Help on a HCD Layout Plan

[dowish]

While watching Denver beat Oakland  , I made some changes to the Denver & NW plan.



I didn't even try and figure out the staging extension, since that will be phase 2.  I just want to make sure that I can add it later without some really odd trackwork.  I also realized halfway through, that I should have put the extension on the other side so that I can have the layout up against a wall and still be able to reach both the small on layout yard and the future staging.  I will be changing that eventually.

I am also second thinking the small yard.  Would it be better to have a couple more industries and have staging as the only yard?  I don't have much experience with operations, so any help with making this operationally interesting would be great.

[HuskerN]

not sure if you have the space or ability to transport, but I would suggest making that 3x8 even a bit larger if you are thinking about a single table.  I got the idea to build a 10 footer after finishing my basement and carrying in 10 foot sheets of drywall.  I have build two layouts that dimension and really like the added lenght.  I rounded the corners, and cut out some of the middle to narrow some of the width to reduce the overall size.  Other than transport, a 10 footer should fit into most places that an 8 footer will.  Another reason I like the 10 footer is that it is about as big as you would want to go without splitting the layout into 2 sections, and my goal was to avoid a seam if I could.

Other than that, I really like portable layouts and enjoy following design discussions like this.  Looking forward to see what you settle on.

HuskerN
www.nscaleaddiction.blogspot.com

[MichaelWinicki]

My vote would be to eliminate the yard and go with more industries.  Operationally I think it would be more interesting. 

You have the two-track plant in upper left.  Then you have the two-track main going around the corner.  You could potentially have a single track interchange coming off the main (near the switch that goes to the two-track plant) and run it parallel to the table edge near the 3' label.

[dowish]

Here is another revision of the Denver & NW plan.  I got rid of the yard for more industries.  I'm also not sure how the lumber or chemical industries should be laid out.  I'm also not sure if the inter-modal part fits thematically.  It might be better to either leave that empty for scenery, or put in different industry.

All the turnouts are #7's except for the crossovers up front which are #10's.

I want to leave it at 8' long because I'm not sure what my final space limitation will be and the foam I'll use to put on top of the door comes in 8' sections.  If I think I can add more, I can always make the staging lengthen it instead of coming off the layout like I have it now.

Thanks for the feedback everybody.

[dowish]

I added an 8' staging yard just to see what it looked like and to make sure I could connect to the rest of the layout using decent radius curves.  I used #7 turnouts and after getting it laid out, I've got to say, it seems like there is lots of "wasted" space which leaves a couple of the tracks pretty short, 23" for the shortest one.  Apparently I'll need to look into compound yard ladders that are more space efficient.

I've also given more thought to the layout "theme."  My prototype will be the Portland and Western RR.  Staging will represent the interchange with UP in Albany and with BNSF in Brooklyn.  Industries will be (until a change my mind) the Cascade Steel Mill in McMinnville, Hampton Lumber Mill in Willamina, the Georgia-Pacific paper mill in Toledo, and a generic grain elevator.  And yes, that even seems like a lot to squeeze in even to me, so one of those will probably go.

I am also thinking about making it a single track to make it seem more like the prototype.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_and_Western_Railroad
http://www.gwrr.com/operations/railroads/north_america/portland_western_railroad_inc

[Bsklarski]

I like the latest track plan revision for the most part. You should widen that shelf, staging like you have it, but a small industrial area, or even a single larger customer or a branch like in front of the staging.

[dowish]

I worked on a more PNWRR flavored layout.  Single track with the paper mill in Toledo along with a generic granary.  I think there is also room room for on more industry by the granary.

There are a couple of things I like about this plan, starting with the 16.25"R curves on the main loop.  The left side would make a great place for a wooden trestle
like can be seen toward the bottom of this page. http://www.brian894x4.com/PortlandandWesternRR.html

One the down side, I can only run one train at a time, except for switching the paper mill.  I'm not sure where a good place for a siding would be so I could have two trains out.

Neither this layout or the last one really is striking me as layouts I want to build.  I guess I'm still struggling with the layout philosophy.  The room I have seems to favor a shortline, but I'm I like running mainline trains better.  Decisions, decisions.

[wm3798]

When I built a smaller layout like this, I found that the turn back loop was the best place to "hide" a longish siding.  If you put it on the curve on the right side, where the wye connects to the yard module, you create a parking spot for Train One while Train Two is released into the layout.


It also extends the switching lead from the yard onto the outside track, allowing you to run Train One on the loop while Train Two is being made up by the switcher.



It also gives you a potential run around track that you can use during switching ops.

To increase capacity, you could add another siding along the other curve, but that would tend to clutter things up a bit.  For a small layout, it makes more sense to keep to "pike size" trains...  You could also save some space by reducing the length of that yard since you really don't have layout capacity to store that many cars.  If you have room for a shelf that long, keep it, move the yard to the end, keep it less than 4' long, and add an engine house or an industry between the yard and the wye.

Lee

[dowish]

Lee, is this what you had in mind for a siding?

I'm not sure how much room I'll have for the final staging yard, so its mostly there just to make sure I can get track to "something" later.

I also had second thoughts about the loop with the paper mill inside of it.  It seemed to overpower the rest of the layout, so here is another plan that is seems roomier to me.

[wm3798]

That's it exactly.  You should be able to tie up a train of about 10 cars there, maybe a bit more.  With that configuration, you can spread out your operational schematic to be a east-west line, with a couple of yard tracks representing one end, and a couple more being the other.  The siding becomes the passing siding in the "middle" where trains can meet, and suddenly the ops become a bit more interesting.

So the grain elevator can be switched by a train traveling in one direction as a through movement, OR, if empties come in from the west, they can be switched in with the loads pulled over to the siding, run the engines around, and the loads pulled back to the west as a turn.

This plan also allows you to switch the grain elevator while running another train on the continuous loop to provide a pleasant "nuisance" to the switching operation.
Lee

[dowish]

After a couple of days of contemplation, I still like this plan.  It isn't crowded with industries, giving it the open feel of the prototype.  I did add a run-around for switching the granary.  I'm not sure the way I have it now though adds much, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

[MichaelWinicki]

I like it.  The only reservation I have is that maybe the space on the 1 x 4 could be better utilized.

[wm3798]

Make the run around long enough to handle a cut of cars from the elevator.  It looks like your spur tracks can handle three or four cars, and the run around as drawn only handles two, maybe three.

You can accomplish that by flopping the turnout there to the left, and extending the run around past the curve.  If you want to include a spur where that turn out is, just cut it in on the run around.
Lee

[dowish]

So here are plans 4a and 4b.

Plan 4a basically just makes the run-around long enough to handle a cut of 3 56' hoppers.



Plan 4b rearranges things so I can use a cut of 4 56' hoppers.  This leaves the middle of the layout kind of empty, but I think it would be easy to elevate the back length of track 1/2" or so for some added visual interest.

[pwnj]

Even though it'll only handle three cars, I like 4a better.  Looks like it'll be a fun one to operate.