How would you design a 20ft X 12 ft wide train room?

[Flagler]

I cannot decide how to use the space. need ideas. 3ft wide around the walls with a 6ft wide open space in the Middle?Help design

[Kisatchie]

3ft wide around the walls with a 6ft wide open space in the Middle?Help design

It would be a LOT better if you went 2-1/2 feet around the walls. Reaching three feet is no fun when trying to rerail a freight car on track near the wall, especially if you have scenery with trees, telephone poles, etc. in the way.


Hmm... I have long arms,
so it's not a problem for
me...

[TiVoPrince]

IF
it were me the space would immediately fill with piles of train stuff precluding layout construction.  Suppose I'm not much help on this subject...

[Rossford Yard]

My layout room is 10 x 24, and I considered an "E" shape but settled on the 2.5 ft deep on either side and a relaxed aisle in the middle of 5 feet.  I don't regret having one of the easiest to access layouts around, comfortable for operators.

At 12 feet wide, the temptation for the E becomes stronger, but I would recommend a minimum of 42" wide aisles (3.5ft each, 7ft total) leaving 5 foot for railroading. I think you would be surprised at what you could get in at 1.5 feet wide on the wall sides and a 2 ft wide peninsula.  Your eye really does follow the train and scenery is less to do, as well.

That said, it also depends on what you are trying to model?

[ednadolski]

I would adapt this plan for the additional 2' room width:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=24108.msg236705#msg236705

Not that I am biased or anything.... 

Ed

[pnolan48]

This was a bit bigger at 10.-6" x 23', but designed very liberally, so it could be reduced (or, as I am doing now, expanded). It ended up with three levels on the west or top wall, and two on the bottom or east wall. The harbors were removable for reaching to corners.



Second and third decks were much narrower. I'll see if i can find them.

[pnolan48]

I don't know where the fully drawn second and third levels are now, but here's the second level as plain track.



And the third:



You can see that I didn't try to fill up the second and third levels, as otherwise it would mean a lot of ducking to see things in there, and I'd get a tunnel sort of effect. I ended up with a 30+ mile loop that could run five trains that were 10 real minutes apart at 45 MPH. It was fun running, and actually lots of fun operating, with probably the number of sidings that most HCD layouts try to achieve.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'd design a big wang looking layout, but then again, I have the sense of humor of Beavis. Or maybe Butthead.

[RWCJr]

Three feet wide around the walls would seem to me to be too wide if track is going to be laid very near the walls.
If you can find a copy of John Armstrong's "Track planning for realistic operation", it is a great source of designs and design theory to help you get the most reliable use of a space for a layout.
Robert

[Chris333]

HCD in the middle 

[pnolan48]

Here's a better view of decks two and three.





In all, it's a bone simple loop that, because of its length, comes across as a double track main. The bulge for Allston/Brighton on the first deck was added to gain a few inches of height due to the flat yard and the long flat bridge across the South Harbor.

[jdcolombo]

My thoughts:

E shape.

18" around the long walls, which can expand to more depth in corners (e.g., engine terminal, bigger industry located in corner) angling the front edge of the corner benchwork to gain aisle space.  Short walls could be deeper, making up aisle space by shortening length of center peninsula.  Two-foot wide center peninsula, with 42" aisles on either side, with 36" between end of peninsula and facing short wall.  You could use the peninsula in various ways - maybe 6" on one side as a rural scene, with 18" on the other side for a more complex scene, using a center backdrop as a divider.   You could even "cheat" and expand the peninsula a couple of inches here and there if needed.   You could also use the rear short wall for a staging yard, hidden by a backdrop, that would be double-ended, feeding into the track on the long walls.  For example, use 1' of width for the staging yard, leave 18" for access between the yard and the main "E".  This shortens the peninsula, but is a good spot for staging, unless you need longer trains.  You could also do staging on a lower level underneath the main layout along one or both long walls.

John C.

[LV LOU]

Seeing as you have a longer space,I'd probably go for a little more aisle space than I have,but I put a big,honking island right up the middle of my room,with a 26 inch wide section running up the wall.The wall section is bigger on the end,so nice big curves in a small space.I put a divider right up the middle of the island.This is a really early build pic,but it shows pretty much the whole thing.I've since tweaked it a little,and widened it in certain areas to add better features..The room is 11X12...

[PAL_Houston]

6 feet in the middle is a lot of space.  Where are your doors, windows and other obstructions?  And what do you have in mind:  lot's of yard space, or lots of running?  Windy/hilly or flat & straight?

[Flagler]

Great Ideas,My brain freeze is thawing