A 6x12 Easy-Access Atlas-O "L" Shaped Layout Plan: O54/O45

Another try, the passing/staging track is now on the outside O54 main at the top.  Experimenting with trying to show a rock face - it needs to be more irregular and choppy.

The mountain road angles across the mountain slope, but still climbs steeply:

With some structures:  looking more interesting now

More structures:

With a few trees and a bit of water

Nice looking layout Ken, that might just fit my new space.

Thanks for posting

Thanks Sptrainnut, cool!   With a few more scenic details:

The town center employs around twenty folks, some working in shifts.  And then another half-dozen working occasionally.  Looks like the houses for the town are on the right side off the layout, a collection of older houses and newer manufactured housing.   There is never enough space for everything!  The town beyond the layout would have some retail, gas station, convenience store, garage, maybe a farm implement dealer.  With families probably 100-200 folks of all ages.

I wish the web site allowed for higher resolution images, it definitely looks prettier on my computer screen.  The web server compresses the images and much resolution is lost.

Trying a gravel road running up the mountain, with a small ditch on either side.

Its hard to show, but the O54 climbs at 1.5% before the turnouts entering the mountain, and is at 1" above the rest of the layout.  This adds interest to the look, and easy to do.  Inside the mountain, the main and passing/staging tracks are at 1".  The tunnel ceiling is at 7", allowing 6" for clearance under the elevated O54 in the tunnels, and 7" clearance above the O45 in the tunnel.

Details:

Nice plan, Ken.

I might add a second road by cutting the end off the Morton siding and slightly moving the structures, if it will fit.

Thanks Richie, and not a bad idea!  How about a dirt road, since it only serves the engine service facility and Morton Salt?  The road crosses the Morton Salt spur, but when that is blocked with a hopper, a vehicle must park between the tracks, so I made a spot there.  

I have scattered-around a few vehicles, as scale as I can make them, so we can check the size of roads and parking.  Tight in a lot of places, but doable.

Looks good, Ken - this will be an enjoyable and action packed layout.

As the layout has an "L" shape, I thought to see how it would look turned into a corner about 11'x11', but could fit in 10'x10':

Compare to the 11'8"by11'8" "L":

And the earlier design with FasTrack:

Lots of similarities in the design, but numerous unique distinctions.

Refining the layout for the "L" shape in 10x10, with two #5 turnouts:

Or continuing the connecting RR line at the top all the way across:

With terrain, structures, trees, roads, water:

Here is how the two track plans differ:  RED is the 10x10 corner arrangement, BLUE is the 6x12 along-the-wall configuration.

Ken,

I'm planning a layout for my special needs grandson using Fastrack to replace an 11 x 12 layout I built for him over the past two years but had to dismantle because his mom (my daughter) passed away this spring forcing us to sell the home.  He is staying with a caregiver and we hope to free up space in her garage for the layout.  I was impressed with your Fastrack layout shown in an earlier post in this thread (on 7/18) and wondered if you would share the plan in AnyRail.

@McRabbet posted:

Ken,

I'm planning a layout for my special needs grandson using Fastrack to replace an 11 x 12 layout I built for him over the past two years but had to dismantle because his mom (my daughter) passed away this spring forcing us to sell the home.  He is staying with a caregiver and we hope to free up space in her garage for the layout.  I was impressed with your Fastrack layout shown in an earlier post in this thread (on 7/18) and wondered if you would share the plan in AnyRail.

Happy to help.  In a few minutes.

@McRabbet posted:

Ken,

I'm planning a layout for my special needs grandson using Fastrack to replace an 11 x 12 layout I built for him over the past two years but had to dismantle because his mom (my daughter) passed away this spring forcing us to sell the home.  He is staying with a caregiver and we hope to free up space in her garage for the layout.  I was impressed with your Fastrack layout shown in an earlier post in this thread (on 7/18) and wondered if you would share the plan in AnyRail.

Hi Rob, attached is the AnyRail track plan for that layout.  Best, Ken

Thanks, Ken.  I appreciate it.

Ken,

For easy access, have you considered around the walls of the area?     You could build benchwork 30-36 inches wide depending on  your reach, all the way around the area.     Then  you get inside once when you want to run or work on it and all within reach.    And in all the plans I have experimented with, around the walls always gives more bench top square footage.

Yup, I agree, around-the-walls is a good design strategy, and I have done plenty of those in the past, but larger than a 10'x10' space.   Larger layouts are more daunting for beginners, and I try to stay within a moderate footprint.   Allan Miller at OGR favors smaller layouts for his magazine as well (where I often publish), as he is trying to grow the hobby with plans for those new to the hobby.  So those considerations are in the background when I develop smallish layouts: 4x8s, 5x9s, 6x12.

Here is an 8x16 around the walls and also modular layout I did back in 2017:

To me, around-the-walls layouts can also tend to be a bit boring, as you are always seeing the trains from one side, one angle.  The above layout is just two loops, no reverse loops and train routing.   A great scenery craftsman can make these layouts better with lots of scenic details.

Here is a larger around-the-walls in 12x20, that I tried to make interesting with some variations and extra features, like the On30, staging track/yard, corner access area, and the turntable peninsula:  The connections between inner and outer mainlines are in South Junction, and the double-slip-switch at North Park.

Here is an 11x14 around-the-walls design for a dining-room size space, with a conventional 4x8 embedded:

Here is the layout I am still hoping to build, an around-the-walls with variations:  Its a busy layout, making the most of the space.  Perhaps too busy for some.

Here is a around-the-walls with turnback loops, but with one side pulled back from the wall to expose two sides of the length.  This design is the kind of concept you might see for HO or N in Model Railroader, but larger for O.  This one was a lot of fun to design.   

One of the many layout design considerations that I think about is what might be called the "train viewing perimeter", that is, the length of the exposed layout that a person can stand/view/operate the layout along.  After all, a layout is built to satisfy us people, not just the needs and goals of the model RR.  We like variety and interest, and cool views.

If you study the design, you will see that there are two highlighted reverse loops incorporated in the plan, but I tried to make them not stand out, but seemingly natural connections.  I used MTH ScaleTrax for the branchline and yard, for visual interest and to highlight the different function.   With the "too-wide" tie spacing of ScaleTrax, the use in the mountain branchline and inside the yard is reasonable.  Modern railroads build everything to the same specifications, with the weight of the rail varying by use.  When I was a kid, I could still see lots of track and connections built to cheaper or lighter standards (back in Fargo N.D. in the '70s, GN, NP, and Milwaukee Road).

Here is another, a design for a client that is in construction.  Again, a blast to design, and I learned a lot and incorporated good suggestions from forum members.

Ken,

Your layouts are inspirational for all ages and skill levels. I look forward to seeing your next release.

Please consider compiling your works and publishing a book of same.

@Oneonta posted:

Ken,

Your layouts are inspirational for all ages and skill levels. I look forward to seeing your next release.

Please consider compiling your works and publishing a book of same.

Thanks so much!   I am now starting to think about a book, I believe I have enough layout designs and things to say.   First, I need a publisher.  Or on the other hand, I could self-publish a pdf book.  Hmmm.

Hi Ken,

There is no grades in your 6 X12 layout with the tunnel at the top correct? All one level as the trains pass through the tunnel ?

Thank you.

@gladstone23 posted:

Hi Ken,

There is no grades in your 6 X12 layout with the tunnel at the top correct? All one level as the trains pass through the tunnel ?

Thank you.

Right, no grades needed on that small layout!  I added a small grade just for visual interest on the outside main, going through the tunnel.

kenny, i like every thing you've done here. especially helping mcrabbet with his grand sons layout. this is why i belong to the forum. Mcrabbet, condolences and good luck with the new layout