Building the Gulf, Texas, and Northern Railroad!

[Matthew Roberts]

Are you talking about the one over on TB, modeling Austin, Texas in 1950? If so, that was me. I've changed my focus a little bit in that time,and having a different space.

I may get that room plan up soon, as well as maybe some concept trackplans and concept sketches.

[Matthew Roberts]

Concept Sketches:

[Matthew Roberts]

Room-plan

[Hyperion]

Just in case everyone else is seeing the same Red X's that I am (looks like his host doesn't like linking) I uploaded his room plan to my host:

[Matthew Roberts]

uh, thanks, I'm using Picasa?

EDIT: both posts have been edited so that they're visible

[Matthew Roberts]

Anyone had any progress on plans? Or comments on the sketches?

I was chatting with Lee, and I'm leaning towards something that can be finished within a year, and that could be separated into movable sections that I could take at least one of to college?

Doug, got anything?

[wm3798]

How about taking a stab at a track plan and let the panel of experts review and critique it...  Lay out the key elements you want to include, such as your Gulf port, your main yard area and any towns along the way, then just start connecting the dots.

I believe the Gospel According to Koester calls this the "LDE Method"  (Layout Design Elements.)  Also, look up Chuck Geiger's layout thread... He's working in a similar space, and using the LDE approach as well.  There is much to be learned here, Grasshopper...

Lee

[Denver Road Doug]

Matthew, I just saw the updated room layout yesterday and haven't had the opportunity to look at it much.  I did do a preliminary sketch and I THINK I may have something good in the works if the radii all work out.  Give me a day or so.

[squirrelhunter]

I haven't had a chance to scratch anything out, this week has been very hectic. But I would second Lee's advice- you should take a serious look at at Tony Koester's Layout Design Element idea. That was what sprang to mind when you mentioned the fact you wanted this layout to be moveable and you would be heading off to college.

I would strongly suggest you seek out a copy of Model Railroad Planning 2003, which was heavy on the small, shelf sized layouts. There is one plan for a Nn3 layout which models a small terminal on several smaller sections of benchwork that was designed to be moved easily.

[Matthew Roberts]

Lee, I'll get on that. I've done a couple of plans before, but they weren't satisfying... This layout's not going to be big enough to hold all those elements. Grasshopper, schmasshopper...

Doug, okay thanks.

squirrelhunter, okay. LDE's are definitely the way to go then. I only have MRP '05 and '06. Thanks.

[Matthew Roberts]

EDIT This is the best idea I've come up with today. I know it's not that great, but I do like the idea of the interchange yard. Just playing around with some ideas. The line off to the top right would be the staging for foreign interchange, that could be hidden behind some buildings or something.

I just wanted to post something. Changes will come later.

[wm3798]

There, that should do it... When can we come over to run trains? ;D ;D ;D

But seriously folks...
On your imaginary railroad, where would there be a division point?  Either a point along the line where two subdivisions meet, or perhaps a junction where a significant branch joins the main line...  Think about that, then put the division point in the context of your layout.  You don't have to model the actual yard, but you should know where it is in relation to your layout, especially on a point to point design.  It'll help you make sense of your traffic.

F'rinstance, if your division point is where two lines come together, you'll be able to figure out what types of traffic come from each line.  Say there's the Denver-Houston main line, then a major branch that splits off to go to Kansas City.  If Houston is the town on your layout, you can block trains bound for Denver or KC, or include blocks of KC cars in the Denver bound train, understanding that they will be set out in staging.  Likewise Eastbound, trains can either be through movements from KC or Denver to Houston, or two trains can be combined in staging to become the fast freight from the Div. Pt. in to Houston.

If you choose to make the division point part of the layout, you'll need at least a small representative yard, and a minor engine facility.  Trains would enter the layout from staging, and get worked at the Div. Pt. yard to make up the trains for the rest of the trip.  Blocks of cars can be set out for local delivery, (the rest of the layout) and through cars can be classified and sent on their way.  If you have room for an engine terminal, you can also add "play value" by setting up power and crew changes, and if your era permits, changing out the cabooses.  The latter is more or less how my layout operates.  Having a functioning yard can be expensive to build, but its dividends are boundless.  I can spend countless hours up there just shuffling cars around.

Your staging could be as simple as a double track return loop at each end of the run.  With a couple of reversing circuits, this also affords you the luxury of a continuous run.  A 36" diameter return loop with a reasonable approach, can hold a train of around 18 cars, which is a reasonable length for the size of layout you're building.  Put one at each end, and you can stage one train in each direction, plus have one running the circuit.

So, typical operations would be as such...
1:  Train leaves west end staging, and approaches division point yard.  Engines cut off to be changed, while switcher pulls the local cut of cars out of the train.

2:  New power is added to the train, which is now reassembled after pick ups and set outs, ready to continue eastbound.

3:  While the eastbound train is being worked, send a local train out to service the industries on the layout, and schedule a westbound through train to mess with the local crew.

4.  When the westbound train arrives at the yard, send the eastbound on it's way to staging.  If you play it right, that train can screw up the local crew, too!

(At my ops sessions, running the local trains is considered a suicide mission...)

So there you have it.  Think about the what the trains will be doing, not just where they're going.  I highly recommend that you dig up all the articles you can about David Popp's New Haven layout.  He's got it set up for that kind of ops, and in a very compact design.  Very cool.

Lee

[Denver Road Doug]

There, that should do it... When can we come over to run trains? ;D ;D ;D

I love it!

[Matthew Roberts]

Wow Lee. You made it all seem so simple! I, for some reason or another, had never really thought of it that way. I think a lot of what I'm going for would be similar to what you describe.

Doug, you made any progress on your ideas? Thanks.

[squirrelhunter]

I have sketched an plan from Burnet to Summit, that keeps one of the return loops and might have some parts small enough to take to college with you as LDE's.

I just need to get  it on graph paper and find a way of getting a digital image and posting it...