Rebuilding the Puddington Valley - A Plan ?

[Puddington]

The time has come to re-build the Puddington Valley. I will re-use (with a conversion to Atlas code 55) the 3 x 5.5 Samuel Ridge layout and will add to it. I have a rough track plan and Lee suggested I submit it (and my minimalist talents in layout design and building) for review and assistance to assembled gentry of ye ol Railwire.

Here are the "conditions" I am working under:

1. I am "all by myself" to build this; I am a below average carpenter; and have the barest skills in wiring and track laying...
2. Space; A utility room with the water heater and heating system. It has to have storage space, ergo I have to be able to build shelves etc... under and in some places, over the layout.
3. Objective: Continuous running passenger consist and the ability to run freight switches and small wayfreights.
4.Track: Atlas Code 55 ( I have 60 pieces of flex; 32 switches already, plus all the feeders and joiners
(been saving my milk money for a year to buy....)
5. Power: Dual Cab DC (I know...DCC..... just can't afford it and frankly; I hate electronics).. and I run alone anyway...third throttle for the mill.
6. Concept: Passenger trains will run out of a three track hidden staging (maybe more...?); thus allowing me to "continuously run" a passenger consist while woking local way freights and switchers between Samuel Ridge industries, the mill and the barge, which is for off layout staging.
7. Elevation: No grades; I will achieve geometery by using bridges and large mountain-canyon" on the dual track section infront of staging. I plan to place the layout at about 54" inches from ground; will build workbench under section with staging and have storage around the bottom of the entire layout. There will a book cabinet above the Samuel Ridge side with lighting.
8. Expansion: An engine terminal can be built on the right side, in front of the water heater that is removable and has a wye for tuning power.

Here's the drawing...(Gulp Puddy; you're goin get creamed by these pro's...........)



9. Era: 1966-1974 (I move around a bit) Interior of Britsh Columbia Canadian Pacific branch line (I know; what the %$#%$@ with the passenger stuff.... I use the excuse that they run through in the summer 'cause it's pretty....)

Gents: Please feel free to fire away...........thanks in advance.

Mike (Pud)
 

[DKS]

Here's the drawing...(Gulp Puddy; you're goin get creamed by these pro's...........)

Hardly. I think quite the opposite. You're off to a better start than some "pro's" I've seen. You appear to have a good idea of what you're after.

You can probably predict what will happen. There will be some back and forth, a number of recommendations. DKS will start pounding out drafts, people will hack at them, and you should end up with something quite worth building.

BTW, very John Allen-ish to incorporate the original layout like that.

[Puddington]

Thanks david; anything, and I mean anything anyone can do; including transfering it to more than a piece of paper (no CAD software here....obviously) is appreciated. I want it to be easy to run; have braod curves and show off passenger trains, but allow me to run the soon to be released Atlas series of Alco switchers ( ok; "ha ha ha"....) I mean run little switching consists to and from industry and a barge.

Thanks DKS

Mike

[Puddington]

BTW, very John Allen-ish to incorporate the original layout like that.

My seven year old son made that a condition of helping me convince mommy that this was a good idea..........kid drives a hard bargin......cost some Pokemon cards to boot........tee hee.

[DKS]

Photos of the overall space would be helpful, as well as (if possible) a few shots of the current layout from directly above (satellite views).

[John]

I would seriously reconsider the DCC angle .. even if you only get a basic system - you will save time not having to wire the blocks ..

[TiVoPrince]

My seven year old son made that a condition of helping me convince mommy that this was a good idea..........kid drives a hard bargin......cost some Pokemon cards to boot........tee hee.

Kid
has a future in strongarm loan enforcment or poloitics....

[Puddington]

I would seriously reconsider the DCC angle .. even if you only get a basic system - you will save time not having to wire the blocks ..

I understand that but I want to run a lot of different loco's, I have over 100 and I have not the skills or funds to drop into DCC for more than a few. Decoders up here in the land of taxes are expensive; $ 40.00 plus and you have to know how to put em in; my fleet of RS units and older F's would require skills I don't have and money is tight. I also just don't see the costs benefit for my own home layout if I am almost always the only one running it.

Main line blocks will be very large so there won't be too many - I will add power feeds very liberally and if I wanted to go DCC the removal of blocks wouldn't be too difficult at a later date.

I will take some photo's of the space later and upload.

[Puddington]

Kid
has a future in strongarm loan enforcment or poloitics....

We feel that there is a 51% chance he'll be Prime Minister and a 49% chance that he'll be a used car salesman.....the skill sets being so close in either vocation......

[DKS]

32 switches already

What do you have? It would be good to know so the plan can be tailored to your supply.

[sizemore]

If it were me I'd flip it the layout horizontally in the picture. Your biggest obstacle is your hot water heater and it's in the most inconvenient space. On the thumb you only have 30" of space while your water heater appears to be 36". If it ever had to come out, a portion of your layout would have to go too. If money weren't an object I'd relocate it to either the upper right corner, or for the sake of a longer mainline/larger layout the lower left corner. Or consider an On-Demand type water heater system.

Overall I like the plan and it sounds like it fits your needs well.

The S.

[93cram]

Mike,

Sorry if this has been addressed in your first post (my understanding of English is limited :-[), but how will the hidden 3 tracks
staging yard be accessed ?
Looks like a fun layout to operate BTW, with good switching opportunities to boot, beside those roaring passengers runs 

[davefoxx]

The S. makes a good point.  Those instant hot ("tankless") water heaters will save you money in the long run.  They're expensive up front, but they take up a lot less space and you won't have to maintain/replace a tank every 10-15 years.  That's what I would do, if I we're not planning on moving in the next several years.

Otherwise, I like the general gist of the plan and can't wait to see what magic DKS will perform to make it shine, especially if you can get that hot water heater out of there.

Dave Foxx

[davefoxx]

Mike,

Sorry if this has been addressed in your first post (my understanding of English is limited :-[), but how will the hidden 3 tracks
staging yard be accessed ?
Looks like a fun layout to operate BTW, with good switching opportunities to boot, beside those roaring passengers runs  

93cram,

Your understanding of English may be limited, but your grammar is better than many of the English-speaking asshats' around here.   ;D

Dave Foxx

[Guilford Guy]

What are you planning on for operations? Having the paper mill leads so close to the tunnel portal could make shifting cars slightly more difficult. You may also wish to include a run around at the mill yard, because spotting cars on one of those sidings would require running all the way to Puddington Station to get it on the correct end of the locomotive.
You may also consider moving the top mainline in the mountain area to follow the hidden staging tracks. I just perceive a mountainous area as either a tightly packed double track, or a single track, and that the rear mainline may detract from the scene.