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UPDATE: after taking a small break and reconsidering what and how I place things, I finally have (another) design I like. I'll insert a picture here, but to see more details go to this reply.

10x25 OGR v3

Original post:

Hello all,

I have just purchased and moved into my first home earlier this month. Even before making an offer on the house though, I was daydreaming about my first true, permanent layout and mocking up designs in SCARM. I have gone through many dozens of iterations - some only slightly different from the one before, some incomplete ideas I abandoned, etc. Earlier in the summer I had posted about one design I had (here) but it had a number of flaws that needed revisiting, and I ended up stepping away from everything to focus on the closing, packing, and all the joys of moving.

Now that I am moved in and settling down, I have tried to return to designing the layout but I keep getting frustrated that I can't figure out the "perfect" layout and I keep walking away, only to come back again later and rinse and repeat. Things like continued unpacking and getting acquainted with homeowner responsibilities certainly aren't helping my creative juices, but I want to try to get a design put together, start figuring out benchwork, and moving forward with building the layout. There is a small part of me that is for some reason afraid that if I stop now I will not pick up the reins again for a long time, which I don't want, but at the same time I also feel that I may benefit from letting go for a little more.

Another aspect that is certainly contributing to my frustration is that I cannot seem to fit in everything I want on the layout, and every time I have another idea I run into issues in SCARM (I have not yet mentally grasped how much space the larger curves need!). After living in the home for a bit I want to shrink the layout footprint to about a 10x25 basement space (smaller than what is linked above - three sides are against a wall, the fourth is open to the rest of the basement), and I'd like the layout to have 3 levels (one storage, two for operating/running), with a double-track main for loop running on the upper level, a single-track branch with its own reverse loop on the second level, a small town/village with industries for switching on the branch line, a coal mine, roundhouse, turntable, a sizable single-ladder yard complete with yard lead, bare-minimum O72 everywhere (larger on the mainline), and a lift bridge or section for accessing the interior of the layout. It feels too cramped to put all that into the space in SCARM, but walking around in the basement it feels like there is plenty of space to fit everything. I'll attach a screenshot of one of my designs to give a loose idea of how I have been approaching things.

One Possibility

What should I do? Should I go ahead and take a break and come back to it later? Am I trying to squeeze way too much into the space? I am also curious if anyone else has encounted layout design fatigue and how you overcame it.

Thanks and God bless.

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  • One Possibility: An earlier design. This one exceeds the 10' limitation and I would like more space to both walk around inside as well as have more room for the village.
  • 10x25 OGR v3
Last edited by 0-Gauge CJ
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Nice looking design! I use the K.I. S .S method, some times less is more.  Remember the average 6' guy can reach 30"s so you will need access hatches.  , Places for scenery and Structure's.  Remember there is no perfect design, just what you want to accomplish in that space,   If you are having writers  ( designer )  block, put it in a file ,and walk away for a few days.  PS when you build it and are planning to use a back drop, do that first!

Last edited by Rich Melvin

I’m guessing this is an island design. Otherwise some of your yard trackage on the inside of the oval would be very hard to reach. Access hatches are a great idea for maintenance purposes. Shouldn’t really be involved in regular operation. I drew my layout on graph paper over 30 years ago. Until you see the benchwork up and track getting laid do you realize what it’s going to look like. Usually not quite as big as you think it looks on paper. I had way to much yard trackage drawn in given the space I had. Mine has been tweaked over the years as interests change. But not anything major.

The space you are given can’t change as far as how much benchwork you can put in the space. It looks like you want large curves and an oval design. I think I’d build the benchwork to fit the space and layout the 2 larger ovals of track with maybe a few turnouts in place and just start running some trains. Build or buy the structures that are must haves and figure out to incorporate them into the layout. It’s fine to try and design the perfect layout. Trouble is you can’t build it overnight and in the process of building. You will get different ideas as you see the real layout take shape.

Last edited by Dave_C

Please post your SCARM file so those of us who also use SCARM can make changes and show suggestions vs trying to explain them in writing.

Where are the 3 walls? Top, left and right? Top, left and bottom? I don’t see any place where it will be easy to add a lift section for entry.

Based on your description, I assume the inside oval with the reversing loop is your top level and the rest is your main level. If it is, that’s not the way it’s usually done. Usually, those tracks would run directly above the lower level otherwise they’ll obstruct the view of the tracks/scenery below. Also, with a single reversing loop, once you reverse a train, the only way to reverse back is to back through the loop. It’s also hard to see how you plan to landscape the spurs in the top level. If you intend to add decking for buildings, etc., that further hides the main level and minimizes access.

I don’t  see where/how you plan to access the lower staging level and where those tracks will be.

There are several spurs in the top and bottom left that don’t have room for much in the way of landscaping, so it’s hard to tell what they are for.

@ O-Gauge CJ

sometimes walking away allows one to clear one's thoughts in response am I putting more into this plan yes you are we all make the same error at first, we see fantastic layouts that have trains low and high tunnels passenger stations roundhouses turntables and of course we want it all!  reality check quite a few of these layouts are in areas that have a space of 20-30 feet wide and some are 30-40 feet in length, but some are in a space of 10 feet wide and 15 feet long and they each have plus and minuses to them.

so first off, my suggestion is simple you want as wide a curve as possible so if you have or can purchase or even borrow some 0-72 curved track and make a simple loop where you plan on making your layout on the floor this gives you a visual in reality also mask off the actual planned layout size on floor.

now do you want a town with the usual street's buildings with a mix of sidings for cars to be switched out for various industries? do you want a roundhouse with a turntable this last item eats up a lot of your layout area or do you want a yard area to hold a variety of cars waiting to be assembled to run on the mainline? and I found lift outs in senior years are troublesome weight wise but a hinged lift up is fantastic and you can walk inside layout if you use the open grid/table  benchwork.

do you want water features or a lifting bridge and when you're in your senior years can you climb onto or under that layout as you did in younger years of age. these and a lot more are what you need to address now before you build anything as well as do I want all flat top benchwork or do I want open grid and use small manageable tables that can be easily removed. I say all of this as like you I created a layout plan looked great on paper but then reality came along and the spaces I thought I had poof reality hit I am on plan 19 plan 18 was great had 3 levels none interconnected but no place for buildings nor any spur tracks for factories and so on plus my wife has arthritis so bad that a normal step stool her knees will not allow on most days and unlike me she is the artist of all scenery thus I had to lower the layout to a 2 level affair with the second level much lower and even that isn't great for her knees.

hopefully this gives you more to ponder as for laying track on floor trust me a visual will make for clarity that even the best track layout software pales in comparison.



can you tell us what the exact dimensions are that you have in area for planned layout as in is it 20 feet wide and 40 feet long or ?

Maybe using the software isnt for you. I tried it myself and ended up frustrated as i am old fashioned and one who needs to see things in 3D and be hands on.  Once i had the room complete with proper insulation, wiring, sheetrock etc, (a must before any train work in my opinion) i could start building benchwork and get a 3D sense of how things would go and fill in the space. ( And there is never enough space).  You just have to boil it down to what you really want first and plan on tweeking it later.  Remember, its supposed to be fun. Also, for hands on planning, i purchased RCS's full size templates (also available to download from his website) as i was going to be using his track.

If you have fixed points dictating the maximum layout size, just build the bench work since you know that won’t change. Then, just throw track down in the layout you designed and see how you like it. Audition it before you make anything permanent. I’ve often found that the layout I carefully crafted isn’t ideal once I start playing trains and I end up changing stuff around. When you’re happy with it, then start screwing it down and making scenery etc.

While drawing and planning an overall design has to be done somewhat.  I’m not saying it won’t fit as it’s been drawn out using software. On the right side of the plan. There are six tracks inside say an 072 180 degree curve. With a generous looking space around the trackage for structures. My layout has one siding inside a 072 curve. A grain and coal dealer. I admit the coal yard portion isn’t probably compressed that much. But that’s about all I would want to put there. The drawings just don’t seem to match up with the space in a real view.

13A73DD6-08A9-4FCA-96D7-FF03914F39A39DCCDA75-500E-4181-A41E-B8F7897A1F20

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Forgive me but I have to laugh - but not in a condescending way.

Our club layout is 185' x 30'.  One individual loop around the layout is longer than a football field. Guess what? We have the same problem as you do with finding space for everything!

You MUST face reality and think long and hard about your list of Givens and Druthers! Givens are things you can do nothing about and MUST accept - like the size of your room, money to spend, etc.  Druthers are the things you want - like a coal mine, do want loops to watch the trains run or do you want to run prototypical ops, etc.  Once you narrow down your Druthers based on your Givens, the design should come easily. If you're not willing or capable to get to a list of Druthers based on your Givens just stop now and take up something else.

-Greg

P.S. It's perfectly ok to have your Druthers change after you've completed your layout and rip it down and start over.  Why do you think most of us are on a layout numbered other than 1?

Last edited by Greg Houser

If the room is large enough, you could move the layout away from those walls to allow better access to the layout and allow viewing from all sides.

My layout was temporarily on the floor for 20 years and often against one or two walls and access was a pain, even though I could walk on the layout to get to the fall away walls.  The layout is now permanently up on legs and has two wall about 3 ft from the layout and access is great.  The two wall are full of train shelves from the floor to 8 feet high giving train storage close to the layout.

Charlie

Hi all, thank you so much for the input, this generated a lot more interest than I thought it would!

Nice looking design! I use the K.I. S .S method, some times less is more.  Remember the average 6' guy can reach 30"s so you will need access hatches.  , Places for scenery and Structure's.  Remember there is no perfect design, just what you want to accomplish in that space,   If you are having writers  ( designer )  block, put it in a file ,and walk away for a few days.  PS when you build it and are planning to use a back drop, do that first!

Thank you! All my designs mostly adhere to this principle (the left, right and top of the design are against a wall, the bottom is open to the rest of the basement, so that section is typically much wider).

@Dave_C posted:

I’m guessing this is an island design. Otherwise some of your yard trackage on the inside of the oval would be very hard to reach. Access hatches are a great idea for maintenance purposes. Shouldn’t really be involved in regular operation. I drew my layout on graph paper over 30 years ago. Until you see the benchwork up and track getting laid do you realize what it’s going to look like. Usually not quite as big as you think it looks on paper. I had way to much yard trackage drawn in given the space I had. Mine has been tweaked over the years as interests change. But not anything major.

The space you are given can’t change as far as how much benchwork you can put in the space. It looks like you want large curves and an oval design. I think I’d build the benchwork to fit the space and layout the 2 larger ovals of track with maybe a few turnouts in place and just start running some trains. Build or buy the structures that are must haves and figure out to incorporate them into the layout. It’s fine to try and design the perfect layout. Trouble is you can’t build it overnight and in the process of building. You will get different ideas as you see the real layout take shape.

This will be an around-the-walls layout with one side exposed to the larger room and walk-around access inside. I address further down why I don't want to build the benchwork and then build the layout, but I am getting the sense that I should avoid "overengineering" the design and allow for some flexibility during layout building.

@DoubleDAZ posted:

Please post your SCARM file so those of us who also use SCARM can make changes and show suggestions vs trying to explain them in writing.

Where are the 3 walls? Top, left and right? Top, left and bottom? I don’t see any place where it will be easy to add a lift section for entry.

Based on your description, I assume the inside oval with the reversing loop is your top level and the rest is your main level. If it is, that’s not the way it’s usually done. Usually, those tracks would run directly above the lower level otherwise they’ll obstruct the view of the tracks/scenery below. Also, with a single reversing loop, once you reverse a train, the only way to reverse back is to back through the loop. It’s also hard to see how you plan to landscape the spurs in the top level. If you intend to add decking for buildings, etc., that further hides the main level and minimizes access.

I don’t  see where/how you plan to access the lower staging level and where those tracks will be.

There are several spurs in the top and bottom left that don’t have room for much in the way of landscaping, so it’s hard to tell what they are for.

I do not want to post the SCARM file of what is pictured since that is an outdated design now but I will find a more recent design tomorrow or over the weekend. The left, right and top of the design are against a wall, the bottom is open to the rest of the basement (I use this approach in all my designs). Dimensions are 10x25 though this may shrink some now that I am looking at finishing the basement. The outer double-main is the top-most level for easy loop-run viewing. The inside, single-track branch sits lower on the next level below, and an operator would need to stand inside in an aisle to operate. I'll note that the large yard and turntable are on the upper level and face out towards the basement, thus to change trains an operator would need to leave the center aisle to access the main yard (a hassle, I know - maybe a switching board inside the aisle so the operator doesn't need to leave?). The reason I did not have an upper-reverse loop was that I wanted to use turntable for engine change or engine turnaround. A train comes up from storage layer, loops until the operator is ready to bring it into the yard, the train pulls into the arrival/departure track, a switching breaks down the train while the engine goes to the turntable and roundhouse, either it will be stored in the roundhouse and the operator brings out a new locomotive to pull a new train, or the engine is turned around and returns with a new consist to the storage layer. The reverse loop is present on the lower layer so that locals and coal haulers can get turned around (the coal haulers can back into the mine, the local freight engines can continuously move forward and, if switching with a steam engine that does not have a front operating coupler, the engine can still perform switching duties in the village regardless of which way the switches are facing).

The spurs were meant to go against industrial flats, but in newer designs I am taking more of a rural approach surrounding the main, though these spurs are not present in more recent designs since reaching these portions of the layout would be a stretch.

@StPaul posted:

...

The exact dimensions are 10x25. It will be against the wall on three sides and open out to the basement on the fourth. I should mention that I am still young and am reasonably confident this will not be my retirement home. I expect to be here for a few years and have no timeline for moving again, but when thinking about raising a family staying here for a long time is probably not practical.

@Farmall-Joe posted:

Maybe using the software isnt for you. I tried it myself and ended up frustrated as i am old fashioned and one who needs to see things in 3D and be hands on.  Once i had the room complete with proper insulation, wiring, sheetrock etc, (a must before any train work in my opinion) i could start building benchwork and get a 3D sense of how things would go and fill in the space. ( And there is never enough space).  You just have to boil it down to what you really want first and plan on tweeking it later.  Remember, its supposed to be fun. Also, for hands on planning, i purchased RCS's full size templates (also available to download from his website) as i was going to be using his track.

I have used the pen-and-paper method but without any templates I find myself once again not grounded in reality and letting my imagination run irrationally I did not give much thought to finishing the basement but after some quick reading it sounds like that would be a really wise idea (dust, sump pump, etc). Just thinking about working on a finished basement makes me want to reduce my layout expectations...

If you have fixed points dictating the maximum layout size, just build the bench work since you know that won’t change. Then, just throw track down in the layout you designed and see how you like it. Audition it before you make anything permanent. I’ve often found that the layout I carefully crafted isn’t ideal once I start playing trains and I end up changing stuff around. When you’re happy with it, then start screwing it down and making scenery etc.

I like this idea but the problem is that I want to build the benchwork to a layout design - the moment I build benchwork, that limits what I can do (eg, O72 reverse loops can't be place just anywhere if I want to stick to the 30" reach-rule). I do like the "don't screw it down until you're sure you like it" idea though.

@Greg Houser posted:

Forgive me but I have to laugh - but not in a condescending way.

Our club layout is 185' x 30'.  One individual loop around the layout is longer than a football field. Guess what? We have the same problem as you do with finding space for everything!

You MUST face reality and think long and hard about your list of Givens and Druthers! Givens are things you can do nothing about and MUST accept - like the size of your room, money to spend, etc.  Druthers are the things you want - like a coal mine, do want loops to watch the trains run or do you want to run prototypical ops, etc.  Once you narrow down your Druthers based on your Givens, the design should come easily. If you're not willing or capable to get to a list of Druthers based on your Givens just stop now and take up something else.

I laughed when I read the club had trouble finding space for everything on a 185' x 30' layout! I guess my problem with the givens and druthers is that I want to have my cake and eat it too. I want to have it all, but it's not working for me. I'll think about this long and hard about what I'm willing to part with.

We can all appreciate your plight. You will get a lot of recommendations; which can also add to your frustration. First try DoubleDaz (Dave) suggestion. He has impressive insights into design efforts. My suggestion would be to use painters tape and do a mock up on the floor. Then take some paper and just draw lines for your track with a pencil.
Jay

I like the painter's tape idea!

Thank you all for your insight and wisdom! God bless

I will offer my opinion on layout design.

First thing, is buy yourself a copy of

TRACK PLANNING FOR REALISTIC OPERATION by

Armstrong, John

published by Kalmbach Publishing.
Read the book and then read it again.

Make a list of what you really want from your model railroading.
Are you a “runner”? Just like to switch around cars?

John calls this his “givens and druthers”. It does work.

Decide on your minimum radius to run what equipment you plan to operate.

Make sure you have provisions to access everything.

if this is your first layout, keep it simple with provisions to add to it as your skills and abilities improve.

Consider a different design than just a rectangular table. Around the walls?

It is easy to get overwhelmed and then lose interest. Design a plan that works for you. Build some structures for variety to building the layout. Accumulate scenery stuff and detail parts.

I cannot stress enough the importance of what you like the best and then focus on that with your layout design.

Donald

@3rail posted:

I will offer my opinion on layout design.

First thing, is buy yourself a copy of

TRACK PLANNING FOR REALISTIC OPERATION by

Armstrong, John

published by Kalmbach Publishing.
Read the book and then read it again.

Make a list of what you really want from your model railroading.
Are you a “runner”? Just like to switch around cars?

John calls this his “givens and druthers”. It does work.

Decide on your minimum radius to run what equipment you plan to operate.

Make sure you have provisions to access everything.

if this is your first layout, keep it simple with provisions to add to it as your skills and abilities improve.

Consider a different design than just a rectangular table. Around the walls?

It is easy to get overwhelmed and then lose interest. Design a plan that works for you. Build some structures for variety to building the layout. Accumulate scenery stuff and detail parts.

I cannot stress enough the importance of what you like the best and then focus on that with your layout design.

Donald

good choice

I was in the same boat as you. Started building my house two years ago and just closed a couple of months ago. I spent almost that entire two years designing and planning my permanent layout, which measures 16x11 in an around-the-room configuration with a 5x9 space in the center for my wife and daughter to hang out and watch. While my layout isn't nearly as big as most on here, it still took a long, long time to plan. I must have 20+ SCARM save files on my PC.....

This morning I finalized my design. I already have the legs and frame of the board built and plywood is delivering this afternoon. I must say it's very relieving when you find a plan you like, plus the best part about the hobby is you can always change it up later on! A model railroad is never complete....

@DoubleDAZ posted:

Please post your SCARM file so those of us who also use SCARM can make changes and show suggestions vs trying to explain them in writing.



I put off posting the file because I had a new idea for a design but then I realized it was just a glorified 3-loop setup, so I dug up one of the more recent SCARM files that is not quite finished. Here's a screenshot and a copy of the SCARM file.

I by-and-large like this idea, I think the only thing I didn't care for was the long-ish tunnel on the first level. Looking back I would also get rid of the three-way switch at the very top, along with the three #4 switches that connect to it. I'll also mention that there is room on the bottom-right for a turntable and roundhouse in the basement, so that is where I am thinking I will place them to leave more room for scenery. The lift-bridge for this layout would probably go somewhere towards the bottom-left of the layout.  The "box" represents one corner where the town will go, which could go all the way to the (incomplete) reverse loop.

This design of course has reach issues behind the mine but I won't mind.

To recap a few points from the last post:

@0-Gauge CJ posted:

The left, right and top of the design are against a wall, the bottom is open to the rest of the basement (I use this approach in all my designs). Dimensions are 10x25 though this may shrink some now that I am looking at finishing the basement. The outer double-main is the top-most level for easy loop-run viewing. The inside, single-track branch sits lower on the next level below, and an operator would need to stand inside in an aisle to operate.

10x25 13.29 [OGR)

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It's nice and refreshing to see others recommend John Armstrong's book on track planning. John was a titan in the hobby, right up there with Frank Ellison. I have found the design stage one of the most enjoyable aspects of the entire process, but with that said I would not start with software, that's too much like my job.

As Gregg alluded to, most of us are confined to basements for our dream worlds...shows that women really do run the world I see the plus in this, however, as we can design and build "outside the norm", so what if the wife has to raise the lift bridge to enter the laundry room , she's just going to make you do the wash anyway . Expand the plan in and around the basement, tunnel through walls if necessary...we only live once...and use curved benchwork if you can. When you see the trains running in your mind through the actual space of your basement it'll trigger the next phase and you'll look forward to building.

Last edited by Paul Kallus

A lot of good info here as I start planning my next big layout.  One thing i have learned is that an island layout to reach all the corners is the way im going for sure this time.  I have the original Lionel lift bridge #213.  Any real world experience on where to place this?  I had it on an outside straight section and that didn't work out Any ideas?

After revisiting the design once more, I think I have figured out a design I like and can be happy with. It will be a 3-level layout (bottom storage, mid and top will be open with scenery). The layout includes a turntable and roundhouse, single-ended yard, and double-track loop on the top level, and a reverse loop, coal mine, and small town with industries for switching on the middle level. Each level has 8" of separation, and the grade between the top and mid level is 2.4%.

All track is Ross O or Gargraves flex.

Color Code:

  • BLUE: Top-level double-track main loops. 5-6" center rail distance on curves (trying for 6"), 4" on straight sections.
    Min curve: O100 inner loop (with O120 easement), O104 outer (going up to O112)
  • ORANGE: Yards and switching tracks
    Main yard uses mostly #4 switches but has some #6 switches to allow some larger engines to switch between mainline tracks without shorting out (eg, 3rd Rail 2-10-4, thank you gunrunnerjohn for the tip!), although these engines will not be able to access the yard.
  • YELLOW: 2.4% grade from top to mid level.
  • GREEN: Mid-level single-track line with reverse-loop.
    Min curve: O80
  • BLACK: Coal mine yard, including storage tracks.
    Min curve O72 for tightest curve in storage track.

The layout is not quite complete, I still have to design the lower level, finish the connection to the roundhouse, patch up some unconnected or ill-fitting track, and get the town layout finalized (feedback on all welcome!), but this by-and-large includes everything I want for a layout and in a configuration I think looks interesting.

10x25 OGR v3

Below is a picture of the walk-around space (black) and lift-bridge (or duck-under) sections (gray) I am tentatively planning to have. They are mostly 30" though reverse-loop lift-bridge is 20-24" in the narrower section. The walk-around section is limited by a metal support post I have to work around, hence the odd aisle shape.

10x25 OGR v3 [walkways) - Copy

10x25 OGR v3 [3D)

Any glaring issues immediately visible? Thanks for reading!

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I like the design as far as how the tracks are laid. Continuous running and enough opportunities for switching moves.

One thing that’s always overlooked in room specs. . Is the ceiling height. I realize lift bridges are a necessity in some layout designs. Especially around the wall layouts with doors involved. Seeing yours is an island design but up against 3 walls. It looks like you may be doing switching moves in the access areas. I’d probably go the duck under route seeing anything that would lift would involve multiple tracks. If you can build the layout high enough the duck under isn’t so bad. With enough ceiling height. You can always raise the floor to step up maybe a foot to where you would be operating.
If the plan is to do your switching moves from the 2 access areas. Higher would work as your overall view would hide the look of it being an oval especially with good structure placement.

Last edited by Dave_C

Here’s one example of a simple swing-out that could be adapted for multiple levels. There’s one where an entire corner with a tall trestle was on a swing-out and I believe it was featured in the magazine. The key is to cut the section opposite the hinge on an angle as shown in the photo. You could use 3 separate lift-out sections, but lifting those gets tedious after awhile.

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  • mceclip0

O-gauge CJ, that’s an impressive undertaking. Good luck.

Jay

Thank you! When I finish it I hope I will be very happy with it for a long time.

@PRR1950 posted:

Personally, I think you are going to find a multi-level lift bridge or swing-out bridge very difficult to build for successful operation.  Depending on how you add the lowest level (storage) might further complicate this matter.

Chuck

@Dave_C posted:

I like the design as far as how the tracks are laid. Continuous running and enough opportunities for switching moves.

One thing that’s always overlooked in room specs. . Is the ceiling height. I realize lift bridges are a necessity in some layout designs. Especially around the wall layouts with doors involved. Seeing yours is an island design but up against 3 walls. It looks like you may be doing switching moves in the access areas. I’d probably go the duck under route seeing anything that would lift would involve multiple tracks. If you can build the layout high enough the duck under isn’t so bad. With enough ceiling height. You can always raise the floor to step up maybe a foot to where you would be operating.
If the plan is to do your switching moves from the 2 access areas. Higher would work as your overall view would hide the look of it being an oval especially with good structure placement.

I had an idea for a hinged-lift bridge, but after revisiting the design today to try to make the aisle shape more normal while still allowing for simple lift bridge operation, I have to agree that any sort of raise-able bridge will be a challnge to build and then operate. Elevating the layout is an idea I have not thought of, but the basement is tall enough that this should be doable. I will need to think about this a lot more, but it's a good idea. Thank you for suggesting!

Started working on the storage layer portion of the plan this evening as well as some minor, ongoing adjustments to the town. It's coming together!

Don't feel bad about the time delays. I've been in my place over a year and have been getting the house together. My layout space is still full of train boxes and I've gone through about 100 design variants for the space. I think I've got a final plan, then think of something that would enhance things and start another concept.

It's a little tricky for me as I'm setting a minimum radius of 42" (O-84) since I have 2-rail and scale wheel equipment to consider.

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