N SCale 1 foot by 6 foot track plan suggestions

[jpf94]

All,

I have finaly obtained a small space for my next N scale layout.  It will be modern switching style do to size.  anyone have a switching puzzle track plan they like for a 1 by 6 foot space?

Joe

[alcors110]

sounds like fun . i am  going to do something along the lines you are as well. have you thought what kind of industries you would like to have? that alone would help predict the length and amount of spurs. staging also , will there  be a removable cassette or a built in staging track? you can always just draw some designs by hand to get a feel for what will work. regards,dan

[M.C. Fujiwara]

My daughter & I built a 1'x6' n scale switching layout based off of Byron Henderson's "Alameda Belt Line" that folds up into a portable box as well as able to display as a shelf layout:



More info here on this RW forum thread:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=24399.120

Though probably a more succinct overview in this Model Railroad Hobbyist compilation:
http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/magazine/mrh-2012-11-nov/shelf-layout-n-scale

And if you want a step-by-step "How To" that's a two-parter in the Nov/Dec 2012 and Jan/Feb 2013 N-Scale Magazine.

I also highly recommend checking out the (recently) late, great SteinJr's collection of HO 2'x8' shelf layout designs:
http://home.online.no/~steinjr/trains/modelling/
Many of his HO 2'/18" x 8' shelf designs work very well for N scale 1'x6'.

Hope this helps.

[jpf94]

thank you for the website and the photo of your daughters work, exactly the kind of thing I am looking at doing.

The industries I want to have are all based on prototypes at work.  Gopher Resources in Eagan MN, boxcars of two types, covered hoppers of two types; Midwest Bottling, corn syrup tankcars; Amvac Chemical, tankcars; ACIPCO, pipe dealer for the new BLMA pipe flats; and GT Resin, a team track for transload plastic resin from rail to truck. 

I see several designs on the recommended website that will work nicely for this.  Many thanks

Joe

[Bremner]

a lot of smaller plans like that were in the 2005 Model Railroad plannung mag...for some reason, that is the ONLY one that I can not find right now

[chuck geiger]

http://www.cke1st.com/Trkplans/5x1_01.gif
http://www.layoutvision.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/abl_no_labels_600.gif
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/3876/nessst.jpg
http://www.layoutdepot.com/members/417/designfiles/FECSHELF2.jpg
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQHA3kbs_X0Ls4axcm8_HYMBDJS2UDKx2IejXj0NH9f-NvQ3poG21IvZJ5n
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWVhNyBMbiUz9KrM17RzVTkZ1_OUMm9VQh2y26ekyAxXGNybHrI0fSfXsB

[packers#1]

I always liked this one, almost built it once, may still try to build it
http://www.layoutvision.com/gallery/id25.html

[esa123]

My one bit of advice would be to avoid crossovers if possible. Premade atlas one's tend to stall engines with smaller wheel bases (I.e. GP's vs SD's) since most of the crossover junction itself is plastic. If you build them yourself with fast tracks then a frog juicer can help. I mention this because most small switching layouts love to use then in the plans.

Erik