layout design contest

[asciibaron]

design me a layout - it's simple, give me a layout that has 1 passing siding long enough for a 12-15 car train, some staging, and 18" minimum radius.  i have tried a variety of ideas and i'm all out - can be either PRR or MILW - i don't care at this point, i just want to operate some damn trains.  everything i come up with is very race tracky and would get boring quick. 

poor David K. Smith has tried a few plans, but nothing seems to grab my attention.  thanks for all the ideas Dr. Smith.



-Steve

[coosvalley]

What, if any, are the "givens and druthers"?  Table layout or basement empire? Size and shape of room would be good.

[asciibaron]

What, if any, are the "givens and druthers"?  Table layout or basement empire? Size and shape of room would be good.

8 x 8 square room, no doors or windows to get in the way.

[up1950s]

How do you get in ,  fire pole , parachute , cannon shot , spiral staircase from above or below , diving board , zip line , work it from the outer perimeter with a 8 foot grocery grabber , or are you not planning on leaving .  ;D

[Nato]

  Do you want stand alone in center of room like on a Hollow Core door? Larger size stand alone? Around the wall shelf design? Very good if you have the space. How much area are we talking, closet size? Big long narrow basement? We all want more details.  Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[Nato]

  Ok! My apologies. I didn't read 8x8 square room area. That helps me to visulize. Nate Goodman (Nato).

[DKS]

poor David K. Smith has tried a few plans, but nothing seems to grab my attention.  thanks for all the ideas Dr. Smith.

A few? My last count is 8. (insert grinning winking thingie here)

(Caveat: that includes plans that went beyond the 8x8 restriction)

Just for reference, so folks can see what doesn't work, here was my last recommendation, which includes hidden or partially-hidden staging along the right and top:

[John]

[asciibaron]

How do you get in ,  fire pole , parachute , cannon shot , spiral staircase from above or below , diving board , zip line , work it from the outer perimeter with a 8 foot grocery grabber , or are you not planning on leaving .  ;D

i don't want to limit creativity, so it's up to the designer to decide.

[asciibaron]

here's why this doesn't work for me -

the spacing between the staging and the other tracks is way too close - not much room, if any, for scenery.  the siding at the top has no room for an industry beyond a false flat front, and even that would be pushing it in terms of clearance.  ditto for the inner siding in the lower right.

things i do like are the 3 staging tracks and the sidings.  not sure if the crossing is at grade of and over under - if over under, not sure about the grade separations as the tracks climb and descend - what is in front and what is behind?

i know, i'm being picky for something that will probably only last a few years.

-Steve

[asciibaron]

my, how the M&O has changed  ;D

-Steve

[DKS]

Steve, I agree with all of your nits--I just threw it together in a few minutes without much effort. FWIW, the crossing is at grade, so the whole layout would all be flat.

However, a link to Live Search in the thread on coal trestles got me thinking about a simple design based on a real location. This is the place, in Richmond:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCC&cp=q7mr168jdg1p&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=7364440&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

If you pan around, you get to see all sorts of (I think) great modeling possibilities. So, here's my 9th and final offer:



The numbers on the plan refer to the following locales, all clustered near the Live Search location.

Number 1 is a really interesting industry, the Williams Bridge Company--obviously!--which is south of the initial starting point (the dotted line on the plan is the disused track visible to the right of the train):



Number 2 is what got this whole thing started, an area crammed with industries and track and sidings and a waterway cutting between a silo and the rest of the scene:



Number 3 is just below the scene above, and has a passenger station sitting among a sea of industries:



Number 4 isn't very interesting, but it does provide a general feel for the area in the lower left of the plan; it also inspired the idea of maybe running a levee wall along the back edge of part of the layout to separate it from the backdrop:

[Ed Kapuscinski]

David
That passenger station actually has a model railroad in it. I've been there (about 7 years ago). That is a pretty cool area.

[DKS]

David
That passenger station actually has a model railroad in it. I've been there (about 7 years ago). That is a pretty cool area.

Interesting! Actually, I'm not surprised; the equipment parked next to it made me think it had the feeling of a mini railroad museum.

[asciibaron]

Nice plan David, i see a few problems though, the first being, it's the South.  ;D

-Steve