New Layout Idea - Thoughts? Suggestions?

Yeah, grade was a concern I had.  If I make the yard dead-ends then I can start my climb at the end of the front straight for the outer loop and coasting down the back stretch behind the yard. 

I was planning on taking about 1" off of either end of the inner loop to give myself a little more clearance in the corners - IIRC I've got about 3.25" between the closest rails of each loop at the ends. 

Flipping the mine & the turntable/roundhouse was something I'd considered, though I was worried about ability to see the mine, as well as maintenance access.  Keep in mind, the first 6' of the front (bottom) edge of the layout from the right is up against masonry and not exposed.  On second thought, building a large tunnel and mountain would permit a larger, concealed  access port which would permit access to all tracks back there.

I'll see what I can do messing around the next day or so.  Thanks!

I've re-done the layout w/the proposed changes.  All grades are now under 4%, and the coal mine & turntable/roundhouse have been switched. 

I'm not sure how I can make the alternate line come back to the outer loop, as the cutout in the top right corner is the cinderblock wall of the house.  Would be really neat if I could do that, though Phase II of the layout involves taking that siding in the upper left through the wall & into another part of the basement.  That part of the layout would/could serve as a large reverse loop, and may be able to re-join the outer loop at another point. 

Thanks again for the feedback. 

Hi Fridge,

The first version that you posted had the reversing loop near the mine. Now, that's gone in the second version.

It will bother you with a train running in the same direction all of the time and no way to change it except for the hand of O scale God.

Atlas track, including the trestle bridge, is set for 4.5" center rail to center rail.

Just some design comments. A turntable is quite an element and becomes an attention getter. With the effort and expense to build the area it really needs quite a bit of space, like 3' x 10' or 4' x 12'. That could possibly be the expansion project into the adjacent area with an r-loop around it.

The now NS engine facility in Altoona, PA is a modern example you can look at on Google Maps, satellite view. The old Humboldt, CA balloon and port had an engine service facility inside with no turntable.

Dom,

He's 12' x 12' with a 6' x 8' next to it. (see attachment)

Check out Laidoffsick's TT/Roundhouse area. MikeCT has a nice one and built one for the modular club also.  There are others to look at also.

Would love to, but haven't figured that out yet....

Definitely agree re: appearance of the layout.  Will need to make the mountain w/access beneath & prob. a removable top for access to the top of the layout, but that's doable. 

I'd love a few more yard spurs, but I need to have access ports in that area, as the back half of the layout is completely enclosed by walls - made of cinderblock to the back and right.  Could access the left part from outside but I'd have to tear a bigger hole in the basement wall - could easily be re-done when we re-do the room (prior to "construction"). 

Had considered trying to move the dbl. crossover, yes - will see if I can work on that today.

I'll prob. have to settle for the rev. loop being in the expansion.  Not sure how I get that done in the space I have right now.  Besides, will be able to use O-72 curves in the other room, where I had to settle for O-52 on this table. 

Thanks for the info on the Atlas bridge - what I would've guessed, but good to know.

I Pretty much have 10' x 5' in the 2nd version.

Oh, that has been done several times.    I must say, it's quite impressive.  Thanks!

Here's a quick image I did slapping the "Phase 2" addition onto the 2nd version (technically 3rd - never posted the 1st).  It's basically a reversing loop around a mountain (think Polar Express for "Phase 3"...).  The siding is for access to a power plant in front of said mountain  - gotta have some place for the coal to go....  As with the mine, the siding has been rolled up & buried in the mountain.

Thanks again for the feedback & ideas!  Off to work for me, though....

Any chance you would be willing to post your actual SCARM files, both pre-revision and post-revision?

Some of us think better when we can actually play with the track pieces.

Thanks,

Chuck

Sure! Here's the initial version, as well as the second one, with the "Phase 2" addition tacked on. 

Track Color Code: blue is main line, Green is alt. main line, yellow is yard, purple is commercial/industry, orange is engine service, red is engine parking.

I've updated the SCARM file a bit by finishing the loop of Phase 2 & Incorporating it back into the outer main line, as well as adjusting the track so that it's 4.5" center-to-center on the bridge straight.  I've also attached some .jpg shots. 

Hey Fridge,

pretty much did the same as you, centered the bridge at 4.5. I changed the crossover to #5's with a 22.5°.

Fit the curve to under the bridge with more sectional turns.

Tossed in some polygons to help with the 3D terrain imaging. default color tracks and the dk. purple 4 cross.

Moonman:

Like the #5's, hadn't thought I could fit them in initially, though w/the previous changes they work & look good.  I realized this afternoon that by baseboard was about 8" too long (really 6" - I'm ignoring the extra 2" beyond 18' so that I have an emergency buffer).  Therefore, I had to adjust some things.  Still able to do the #5's at the crossover, but had to go w/O-72 at the switch from the inside main line to the alternate.  Not sure how you flattened the terrain, but it looks good.  I need to learn how to do that, that & build up my mountain...

The updated version w/correct baseboard & your crossover changes.  Thanks for the ideas!

That looks good. I added some scenic items and terrain. It's on layer 1 in 2d.

One other thought...do you really want to use Atlas switches? Same money for Ross Ready with Z-Stuff motors and controls. They will change the track fitment if you put them in the layout.

Thanks!  I was using Atlas because I'm familiar w/their products in HO, & the switches (know how their wired & work) seemed to be similar.  I also like the look of the track (edges out ScaleTrax, IMHO).  I'm not sure what all would be involved in the transition between Ross & Atlas, or how their appearance may differ, but I've heard good things about the Ross switches.  I'll see if I can mess around w/them in SCARM. 

After some time away for reflection, I've modified the original design to incorporate a reversing loop into the alternate mainline, as well as to use Ross switches (though Atlas used in the yard, as they're a bit shorter).  The coal mine is still in the basement cutout.  I've had to shorten the yard and restrict the space around the turntable.  I've moved the sand/coaling/water area to the back corner of the layout.  I've used Gargraves track for these service areas to save on cost.  I'm still planning on having access panels in the open space between the yard & the ridge, as well as between the curved sidings of the coal mine (thinking of doing a mountain w/a removable top for easier access). 

Still haven't had time to mess around w/layers in SCARM yet, so I apologize for the rough renderings. As always, any thoughts & feedback are appreciated.

- Neal

hey Neal,

Thanks looks good. I like the wye. I think you'll like the Ross ready switches.

I added a translucent polygon at 0 vertical position and a .015 height(thickness) to help with the 3D terrain rendering. Open it up and take a look.

The layers can be used for scenery items, elevated track sections. It helps when working over other objects and track. You don't need it for terrain.

Thanks.  I realized that I had an O-80 switch where I wanted an O-72, otherwise I think I may have found my "Phase 1" version.  Will try to mess around w/SCARM & Layers at some point for scenery stuff.  Thinking about putting a train station on the inside loop in between the Wye branches; might try to make that.

I have the Rico Station and the Plasticville passenger station. Want one of those for some 3D eye candy?

You open your layout and then open a second instance of SCARM which you use to open the station or object. Then you copy it, select your layout from the task bar and then paste. Then you move and rotate and set the vertical position.

Cool, thanks.  I generally try to get as close to scale/prototype as practical, so whichever one you think (or both) fits the bill would be fine.  I'll see if I can mess around & get it to work this evening.

BTW, you don't happen to have any roundhouses, or have a recommendation for degree spacing of the turntable, do you?  Thanks again for your assistance. 

Have a Korber 304 and an Atlas 3 stall.

Stations attached and RH's attached

WooHoo!  I got your Korber Roundhouse (#304) & Rico Station (w/platform) put (roughly) where I want them.  I did add a 1.75" straight onto the siding to the turntable to create a little more room for the roundhouse.  I've been considering the Korber Roundhouse anyways, with a "Big Boy" extension (#304B) for the main 3 stalls, as well as 1 or 2 stall extensions (#304A, reg. length) that they offer for a 5-engine house. On SCARM it looks like the roundhouse is built for maybe 15 degree track increments, though - the turntable I've got in there is set for 10 degree increments. 

In addition, I simplified the siding serving the coal mine & eliminated the switcher engine parking area I had off of that. 

I've also gone ahead & attached my "Phase 2" loop and siding for where the power plant will eventually be.  I've tried extending the baseboard by right-clicking and following the menus, but when I'm done it swaps out the extension I've created for the original instead of adding to it.  Am I doing something wrong? Also, is it possible to move the center pivot point in the 3D view somewhere other than the center point of the baseboard? 

Thanks again for all the help and input. 

I don't remember which TT I built that for

Select the baseboard, it turns red, then in the Phase 2 edge, right-click and select "insert new point". Then you move the new points to the shape that you want. making a curved baseboard takes a lot of points and some patience to shape it.

I attached the file with the baseboard extended for Phase 2.

Sorry, forgot to answer-there is no way to move the vertical axis, unless you reorient the entire layout on the 2D grid. Zoom and pivot can get you close to angle\view that want. Scroll wheel on mouse and move mouse and use arrow keys.

Thanks!  Looks great!  Know how to make a shelf off the wall for Phase 3?    Do I just do that w/layers?

Create a polygon for the table at the height that you want 1/2" thick. Then set the height for the track at polygon height + 1/2". Remove the track supports.

Here's a quick sample that I did. I added a layer to make it easier to work on the spiral below.

Ok, so I had a little fun & learned how to do the whole "figures" thing in SCARM.  Here's a version of Phase 3 w/the shelving in place.  Outer block walls of the basement are grey.  The transparent walls in the middle are the standard interior walls that I mentioned before.  The black rectangle on the back wall in the upper shelf represents some PVC piping that I'll have to work around.  Thinking of masking it off w/a metallic building exterior as part of the "Naughty Kids Coal Co." that I was going to put on the adjacent siding.  The upper level is the North Pole part of the "Polar & Ohio" railroad. 

I also attached a "Phase 4" file w/the proposed receiving yard/loading dock extension onto the upper level.  I also have some space for coaling/fueling on the extension, as well.  I've also blocked off some non-moveable posts, the stairs (brown) & the water heater & furnace (black)

Decided to try a little something different this time.  With the previous design it seemed like I never had any real level straight track, as everything was dedicated to getting up to the bridge, then back down.  Expanded the main double loop back a bit but slightly shorter long-ways & added an elevated reversing loop.  Plan on doing a girder bridge or something similar for the parts up over the layout.  I know I'll need to take it away from the wall a bit - can do by replacing that 10" straight w/some flex track.  I wasn't happy w/the yard, so I changed that & eliminated the roundhouse & replaced it w/a simpler engine service area.  I may add it back in a future expansion, but it seemed to dominate a layout this small.  Planning on having coal & sanding towers, water, diesel, & a sand house on & around the service area. Kept the yard & service off of a reversing loop opposite the direction of the elevated loop.  Also have 2 sidings for industry/commercial off this loop, as well as off the inner mainline. Finally, I'm thinking of putting small passenger stations on the elevated back straight as well as off the outer mainline opposite the yard lead at the crossover.

Would love to hear any thoughts or suggestions.  I'm still planning on eventually adding Phases 2 to 4 as previously outlined.  Thanks again for all of your input so far.