14x24 Atlas-O Layout Plan. With 11x19 FasTrack Version. Short Video of Trains Running Added!

@Jan posted:

I liked this plan and followed its development closely.  When Ken published his 14' x 24' plan it intrigued me as being a candidate for the redesign of my current layout.  But my room is 24' x 28'.  How often does one have more space than what's required? 

I feel that the best use of the 4 feet is to increase the length of the yard.  An obvious use of the 4 feet.  I tried to enter Ken design into SCARM.  He used sectional track plus a couple pf pieces of flex.  I don't know what his max diameter curves were, but his minimum curve is O72.  All mainline switches were #5s.  He did have one O72/O54 curved switch which I eliminated.  My mainlines are O99/O108 the rest is O81 and O72.

If I adopt this plan, I will have to reflect this right to left.  I have my access door 6 feet from the lower right.

Jan

Jan, what grade did you end up with on the purple line, climbing from the yard to cross over the yellow line?  Looks steep - 6%?

So glad you followed this design thread, and were inspired to work up your own version for your space!  A huge compliment, coming from you, I have admired your work, and learned from your discussions and comments!😎

@GregHess posted:

are you going to use dcs or conventional or both.  Which track do you like best and why?  Thanks

TMCC/Legacy (already own), with DCS (already own), and conventional control option (of course!).  All good!

@Will posted:

Restroom? Isn't this near the house? I see you moved it to the corner, that is better. But why a restroom? That's a lot of plumbing and expense.

Actually, no longer need the restroom option.  We added another restroom/changing room with shower, for access to the pool and hot-tub, a short distance away from this proposed location (about 24'), access is paved, no steps.   But its a neat design element, and couldn't bear to just wipe it out, so it still shows as an option.   Good news for me!

Does your software auto implement different track for the layout or do you have to redo the plan?  I cant afford atlas and do not want fast track either.  I would love to see in gargraves and or scaletrax.

@GregHess posted:

Does your software auto implement different track for the layout or do you have to redo the plan?  I cant afford atlas and do not want fast track either.  I would love to see in gargraves and or scaletrax.

Ah, no, that would be an awesome addition to the SW!  But with different vendors offering different diameter curves, and the turnouts are shaped differently between manufacturers, I can see why that idea is not implemented.

@BurkusCircus52 posted:

I don't know how plausible this would be, but what if, to get some more over/under action, you extended the BNSF extension in front of the doorway (using a removable bridge), and then had it go down and reconnect just after the roundhouse turn? This would require going with the bathroom-less option and probably losing Deer Lodge and the On30. Basically, it's turning the BNSF Connection into the third main and making Three Forks the out-and-return switching short line. Just a suggestion. And please post any progress you've made over the quarantine!

Burkus, I guess I don't follow, sorry.  But thanks for the suggestion, and please feel free to clarify!

I could see extending the elevated BNSF to Great Falls, across the doorway at the bottom, with a long lift-out, and have it swing in the lower-left corner at Silver Bow to connect to the trackage now the UP junction, and so back to the outside mainline.  This would not be a completely independent loop, there would be shared trackage between the turnouts on the left (the one in the clear space between tunnels (with a stream), and the upper left turnout that starts the BNSF elevated line.  That could be worthwhile:  redoing Silver Bow to make room for the new mainline to pass through.  Usage would require that the door be locked, but that is OK; others do that sort of thing.

Deleting the bathroom option (no longer needed for me), would allow me more flexibility to retain Silver Bow in some form.

Exploring the idea of a connection across the front door (lift out bridge) to Silver Bow.  O72 minimum.  About 3% from Cascade siding at 7" down to mainline connection at 2".   Modern era: Montana Rail Link, BNSF, UP (and pretend to NS).  Ancient:  Milwaukee Road and NP.

I have thought about double-tracking the bridge across the door, that might be very useful, but I don't want to crowd the viewing area by about 6".

With all these great changes could you repost your Anyrail file?

Greg, I haven't made any changes to the 12x20 FasTrack version.

After a long delay, and much thought:  I have found a 15x26 garage plan with loft that I would like to build, but have been unable to find a contractor.  The site is a bit complex with a buried power line to the house to be relocated, and a tree to be removed.  So thinking that the complexity might be what is dissuading contractors (?), I thought perhaps an easier 14'x24' garage without a loft might be an easier build, no tree issues, but still the power line relocate.

So I am looking at this 14'x24' plan right now on a break.  Back to work today.  I recently looked at YouTube videos of a layout along these lines, and liked watching the trains running, and navigating the sweeping curves.

Comments appreciated!

Five hidden staging tracks are beneath the yard, 6" below.

Ken, my favorite track plan is the folded dog bone which is what you have above. That is because when a train leaves a scene it comes back from the direction it left in. I really like the track plan you posted above. My one concern would be if there is a derailment it would probably in the 5th staging yard track on the lower level furthest away from the layout edge and the other 4 tracks will be full of trains. Do you have a plan to have access to the lower staging yard tracks?

Phil, I agree. With this version, I have also added return loops, so a train can run both mains on the way out, hit the return loop, and then run both mains on the way back, for a nice long run, returning in the opposite direction.

Derailments in the worst location:  On the second diagram, the white area is open beneath the yard/turntable, and the hidden staging is 6" below.  So I can get under there on a low rolling chair, and access.  Not ideal, but doable and not too uncomfortable.

At the other end, the hidden staging is accessible from the access area in the upper left, and will be open, but not so easy with the outside main kind of in the way at an in-between height as it is climbing at that point.   

Thanks! -Ken

Phil, I also am planning to have a removable rock face, or wall, in the front of the hidden staging, which can be removed for reach access to the staging.

Hard to see, its directly above the MRL/BNSF logos.

Ken, that sounds great. You definitively got those issues covered. Good luck with your layout.

Great!  Good chat, Phil.

Here is the fellow that inspired my redo/new approach:  RBP Trains:  He is having WAY too much fun!!

Here, with some people for scale:

Wow!  It's been a year since I looked at this thread.

Ken, the grade of the Cascade line is 4.7%.  That'll mean short trains and/or helpers like at the Cumbers.NM.  There is about 7" of clearance where the grade crosses the Deer Lodge/Three Forks.  I got a great deal on a couple AtlasO Deck Girder bridges and thought of how I could incorporate them into your design. As you, I envisioned this design as a of a major Class 1 railroad and a short line serving mining and timber industries.  I moved the incline to be inside the UP mainlines as as not to foul the main line.

Jan

PS.  Typo, my room is 14' x 28'.

Jan, good to hear from you!  If you have a track plan you could share, that would be cool to see!

In this next, I am experimenting with On30.  I am trying an On30 loop around the town, running in the street, with structures around the hill.  And in the upper left, a decoration On30 alignment hosting a static loco and a couple cars.

Track diameter indications, and a little more scenery work: stream and tunnel portals and taller hill.

Control systems: Legacy + LionChief.

In general, I think that the 6" track centerline separation of FasTrack is TOO large, preferring the 4.5" of Atlas-O.  But here, I am taking advantage of the 6" with a track height difference of about 6" in elevation, so there is more room for a scenery edge between the heights.  Still, the 6" separation in the yard is too much.  I might customize the O72 FasTrack turnouts and remove the 1-3/8" separators between turnouts to compress it a bit, for the better visuals.

Just to see, removed the 1-3/8" sections between O72s in the yard.  Not a lot of difference, not sure its worth it.  But for now, I will plan on it, it also gives a better separation between the inner mainline runs and the yard.

I thought to re-arrange the industry spurs at the bottom.  The idea is to allow switching of the power plant and the cattle pen & milk can without fouling the mainline.  Switching can use the turnout and lead of each other's approach for backing up when switching the opposite industry.

The Morton Salt tower is a bit better, using the turnout off the Yard Lead track as length for backups.  Maybe not enough, but better than before.