Help on a HCD Layout Plan

[dowish]

I agree that it is a little odd, but one of my design standards is that the main doesn't use a diverging route, which means a S curve.  I'm not to worried about that one because it uses two 30"R curves.  I might even push it out more and use the 71"R.

[conrail98]

I agree that it is a little odd, but one of my design standards is that the main doesn't use a diverging route, which means a S curve.  I'm not to worried about that one because it uses two 30"R curves.  I might even push it out more and use the 71"R.

But operationally wouldn't it make more sense to have the outside track be your mainline? You've got all the switching from the main so any trains that need to run around that work will have to take diverging route of the siding,

Phil

[DKS]

It looks good.  One thing that stands out as odd and should be addressed is in the lower left where the passing siding starts, I'd put a RH turnout in instead of the LH shown. 
That will remove the S Curve.

But operationally wouldn't it make more sense to have the outside track be your mainline? You've got all the switching from the main so any trains that need to run around that work will have to take diverging route of the siding,

+1

[dowish]

But operationally wouldn't it make more sense to have the outside track be your mainline? You've got all the switching from the main so any trains that need to run around that work will have to take diverging route of the siding,

Phil

I'm new to this operation stuff, so I'm not sure I'm following.  The only switching from the main I have is right up front

I made the change to see how it looked and added some color (previous post also).  The way I had envisioned it, I had a small siding that would be used to switch the inside industries.  Then the longer outside track would be siding to serve the staging or just store an extra train.

[dowish]

So I went to the local hobby store to pick up some more turnouts.  The only ones they had in stock was the curved turnout.

When I got the turnout out of the package, one of the points was dangling.  It looks like a washer is missing to keep the point attached.  I remember reading someplace that people have used hot glue (I think) to keep the washer and point together.  Would doing something like that fix it, or with the washing missing, would it be better to contact Atlas and see if I can get a replacement?

[Bsklarski]

Is the washer in the package floating around? If so, easy fix. If not, I would bring it back and get a new turnout. Also on the curved ones, check out the points and make sure they are not too warped

[DKS]

All of the drawings so far are 96 inches (8 feet) on the long side; a door is only 80 inches long. How had you envisioned extending the door? The construction photo you posted shows only one standard door. Which means you have one of two choices: completely redesigning the plan, or (and this means doing more of what you enjoy least) being handyman and extending the door 16 inches. This could be done by grafting a 16-inch-wide HCD on one end, which would also serve as the basis for the yard extension.

So, which will it be, door #1 or door #2?

[ednadolski]

All of the drawings so far are 96 inches (8 feet) on the long side; a door is only 80 inches long.

So, which will it be, door #1 or door #2?

There is a door #3, you can get an HCD in 36x96:

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/doors-windows-doors-interior-doors-slab-doors/masonite-36-in-x-96-in-composite-unfinished-flush-slab-door-181736.html#.UDYvmaMzrSg

[dowish]

Is the washer in the package floating around? If so, easy fix. If not, I would bring it back and get a new turnout. Also on the curved ones, check out the points and make sure they are not too warped

I didn't see a washer floating loose in the package or where I dumped the rail joiners out.  Guess I'm getting a replacement one.

DKS,

In one of the pictures I posted, you can see how I extended the door to make it 8'.  I plan on using a 1"x6" along the front edge of the door to give me something to attach whatever benchwork I come up with for the remaining 1'x8' section of foam I have.  Having an 'L' shaped layout means having to do handyman/carpentry stuff which I'm not good at, but isn't learning new stuff what life is about? 

On a side note, since my track laying plans got derailed by a bad turnout, I decided to have some fun.  You can never start them to young I always say...

[davefoxx]

All of the drawings so far are 96 inches (8 feet) on the long side; a door is only 80 inches long. How had you envisioned extending the door?

I think he already has the extension covered in the construction of his table.  Here's a picture from a few pages ago.



DFF

EDIT:  Oops, I see you beat me to it, responding to DKS.

By the way, be careful with the Bumbo, my little one can almost work herself out of that seat, and they are only supposed to be used on the floor.  In fact, there was a recall: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/consumer&id=8775758

[Chris333]

The idea with the turnouts is to put a small dab of silicone on those little clips so they can't fall out. Once they are out I dunno.

[dowish]

Silicone!  I knew hot glue didn't sound right.

DKS, I noticed that the track arrangements for the interior industries are slightly different.  I am assuming that is because of the different layout lengths.  Do you think one is better, or are they just different?

[Chris333]

Well hot glue would work as well. Last time I did it I used tacky glue. It is just so those clips can't fall out once the track is laid. You would hate for the rail to pop out a year after your done with ballast 

[DKS]

DKS, I noticed that the track arrangements for the interior industries are slightly different.  I am assuming that is because of the different layout lengths.  Do you think one is better, or are they just different?

They're just different, although they've both been improved slightly over my first rendering by lengthening the runaround at the lower left by swapping some switches around.

[dowish]

They're just different, although they've both been improved slightly over my first rendering by lengthening the runaround at the lower left by swapping some switches around.

How did you get the two return loops on the end with the curve turnout to keep the right separation using sectional track?