Baltimore and Ohio in Illinois 1940s

[rogergperkins]

This is an ongoing project that essentially has it roots with my earliest home layout built about 1978. One of our first homes after I finished grad school and a post-doc fellowship and was employed had a full basement.  This allowed for a 24' x 2' with two 4'x 8' peninsulae. It was built to be moved, so consisted of 5 modules.  The next version, Phase two, was essentially the same with reuse of the bench work, but homasote was scrapped and plywood used as the surface. Phase three required one of the 4'x 8' modules to be reduced to 4'x 6' because of the configuration of the basement.  Phase four was a recoup with adequate space.   A new 4' x 8' module was built and the original 4' x 8' and 4' x 6' modules united to give a longer peninsula with about 14' for the main yard. The space allowed for walk around which was great for a staging yard added later on. 
 Phase five was a downsize, and now I am anticipating Phase six.

This is a hand drawn plan for the next phase assuming the next home will have adequate space in the basement.

[rogergperkins]

The sketch I posted is 1" to 1' scale drawing, but actual layout would be 24 feet on the longest dimension.
From my past experience, this is the maximum that I could maintain is proper operating condition, i.e. keep track clean
and spider webs removed. 

[rogergperkins]

/>This is one of the scenes I hope to redo on the new layout, i.e. a model of the main street, Charles Street, in Beecher City, Illinois.
B&O depot on left in foreground.

[wm3798]

So you're starting over?

[rogergperkins]

Starting over is an overstatement; moving to phase six is more appropriate.
We are planning to move back to MN and I hope we select a house with lots of basement space for my office and layout.
I have drawn a version of the layout with four 4' x 8' modules thus exploring how much would satisfy my dreams.
 

[LIRR]

Roger, do what you can to change the straight track close to and parallel to the ends of the bench work...some gentle curves in the track or edge of bench. Try to get a 4, 5 or 6 inches between the track and the edge. You'll be glad you did.

[rogergperkins]

Thanks for the suggestion.   
Regarding double curved track, I am currently using the largest radius of banked curves, but know that Kato has released an even large radius version which I plan to use on the future layout.  I will do likewise with the single track curves based on what Kato has to offer.

As to positioning of the track, the plan is a redo of layouts I have had since 1977 on which I have about 3" between the straight track that is parallel to the edge.  That works for me for all these years, certainly on the left side module.   On the right side module, I do plan to have about 6" between the straight main line and the edge of the module.  I am doing this to allow space to include a siding to service a country grain elevator.  This is the area where I am modeling my home village and thus attempting to incorporate as many elements of the real village as possible since no rail exists there now.

[rogergperkins]

If Phase Six of this home layout ever moves from paper to reality, I hope to avoid some mistakes from the past.
1. rush to run trains without getting all the main line power leads located and wires organized neatly.
2. fix turntable and lead tracks so they do not drift out of alignment.
3. simplify the dual mode wiring scheme.

[VonRyan]

If Phase Six of this home layout ever moves from paper to reality, I hope to avoid some mistakes from the past.
1. rush to run trains without getting all the main line power leads located and wires organized neatly.
2. fix turntable and lead tracks so they do not drift out of alignment.
3. simplify the dual mode wiring scheme.

#1 is why my old layout got nixed. A few curves were not laid out correctly and created some interesting radii.

As to #3...
The dual-mode (if you mean DC and DCC) is fairly simple if you use a common rail system.
By having the standard throttle blocks (and power toggles for individual tracks) you can simply add DCC as another "throttle" and then set the rotary to that throttle and then set subsequent throttle blocks to receive power from the throttle you set to DCC.

My friend/mentor only added DCC to his DC layout a year ago, and the common rail system works so well that the way he has the blocks set up, the power on the head end of an up-grade train can have a DCC engine pulling, and the helper is a plain DC engine.
There is still a few more sidings that need to get power appropriately fed to them for DCC operation, but we have things down pat to where anyone can bring any engine and run it with no problem across the whole layout.


-Cody F.

[LIRR]

3" between track and edge will work of course, my suggestion was strictly for appearance....I have a spot where the track curves in and the facia curves out. It gave me a nice spot for a pond.

[rogergperkins]

I have some track that is currently less than 3" from the edge of the layout; it is a gamble for certain.
The floor in my present layout room is carpeted, but even then I would not want a locomotive to take a nose dive.
I added a barrier strip along part of the layout and would consider doing such with plexiglass on a future layout.

I prefer to orient the scenery so that roads are not parallel or perpendicular to the edge.  I find that adds interest
to the scene.  The problem is creates is getting a nice grade crossing for roads and highways.