design me a layout

[Chris333]

About the height, my "around the walls" layout has the track at 58". If I did it again I may go up to 60".

[asciibaron]

About the height, my "around the walls" layout has the track at 58". If I did it again I may go up to 60".

i picked 52" since i have a 7 year old and he can 'barely" see the current layout which is also 52".  60 seems rather high.

-Steve

[TiVoPrince]

Why not
invert the plan to put the industries on the 'lobes' into the dead spaces around the bump in?  Place river at the doorway to make easier (thinner) duckunder.  Move staging as necessary but consider using more of the corner opposite the bump in for staging.  Using a view block of structures in an urban setting to provide a timesaver sort of switching area using them for operational interest and avoid the usual (Ed K.)pattern of rural scenery to hide the staging...

[asciibaron]

Why not
invert the plan to put the industries on the 'lobes' into the dead spaces around the bump in?  Place river at the doorway to make easier (thinner) duckunder.  Move staging as necessary but consider using more of the corner opposite the bump in for staging.  Using a view block of structures in an urban setting to provide a timesaver sort of switching area using them for operational interest and avoid the usual (Ed K.)pattern of rural scenery to hide the staging...

i'm modeling a specific prototype location and am trying to keep it as realistic as possible - someone familiar with the line could look at it and know off the bat it was the Panhandle between Morgan Run and Tyndall

i'm not sure i follow your suggestions. 

-Steve

[Dave V]

Here's a 3D view of your trackplan as it will appear during operation:

[POVC]

Why not
invert the plan to put the industries on the 'lobes' into the dead spaces around the bump in?  Place river at the doorway to make easier (thinner) duckunder.  Move staging as necessary but consider using more of the corner opposite the bump in for staging.  Using a view block of structures in an urban setting to provide a timesaver sort of switching area using them for operational interest and avoid the usual (Ed K.)pattern of rural scenery to hide the staging...

i'm modeling a specific prototype location and am trying to keep it as realistic as possible - someone familiar with the line could look at it and know off the bat it was the Panhandle between Morgan Run and Tyndall

i'm not sure i follow your suggestions. 

-Steve

I think TIVO is suggesting rotating your design something like 135-degrees counter-clockwise so that the river is at the doorway/duck-under.  That would put most of your industries along the back wall at the bottom (where the yard is now), and  the yard would be over on the right hand wall where the interchange wye is.  Everything is in about the same orientation to each other, just the whole thing rotated.

Looking at the trackplan, I think having an industry (grain) and a three track main across the doorway is asking for trouble.  I'm not sure I have any suggestions for solving that, but at least if you rotated it, you'd eliminate the industry and have only two track through that area.  If the doorway is the river, you could put in a real "swing bridge".

Tim

[asciibaron]

Here's a 3D view of your trackplan as it will appear during operation:

i see Ed K is the operator of choice.

[TiVoPrince]

Right
you are Tim!  Apparently the request at the top of the thread was not actually for design help, but for a rubber stamp approval of a design already well along in progress...

There are already popular model railroad forums that speciaize in mindless congratulation and back patting.  Posting at RailWire is not for the faint of heart and having your assumptions challenged is to be expected.  Assuming that someone who wants to help will be intimately familiar with track arrangements and prototype operations may be a mistake. 

Ultimately this episode just reminds me that no good deed ever goes unpunished...

[DKS]

Not sure why the loop round the room seems to be the alternative of choice. The plan below has 18 in. min. radius and fairly comfortable aisles and no duckunder. It is offered only as a suggested starting point for a different direction. The thick grey line is a backdrop, blocking view of nearly half of the mainline, with hidden staging yard of X tracks from bottom to right side. Plenty of industry switching on extenstion at top left, next to door, and more at top center. Room for visible yard along bottom. Industries, scenic features, bridges, interchanges, etc. to be added as needed to suggest prototype settings.

[davefoxx]

David,

Excellent brainstorming and creativity in revising the plan so drastically.  I like this plan a lot better, although I don't know how well it works for Steve, since he said he is trying to realistically replicate a portion of the prototype.  This plan gives me a few ideas for a space that I have if I can find the funds to start over.  The only thing I would change about your plan, and this is personal preference, is the inclusion of so much hidden trackage.  But that backdrop could could just be taken out or moved and the core of your plan remain the same.  Great job!

Dave Foxx

[asciibaron]

Right
you are Tim!  Apparently the request at the top of the thread was not actually for design help, but for a rubber stamp approval of a design already well along in progress...

There are already popular model railroad forums that speciaize in mindless congratulation and back patting.

hyperbole much?

-Steve

[asciibaron]

thanks Dave, this is exactly what i was looking for - i knew i could count on TRW for some inspiration.  i could not come up with a decent dogbone idea - i was trying to put the fold loop in the lower right for whatever reason - i guess staring at the space puts "walls" into the possibilities that are there.

i'll see what i can do - the 18" R is awesome!

this reminds me of the DRGW N scale layout in MR from the 90's.  i guess i'm nervous about hiding stuff and having it out of reach.

-Steve

[DKS]

The only thing I would change about your plan, and this is personal preference, is the inclusion of so much hidden trackage.  But that backdrop could could just be taken out or moved and the core of your plan remain the same.

this reminds me of the DRGW N scale layout in MR from the 90's.  i guess i'm nervous about hiding stuff and having it out of reach.

Glad folks like it. In my rush to quick post it before I had to run out, I didn't make clear the idea is that the rear tracks would be hidden behind low hills, structures and other visual barriers, but nothing that couldn't be overcome by a short step stool (should not have used the word "backdrop"). The visual barrier could be aided by having the "hidden" trackage drop down an inch or so below the grade of the rest of the main.

[asciibaron]

The visual barrier could be aided by having the "hidden" trackage drop down an inch or so below the grade of the rest of the main.

get out of my mind.

not sure how you got the 18" radius to fit in the upper right - are there easements?


-Steve

[DKS]

not sure how you got the 18" radius to fit in the upper right - are there easements?

There are only simulated easements on some of the foreground curves. The hidden S-curve at the top right is fairly tight, but it's not back-to-back. The green circles are just a scratch over 36 inches:



If it seems like a potential problem, the S-curve could probably be straightened out some by pulling the foreground main away from the corner of the landing and moving the visual barrier with it. Alternatively, the dogbone end near the door could be pushed a little closer to the door and the S-curve stretched out to the left.