Wanted: Trackplan Inspiration

[James Costello]

I'm looking for some inspiration for a N scale track plan to suit 9'11" x 6'8" leg of my study, as per the following plan. I'm torn between a decent switching layout that will hold my interest and satisfying some form of roundy-round desires that exist from not having a layout. It's a decent area and I don't want to do too little with it or try and do too much. Maintaining access to my chair and room for it move appear to be my main challenges physically.



A major source of inspiration to date comes from one of the trackplan supplements from MR years ago called 5 Compact Track Plans, which featured a HO switching layout called The Pike City Belt Line. I've always thought it had a lot of variety and could be converted to N without too many problems. It was featured in the September 1998 Model Railroader and also in their book 102 Realistic Trackplans.
If you're a subscriber to MR:
http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=tp&id=93&size=&scale=19&type=&keywords=pike+city

Another recent inspiration is Pelle Soeberg's Danville & Donner River Subdivision from the same 102 Realistic Trackplans and the September 2006 MR.
http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=1242
The plan could be flipped with the walk-in near my window, with the switching inside the pennisula increased. This represents my "too much" fear by taking over most of the room.

I'm also open to removeable staging areas or main line linkages that can be added for op sessions, like this:
http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/picture.php?albumid=1080&pictureid=14827


So, any inspirational "L" shaped layouts out there - it seems to be a shape that isn't considered too often in published designs. Thoughts?

[MichaelWinicki]

My first thought would be a roundy-round along the 6'8" wall.  The curved ends would be hidden/semi-hidden.  I'd have a small semi-hidden staging yard right right next to the 6'8" wall.

Then, I'd have a small branch coming off the roundy-round to the the narrow end of the bench (the 533mm end).  There could be a small yard where the branch meets the roundy-round. 

Finally there would be an interchange track somewhere on the roundy-round to encourage the swapping out of rolling stock.

[David K. Smith]

I like Ls. My last layout was an L. Do you have some considerations on things like track? minimum radius? grades? single-or double-deck?

I'm not an MR subscriber so I can't see the sample plans. Any chance of reproducing some pencil sketches of them to serve as a starting point?

[ArtinCA]

Hmmmm.. I see room for a roundy on that L.

I also see room for a shelf layout about the workbench, connected with a narrow, removable piece to the main layout across the window. Maybe an industrial area? 

[James Costello]

Track = Code 55. I prefer ME, but ok to plan with Atlas range. Handlaying turnouts would be feasible.

Min Radius = 15" (autoracks, 89' flats and 86' boxcars etc) so the larger the better.

I'd rather single deck, as I don't think I have the space for a helix, but runs to below deck staging would be ok (as in the Soeberg plan). I hadn't really considered grades at all yet....

Should mention era would be modern - mid 90's to present.

David, I have a scanner so I can hook you up over the weekend.

[David K. Smith]

Track = Code 55. I prefer ME, but ok to plan with Atlas range. Handlaying turnouts would be feasible.

Min Radius = 15" (autoracks, 89' flats and 86' boxcars etc) so the larger the better.

I'd rather single deck, as I don't think I have the space for a helix, but runs to below deck staging would be ok (as in the Soeberg plan). I hadn't really considered grades at all yet....

Should mention era would be modern - mid 90's to present.

David, I have a scanner so I can hook you up over the weekend.

That works. Looking forward to it.

[asciibaron]

I'm also open to removeable staging areas or main line linkages that can be added for op sessions, like this:
http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/picture.php?albumid=1080&pictureid=14827

that's a very interesting idea and could open up operations considerably.  

here's his trackplan - i really like this layout.  



here's a link to an image gallery - some really nice stuff here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sstrains/sets/72157613875056534/

given your space, i think you can get very close to this kind of plan.  

[James Costello]

A source of proto inspiration is Southern Pacific's former Brooklyn Yard in Portland, OR, despite trying to find 90s era photos and information somewhat difficult. The current UP operations there look good anyway. Back in Espee days it was the the northern terminal of their I-5 corridor that originated in LA and the hub of their Oregon branchlines. It's a decent sized yard that included an intermodal facility (TOFC / COFC / roadrailer) and interchange with the BN, UP plus many of the shortlines that began operations on former Espee branchlines (Portland & Western etc). The yard also has a couple of adjacent rail-served industries - concrete plant, lumber yard, a small tank facility - and the roundhouse (former home of 4449).

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=45.49013494013496~-122.63563267886639&lvl=15&sty=r&tbox=1#JndoZXJlMT1wb3J0bGFuZCt1c2Emc3M9eXAudW5pb24rcGFjaWZpYyticm9va2x5bit5YXJkJTdlc3N0LjAlN2VwZy4xJmJiPTQ1LjQ5OTAyNDM2NTUzNDclN2UtMTIyLjYxMjI0MzgxNjI1NyU3ZTQ1LjQ4MTc4NTcyNDk3MTklN2UtMTIyLjY1OTAyMTU0MTQ3Ng==
The yard is centered around SE Holgate Blvd between Powell and McLoughlin.

Looking from north to south:











And the industries:







And down a bit further south at Watsonville Junction, where the now Portland & Western splits off from the mainline:





And a better view of the great switching tracks:



I think it is feasible to fit this into my space, probably with a peninsula into the room, with obviously the yard chewing up a lot of the space. Squeezing in additional staging to realistic model the mainline and interchanges (at each of the yard) could be a problem....

[Denver Road Doug]

Sounds like a good start and source for inspiration.   I've seen that Sand Springs layout and it's impressive.  That one and Ole Melhouse's Dakota Northern are two of the best examples in our area of what can be done in N-Scale without going overboard. (good mix of track, ops, scenery, aesthetics, and overall layout experience.)

One other variation on the theme of "temp trackage" I've always thought about is a simple reverse loop on each end of a point to point that could fold away or be removed when not in use.  I envisioned them folding up like the airline seats where the table comes out of the armrest.

[GaryHinshaw]

Got any plans yet James? 

I think the area you're considering is great, but I think something patterned after Brooklyn Yard is too much for your space.  You really need to narrow your "Givens & Druthers" a bit more, especially operations-wise.  The Pike City plan seems to be about the right scope for your space, though I would highly recommend some form of movable track for mainline runs.

Have you considered something iconic like Portland Union station and the Steel Bridge over the Willamette? The wye on the other side of the river offers a great entre to terminal ops and mainline running, and the river makes a perfect aisle.  I haven't quite figured out a way to make it work in your space with the wye, but topologically, I was thinking of something like: (in vintage ASCII art!)

      Brooklyn
   ____________________
  /                         \/         \
 |                           |S.B.    |
 |                           |          |
  \______________/          / to staging under P.U.S.
          P.U.S.

The top is some industrial portion of Brooklyn, the bottom is Union Station, the middle vertical is the Steel Bridge feeding a wye on top, the right vertical loops back to staging under P.U.S., and the left vertical is a temporary track over your desk and across the cupboard and door for roundy-roundy.  It could either hook up to PUS, or to the staging underneath. The latter would be more prototypical for N-S mainline running.  Both top & bottom stretches could feature riverfront scenes.

If the concept appeals, the challenge will be to make it fit...

-Gary