank you for letting me share in your rediscovered enthusiasm for trains. You did the hard work, dreaming it and designing it.

I only used a tool to help you make it a reality.

I know the time you'll spend with the family building and running it will be priceless.

There are lots of good guys on here willing to help you if you run into any obstacles along the way.

Keep us posted of your progress. Have fun!

Carl