14x18 Layout Design

Mike,

I have a layout about the same size as your planning. I have three trains running. One is elevated. I can send you a pic. or a short video if you'd like. I'm just sure how to load it here. You can email me at taki53@aol.com.

Pete

If I had that much room, I think I would pay for a professional design. I could make more mistakes than I could fix.

Semper Fi

Hi taki53. What diameter track do you use?

I sent you an email too for a picture. 

Gvdobler, never thought of that before. Maybe have to investigate as an option. 

Hi Mike,

here's a layout I designed that is now orphaned. It is to large for your space with O84 & O72, but it would fit with O72 & O60. Perhaps you could use the shape and rework it. It's FasTrack.

He mail me if you want the SCARM file.  I never finished the fitting for the reversing tracks.

You hAve to love it when forum members jump in right away to assist.

You appear to have 2 yards.   I would suggest you follow the late John Armstrongs advice and make the yard leads separate from the main.    As it is now, any yard work requires closing the main.    With a separate lead, a yard engine could work the yard classifying cars without fouling the main.

Yes everyone in these forums are always so helpful with ideas and good constructive criticism!  I enjoy reading and the help.  I hope one day to have my experiences to share too.  Been a while since I had anything but a 4x8 table and looking forward to it.  

Great video. Thanks for sharing. 

prrjim posted:

You appear to have 2 yards.   I would suggest you follow the late John Armstrongs advice and make the yard leads separate from the main.    As it is now, any yard work requires closing the main.    With a separate lead, a yard engine could work the yard classifying cars without fouling the main.

The top left is engine service and the yard at the bottom was only for storage. No cutting and building designed in that plan.

The fragments inside the loops are unfinished reversing tracks.

I really just put it up for a shape for him to work with.

Would it be fair to say there is play in Fastrack?  I have a few gaps like .21 or less that I can't get to fit together in Scarm, but it seems reasonable I could get a little movement over the long runs to make it work.  

MikeWalter posted: it seems reasonable I could get a little movement over the long runs....  

 

Yes, over long runs, there is usually some "give".

So if there is not yard and not industries, what does the RR do?    How do you make up and break down trains?   Is this going to be a model RR or a diaorama to display your collection.   Either way is fine, just different focus.    I try to look at the layouts are model RRs that do something.    

prrjim posted:

So if there is not yard and not industries, what does the RR do?    How do you make up and break down trains?   Is this going to be a model RR or a diaorama to display your collection.   Either way is fine, just different focus.    I try to look at the layouts are model RRs that do something.    

Hi, I still have plans for a yard, just still going through design.  Also, it would be something to add down the road.  For now, it was an attempt to run trains on a few track with my son, and continue to grow add over time.

MikeWalter posted:

prrjim posted:

So if there is not yard and not industries, what does the RR do?    How do you make up and break down trains?   Is this going to be a model RR or a diaorama to display your collection.   Either way is fine, just different focus.    I try to look at the layouts are model RRs that do something.    

Hi, I still have plans for a yard, just still going through design.  Also, it would be something to add down the road.  For now, it was an attempt to run trains on a few track with my son, and continue to grow add over time.

Carl aka Moonman has a good solution for your space. In your plan the yard will be hard to reach unless you can walk around the layout and or have duck-unders with lift out hatches.

OK Mike, it sounds like a good long range plan.  

Here are some updates with a yard, seems a bit forced, any thoughts?

That's a good yard lead if you want to do some cuts and builds.

Don't forget the pesky 1 3/8" fitters with O60 and O72 switches and Wyes. You can trim the roadbed of the curve to mate with the switch at the bottom.

here is what I changed for the yard and a handy dandy straight track combination reference to fit the gaps. It gives a few longer spurs.

Yes, I like that better.  Do you have to use the 1 3/8" on all three places on the switches?  I assume most used for block sections?  

I was curious why there were no roadbed pieces.  

Thanks for the PDF, good info!

MikeWalter posted:

Would it be fair to say there is play in Fastrack?  I have a few gaps like .21 or less that I can't get to fit together in Scarm, but it seems reasonable I could get a little movement over the long runs to make it work.  

 

The gaps of molded roadbed track of that size are not good. Makes a hole that wheels drop in. Misalignment of a 1/8"-1/4" is more forgiving.

I fixed the gaps with combos. The way to reduce the track count and eliminate a lot of the small fitters is to make a custom cut straight.

Thanks for the PDF and fixing the gaps.  That seems more reasonable to make a custom section here and there, and cheaper.  Those small sections are about as much as a 10" piece.

MikeWalter posted:

Yes, I like that better.  Do you have to use the 1 3/8" on all three places on the switches?  I assume most used for block sections?  

I was curious why there were no roadbed pieces.  

Thanks for the PDF, good info!

The half-road bed pieces are used on the thru on the turnout end and the turnout.  The no-roadbed piece is used for turnout to turnout, as in a crossover. The entry to the switch doesn't require one.

So, for the switch in the curve at the bottom, you could trim an 1 3/8" of roadbed off of one side to make it mate with the turnout. or put the piece in an refit the area to the next switch.

I understand now, and here I went around changing all the half roadbeds on your hard work.  I guess I learned something new again today. 

Might I ask why you don't run your main lines to the edge of your "table" in the "Northwest Corner" of your layout? 

Personally, that's what I would do....and then place the yard inside the mainlines/loops.

Mainlines aside, I think you may have too much dead space in the NW corner....

Just my two cents.  By no means am I "right"........

That is a good thought.  It is all in flux while I determine what I want to do.  I may look into your idea too, I like the thought.  I am getting excited about starting, but want to try and get to a "final" plan before I build the table.

I was thinking in the future of running a smaller train inside the main loops, like a o36 or o48, something that doesn't connect elsewhere, just to have another one running.  Like a polar express or Hogwarts.

definitely finalize your track plan before starting the table construction. 

is there a wall on the Western or Eastern edge of your layout space?

also, if you run to the edge of the NW corner after all, I would keep the Northern mainline completely straight...but would then gently bend the Western and Eastern portions "in and then back out" so that those runs are not strict 90 degree runs.  it's a very subtle difference...but often well worth it, IMHO.

also, short stubby straight sections after a switch in a yard aren't very useful.  you need almost 24" of track just to store two cars on it....if you're running 36-50' cars.

sometimes, you have to use a short straight section to fit an industry or are just filling otherwise dead space on a layout.

but the two extreme Northwest switches in your yard will make for a siding that won't hold many cars....as it currently sits.

The walls are on the North side and East side.

Cool!  Were it me, I would definitely "bend" the East and West straight-a-ways then.

I would also run my yard off the inner West mainline so that you can walk in front of it.

Which side is 14 feet and which is 18 feet?

North to south is 14' (Area is really 15', but if I ever dry wall it, wanted room).  East to West is 18', but really it is longer, but 18' is really what I wanted to keep it around.

Congratulations! Your layout is becoming interestinger and interestinger by the day!

I merely wish to reiterate two earlier comments that I believe are very important: 1.) ensure sufficiently long yard leads to permit switching without fouling main tracks and 2.) add industries to justify operation and add interest.  Having been limited to 4x8 sheets of plywood for 60 years and having had to be satisfied with short trains doing nothing but chase their tails around a small oval, I can assure you that you will tire of that exercise, eventually, and wish you'd followed the advice of our betters - and you've got the room to do it.

Yes, we love to watch a train go by... OK, we love to watch lots of trains go by, but we need to consider their purpose and have the flexibility to replicate at least some switching operations. Therefore, I suggest two yards and as many industries as you can squeeze in without preempting all of the scenery you envision, spoiling your loops or just plain looking silly.  There are plenty of small, interesting industrial layout designs here on the Forum, and elsewhere, elements of which you could incorporate into your design.

Best of luck!

Work keeps getting in the way of me messing with my design, so here is another idea based on suggestions from everyone.  Keep in mind too, this is no way complete.  There is a lot of open space for industry, another rail line, scenery and what not.  I was mainly working on the plan for the main lines, realizing money will limit how much I do up front.

Thanks again to everyone for the input, I love these forums so many willing to help with this fabulous hobby.

Thoughts on v4?

You mentioned that the room's walls are on the north (top) and the east (right) sides which allows arm-reach access to the left, bottom and inside areas.  You might wish to consider relocating the north (top) back to back switch crossover to an area that is within easy reach, such as the parallel straights that run north/south along the left side of the walk-in section.  Turnouts in hard to reach areas can be a headache. 

Mike - Something else to think about:  What about making the layout two feet wider (20 feet instead of 18).....thereby allowing you to make the isle wider?

IMHO....it'll get crowded in there after a while. 

I've got an idea or two for you but I probably won't get to RR Track software tonight....

Try this 4 way crossover within reach. The yard lead will block a future addition of reversing tracks blocking the North inside track.

Moonman posted:

Try this 4 way crossover within reach. The yard lead will block a future addition of reversing tracks blocking the North inside track.

Here is an attempt at the yard on the east a two feet wider to the west.  There is plenty of room for industry on the west and even a bit next to the yard.  This is not complete of course, but another version.

Looks like your could add a way to reverse the trains without the hand of God.  Always nice to be able to mix it up and run in both directions. You can probably connect the yard on the east to the inner loop on the west side of the east loop and use it as a dual purpose yard / reverse. Maybe come off the top of the yard lead and go to the inner loop on the far west.  I have no skill with the programs to work it up.