planning out a new layout...

[johnb]

My 18 year old moved out about a week ago, and I am still working on cleaning and prepping a 10'6" x 11" room.

The new layout will have two different areas for switching and having a continuous run is a huge want.


Above is the proposed benchwork for the layout, however the buldge in the bottom right will only be 30" from the wall to give me access to the closet. The left wall will be a yard, and the top wall is going to be the main industrial area.



The peninsula in the center is going to be based on a real section of the old Santa Monica Air Line that was a huge part of the Pacific Electric freight revenue. This line survived until the late 1980's.



I am going to have to use a pair of really tight PECO switches, one curved and one straight to make it work, but since I plan to only use switchers in this section, it should be ok.

PLEASE nitpick this plan, I currently have a 10 (each) Peco large left and right switches, and some PECO small switches that are marked for this build. Other than one switch and curve, the minimum radius will be 12".

[wm3798]

Me likey.  The switching puzzle looks like fun, and having a yard away from switching will help with the illusion of distance.

In my experience, switching on a curved siding is best done with truck mounted couplers, but your results may vary.

Do you have an industry list and rolling stock mix in mind?  What era are you targeting?

Lee

[johnb]

Me likey.  The switching puzzle looks like fun, and having a yard away from switching will help with the illusion of distance.

In my experience, switching on a curved siding is best done with truck mounted couplers, but your results may vary.

Do you have an industry list and rolling stock mix in mind?  What era are you targeting?

Lee

my era is 1945-1952, Pacific Electric, I have a fleet of 1000's,  they were all* retired by 1950. due to the Tomix drive's pizza cutters, I am running Code 80 track, and due to the lack of a good N Scale electric freight motor, I am going to use mostly 4 axle switchers. The Pacific Electric had one SW1, 2 Baldwin VO-600's, about 8 VO-1000's, a pair of DRS-1500's and five GE 44 tonners lettered for the PE, and many other locos that were leased from the Southern Pacific. They also leased a lot of steam locos and owned five 0-6-0's and a 2-6-0.

I currently have the SW1, a VO-1000, an Alco S4 and an SW900, the PE never leased an ALCO

[ATSF_Ron]

I like this as well.  Great concept!  Part of my track plan is based of a couple ex-PE SP and UP areas in the parts of SoCal where I grew up.  I'll be following with interest!

[johnb]

I am thinking about making a return track from the loop to the yard, hide it behind a bunch of building flats, and adding a loop in the yard to make a huge continuous run....

[dem34]

my era is 1945-1952, Pacific Electric, I have a fleet of 1000's,  they were all* retired by 1950. due to the Tomix drive's pizza cutters, I am running Code 80 track, and due to the lack of a good N Scale electric freight motor, I am going to use mostly 4 axle switchers. The Pacific Electric had one SW1, 2 Baldwin VO-600's, about 8 VO-1000's, a pair of DRS-1500's and five GE 44 tonners lettered for the PE, and many other locos that were leased from the Southern Pacific. They also leased a lot of steam locos and owned five 0-6-0's and a 2-6-0.

I currently have the SW1, a VO-1000, an Alco S4 and an SW900, the PE never leased an ALCO

With the nature of Interurbans having lighter rail and wider tie spacing, you could probably get away with Peco C55.

[thomasjmdavis]

Chalk me up as another who really likes this plan, especially that you've worked in a very realistic approximation of the area of Santa Monica.  One of my favorite layouts is Bill Denton's Kingsbury Branch- an area of Chicago that I knew well 40 years ago. Even with all the inherent compromises of model railroading, I knew exactly where it was, even before I read the caption of the photo.  I can see where your representation of Santa Monica could have the same effect for folks familiar with the area.

The one recommendation, that you've probably already thought about (recognizing that we are looking at a quick sketch on graph paper) is that whenever possible, curve the exposed tabletop corners. 

And... not to take this thread off on a tangent, but a question that might solve an issue for both of us- has anyone found a workable replacement wheelset for Tomix drives?  I have a couple models that need drives, and I'd like to replece the pizza cutters.

Thanks for sharing the plan, and please forgive me in advance if I steal some of  the "main industrial  area" switching plan for my next layout.

[johnb]

Chalk me up as another who really likes this plan, especially that you've worked in a very realistic approximation of the area of Santa Monica.  One of my favorite layouts is Bill Denton's Kingsbury Branch- an area of Chicago that I knew well 40 years ago. Even with all the inherent compromises of model railroading, I knew exactly where it was, even before I read the caption of the photo.  I can see where your representation of Santa Monica could have the same effect for folks familiar with the area.

The one recommendation, that you've probably already thought about (recognizing that we are looking at a quick sketch on graph paper) is that whenever possible, curve the exposed tabletop corners. 

And... not to take this thread off on a tangent, but a question that might solve an issue for both of us- has anyone found a workable replacement wheelset for Tomix drives?  I have a couple models that need drives, and I'd like to replece the pizza cutters.

Thanks for sharing the plan, and please forgive me in advance if I steal some of  the "main industrial  area" switching plan for my next layout.

thanks, I appreciate the kind words.  Ironically, Santa Monica is a little bit west of the SPINS area, it is really Culver City.

[johnb]

forgot that I have four new Atlas 2705 right hand #6 remote switches, not my normal choice, but they will work great for a yard...and I decided to narrow the yard to a foot wide...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Could you eke out another track by starting with a LH into the ladder? Would it be worth the slightly shorter yard tracks?

[johnb]

Could you eke out another track by starting with a LH into the ladder? Would it be worth the slightly shorter yard tracks?

yes, but I really only see the need for 3 tracks, so 5 should be about right

[Dave V]

What was the Tony Koester rule of staging? Something like:

(total tracks you should build) = 2x + 1, where x is the number of tracks you think you need.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Yep. In that case, I'd still recommend going with an LH and using the extra length to have some straight track going into it.

Curves into switches: bad juju.