TREATISE on Designing a Model Railroad Layout (DESIGN #101)

John, can you add an example of a layout designed as you describe above, showing how the points you explain above factored into an evolving layout plan?   That would be helpful for new folks who want to follow your layout planning process.

• I put 4 high end audio speakers in the rafters of our layout space, approximately 10 feet in the air.  I find that blues music from the early 1950s floats down nicely and goes best with both building and operating trains.
  
  
• I will be purchasing a "college-size" refrigerator so I can offer guests a cold beer or a juice box, depending on their age.
  
  
• I installed dimmer switches on all the spotlights in the room so that I can turn down the lights and dazzle the eyes of visitors.  The buildings in Plasticville, the scratchbuilt structures, and our glorious suspension bridge will all be lighted.
  
  
• I designed the layout so that most of the operating accessories are at the edge of the table so that loads can be reloaded by young hands.  This includes catching rockets launched by the 175 Rocket Launcher.
  
  
• I put a subway at below-table level and installed a window on the front of the layout so visitors can look through to see the subway go by.  It's at a height that's perfect for visitors who are about 3-4 years old.
  
  
• The layout looks complex to the eye, but it really consists of 10 circles that overlap each other on three levels, two point-to-point trolley/bumper car lines, the aforementioned subway, and an overhead monorail hung up in the rafters.  I took a page from the Lionel showroom layouts where trains are seen whizzing around and unloading logs and coal and ice cubes.  I want reliability and zero derailments and plenty of action.
  
  

• Name: None at present.  None in the future.  I'm just not one of those guys.
  
  
• Purpose: To amuse visitors, especially children.  Hopefully, the layout will entice children into joining the hobby.
  
  
• Location: A *very* loose representation of the Providence, Warren & Bristol RR.  This is a railroad that ran through our area in Rhode Island from 1858-1983.  To show you what I meant by "loose represenation", we will include a night shot of Yankee Stadium on some backdrop wallpaper we created ourselves.  We took a still from the opening scenes of Woody Allen's movie "Manhattan" that shows a subway crossing in front of the stadium. It has nothing to do with Rhode Island, but I'm a Yankee fan and it's a great image composed by a master and it goes nicely with our MTH Yankee Stadium Subway entrance.
  
  
• Era: Whatever equipment Lionel manufactured from 1938-1991, including running roadnames from all parts of the country.  I occasionally rip the fabric of that space/time continuum by running some MTH equipment and, in one case, a nice Atlas engine from the current millennium.
  
  
• Why did I choose these answers?: They're the honest truth.  Plus, I use tubular track.
  
  
• How will I and others interact with it?: I want a dazzling feast for the eyes.  I want people to have an initial impression of "Holy smokes, this layout just keeps going!"  I like attractive things, so my 1981 N&W Powhatan Arrow set will always be on the rails.  Plus my Santa Fe ABA set pulling aluminum coaches.  Plus a really nice ACE Tinplate set that I purchased in London.  Plus....

The answers offered which I assume are tongue in cheek or meant to be humorous, missed the answer to the first question.   That questiion is "what type of layout do you want, toy, display, operational, or other".    Steven is obviously aimed at toy or display rather than operational.    It will be designed to display his collection of toy trains rather than a model railroad.    The original post was aimed more at designing a creditable model Railroad as opposed to supporting a collection.   

there are many of us out here in O SCALE, who actually have built operational model railroads.    We use some sort of schedule to run the trains and they all have a purpose and we use some way to route various cars to the various industries.    Generally we try to use a system to route the cars that provides variety within the rules.   In other words they route hoppers to mines or coal users and boxcars to freight stations and mfg facilities etc.     We try to have a system that does this randomly within the rules so the same thing does not happen each operating session.  

For Example, I model the Monongehela Division of the PRR.    The line I model very loosely runs from Greensburg PA south to Brownsville and Uniontown.    I have a train that interchanges with the Western Maryland.   I have 3 locals that switch industries in the 3 towns on the layout.    I have  a thru freight in each direction that bring cars from offline (staging) onto the layout and take cars offline.    These stop only at the yard and run through the towns.    The locals then run from the yard to the towns and back.    I generally have 8 people over to operate.     My layout is a long single track line, the main is about 375 feet long.     There are NOT 10 overlaid loops.    I do confess there is a connection through a coal mine that would allow continuous running, but it has not been used  in probably 10 years.

The era is 1947-48 and since this is a bit of backwater for Pennsy, it is all steam.    

So there is a logic and value in the original post.

Thank you PRRJIM.  Yes, there are many of us who do operational layouts.  I shared about because the most exposure given to O scale trains are loops of track.  There are other options other than just circling.  Most beginners have no idea of where to start.  I was 1 of those.  I looked in books.  I saw circles.  I did circles.  Like most, I got bored.  A lot of folks came and saw my circle tracks, once.  Now, with the operational set up, I have a group come over every other Sunday night for two to three years currently, and the layout is about to be professionally videoed, again.  It just appeared in a history society newsletter as well.

This operational set up is much more appealing and sustaining to the masses than a circle.  I've been "spreading" the word everywhere I can for the last few years trying to raise awareness for the operational set up.  The majority of people outside of O gauge still believe no O train is complete without its tree.  There are some fabulous O scale layouts out there!  Many of the owners are on this Forum!

It's tough to shift a better than 100 year old circling paradigm.  People constantly misinterpret my intentions, as above, and get defensive about their circles.  My intention is to share information about the operational alternative because 99% of what you see are loops of track without design or at least no design is given.

Constructing a model railroad is so much more than just arranging track with no theme or purpose.  Even a toy layout has a theme and purpose!  It's a toy to watch and have fun!  Maybe accessories.  But, if it's not a toy and its looping...  It's no wonder so many grow dissatisfied and their layouts are dust catchers.  I can't tell you how many of those I saw growing up.  I couldn't understand why someone would have all that cool train stuff and the layout just sat there untouched and unloved.  Years later, I understand why...which is another reason I'm promoting this option and sharing info.  

I'm pleased that others are doing this already and others are gaining a better understanding.  I've received more positive compliments from others.