New Layout Design Help Aprox 620sq'+

I like the space Chad. When I look at the plan I see the shape of the benchwork. Basically it goes around the walls, but there is a peninsula that wraps around the post. That peninsula could have a helix in it that would take trains down to a storage/staging yard.

The "west" or "south" walls are long and straight, lending themselves to a yard and industries. As you suggested there would probably need to be some kind of movable track at the entrance to preserve loopability.

I'll keep my eye on this topic, and chime in and even try to coach you. I just don't want to get too wrapped up in it as I have my own layout that needs my attention.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

I like the space Chad. When I look at the plan I see the shape of the benchwork. Basically it goes around the walls, but there is a peninsula that wraps around the post. That peninsula could have a helix in it that would take trains down to a storage/staging yard.

The "west" or "south" walls are long and straight, lending themselves to a yard and industries. As you suggested there would probably need to be some kind of movable track at the entrance to preserve loopability.

I'll keep my eye on this topic, and chime in and even try to coach you. I just don't want to get too wrapped up in it as I have my own layout that needs my attention.

I would like to get over by you to check your layout out that would be good inspiration its about 4.5 hr drive one way from here eh

You're welcome to visit, open invitation.

Update tomorrow night. I have a lot of photos to go through for the year end review.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

You're welcome to visit, open invitation.

Update tomorrow night. I have a lot of photos to go through for the year end review.

Ill keep that in mind how close are you to NMMRC HO layout in CoonRapids like to see that one to eh

I have been following your progress and you guys are doing a great job lots of hard work eh

I see that, just NW of Milwaukee. Take a weekend in the summer, lots of train watching up here. I've played tour guide on more than one occasion.

The NMMRC is about 40 - 45 minutes from my place. I'm just over the St Croix from Hudson, off 94.

Chad, please excuse my lack of computer drawing skills, but based on the radius you wanted I quickly drew up some basic plans showing just a single track.  I know it may be a little hard to follow but I hope this helps you get a start.  If it makes you feel any better, not only did I plan several layouts before I started on my current one, but I have changed the current one twice since I started two years ago, always adding additional trackwork.  You have a very nice size basement and I'm looking forward to seeing the progress.

This plan goes around the wall and has an island like Elliot mentioned, the yard is just against the wall.  This design also gives you access all around, except for the loop near the blue line, which can be easily adjusted or moved.  One thing I learned with the second layout I started, make sure you have access to the layout, otherwise things can become very difficult to work on in the future, especially once you have scenery in place.

Hope this helps,

Darren

Here's the benchwork design I was thinking of. It is scaled to your drawing. All aisles are minimum 2'. All curves can be minimum 072. Play with this.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

I see that, just NW of Milwaukee. Take a weekend in the summer, lots of train watching up here. I've played tour guide on more than one occasion.

I might take you up on that but I would like to get there sooner maybe in Feb sometime eh

Thanks

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Here's the benchwork design I was thinking of. It is scaled to your drawing. All aisles are minimum 2'. All curves can be minimum 072. Play with this.

How did you draw that in my plan?

Chad, Feb is fine, I don't travel in the winter. Email me with the details.

All I did was copy your plan to my computer, and then used paint to draw in it. I used your grid in the upper right corner to draw circles of different sizes, then cut and pasted the various arcs into the room. Added some straight lines to connect things, and voila. Took about 30 minutes.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Chad, Feb is fine, I don't travel in the winter. Email me with the details.

All I did was copy your plan to my computer, and then used paint to draw in it. I used your grid in the upper right corner to draw circles of different sizes, then cut and pasted the various arcs into the room. Added some straight lines to connect things, and voila. Took about 30 minutes.

Cool Ill let ya know if we will make it up there eh

Im following your design and designing it in my AnyRail program so then I can try to lay track down its a slow process lots of learning goin on eh

Thanks Again Chad

You're welcome.

Personally, I've never had the patience to master any kind of CAD program, which is the main reason that I don't have a nice digital plan for my layout. Of course, now that it is all built, you may ask, "What's the point?" The answer is to have printed hard copies for technical marking, primarily electrical, like power districts, detection blocks and gaps, switch names and numbers, etc.

Chad:  You've got a great space.  You've got the right idea with a walk-around deal. You keep writing of "design" and all I see is a track arrangement.  I'm curious:  What railroad is this?  Where is it?  What will it be doing?  What are the Operators, including you, going to be doing?  Those questions would help me give you an idea for a track arrangement.

Are you just wanting a yard in the flat Midwest, a mountain railroad, a railroad by the ocean or one that winds through Alaska?  What you actually envision your railroad to be will determine your track arrangement.  Without knowing specifics, it is hard to plan a track arrangment.

Please check out my Youtube channel.  The link is by my signature below.  My railroad is based on Marias Pass near Glacier National Park.  The track arrangement/style is similar to real life.  Curious as to what you specifically envision.?????   

Chad,

You have a wonderfully large space with dimensions that will allow you to use the largest curves.  Do you have a particular railroad in mind?  Perhaps the Great Northern, Northern Pacific, or Canadian Pacific?  These railroads offer plenty of since possibilities -- lakeshore to mountains, plains and hills, and big city and small towns.

What is your interest?  I would guess that you are interested in simulating railroad operations.  That is local and through freights and, depending on era, perhaps passenger traffic.  Railroads need stuff to haul.  Possibilities are:

1.   Manufactured goods from West Coast to Chicago (through traffic).
2.   Iron ore to the wharf (interesting modeling here).
3.   Grain from local grain elevators to the lakeside elevators.
4.   Cattle and Sheep to the meat packers in Chicago.
5.   Fruit and vegetables from Washington to the East.
6.   Coal from Montana going everywhere.
7.   Stone and lumber from Montana and Idaho likewise going everywhere.
8.   Meat from Chicago.
9.  Dairy products from Wisconsin.
10.  Steel and machinery from the East.
11.   And don't forget the beer.

The above ideas offer plenty of opportunities for local freights to prick up and drop off cars along the main.  Cars would be made up into through freights and sent on.  

Passenger ought to have a major big city station as a destination.  A few flagstops along the way for locals to stop.

I would think a dual track, folded dog bone but with a large elevation difference between the folds (18 inches to 2 feet).  This could mean helpers!  No duckunder or liftout needed.  All the mainline curves will be larger than 72 inches.

The upper level would be narrow and mainly mainline with a few sidings and stations.  The main area of operations would be the lower level with yards, stations, and big industries.  Width  here would be 3 to 4 feet.  Off the lower level would be small peninsulas with different industries and wharfs.

I don't have Anyrail, but I'll see if I can draw to show you what I mean and post it here.  The track in the interior of the dog bone ends leads down to staging tracks.

Jan

John C. posted:

Chad:  You've got a great space.  You've got the right idea with a walk-around deal. You keep writing of "design" and all I see is a track arrangement.  I'm curious:  What railroad is this?  Where is it?  What will it be doing?  What are the Operators, including you, going to be doing?  Those questions would help me give you an idea for a track arrangement.

Are you just wanting a yard in the flat Midwest, a mountain railroad, a railroad by the ocean or one that winds through Alaska?  What you actually envision your railroad to be will determine your track arrangement.  Without knowing specifics, it is hard to plan a track arrangment.

Please check out my Youtube channel.  The link is by my signature below.  My railroad is based on Marias Pass near Glacier National Park.  The track arrangement/style is similar to real life.  Curious as to what you specifically envision.?????   

ThankYou    I do have more details on what I like in my first post

Im thinking its going to be mid west modeling some of the features along the CN rail that runs past my house. I can see the trains from my patio doors eh.  Also would like to model a open pit coal mine and loading facility I realize there are none in WI but hey it my RR 

Not real sure what I will be doing yet but some switching at business etc, mainline running basicly just having fun with it but would like to keep operations somewhat compressed but as real looking as possible. 

Operator will mainly be me unless I have friends over etc.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

You're welcome.

Personally, I've never had the patience to master any kind of CAD program, which is the main reason that I don't have a nice digital plan for my layout. Of course, now that it is all built, you may ask, "What's the point?" The answer is to have printed hard copies for technical marking, primarily electrical, like power districts, detection blocks and gaps, switch names and numbers, etc.

Me either I have tried many cad programs and can never figure them out but for this im trying to learn it so it makes things eaiser to all be in scale, so I know what track Ill be needing and how to layout & build the benchwork etc

Here is a first draft of the possible benchwork table design. What do ya think?  Where do I place my industries and and what would be a good track design?

I think the yard goes on the south (bottom) wall. The west (left) could have some nice industries. That is where I would start anyway. think about keeping your mains to the back so your switching is in front.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

I think the yard goes on the south (bottom) wall. The west (left) could have some nice industries. That is where I would start anyway. I see you've expanded slightly beyond the original train "line of death". A little railroad land grab. Before we know it you'll have the whole basement.

Thats what the original plan was but I guess we need a bar and sitting area plus I need a place to put my big John Deere collection eh. I think in the middle Island I may put the open pit coal mine and loading facility if it works out and maybe a helix to a under ground storage yard

Crew and entertaining space can be just as important as the layout itself. At the last minute I realized that you hadn't really crossed that original line that was even with the window, so I changed that post. You caught me.

In answer to your question about the curves on my layout, all 3 peninsulas are based on an 8' circle. They aren't 096 though, you have to subtract 4" for clearance, so they become 092. The big helix is based on a 10' circle, so 0120 - 4 = 0116. I always use 4" track centers, but given the size of modern equipment, it would be wise to have them wider, but just on the curves.

For my benchwork I plan to use 2x3 or 2x4 for the framing & legs and I have 25 sheets of 3/4" 5'x10' cabinet grade multi ply (13ply) plywood I got free. I plan on putting a 2x4 band around the room attached to the walls then make a support for the front and space the deck joist at 24"/oc and the legs at 48"/oc I think this should be sufficient