Preliminary Track Plan
So here’s the first plan I put together for the office layout.
The guest bed would be the big dark blue box, the desk the black box. The black area at the very lower left are walls.
So we have a single level track plan. a dogbone I believe you would call it almost. The back 8″ of the layout is space for 4 staging yards. Since I still had the desk wall, I added in a 3 additional shorter staging tracks there as well being the monitors. The 2% grade loop will drop the track to this mini yard.
I opted to keep the scene the town scene of Elmwood. I have 2 small industry spurs, as well at the larger Superior Paper Mill spur. In case I want dom some switching, I’ll have some spurs for it.
The scene is just long enough for me to have 100″ mainline and siding for meets. The staging can hold trains up 127″, so I can run a really long one through if I wanted while keeping a shorter on the siding.
As much as I’ll miss at the different parts of the soon to be “Old Layout”, having this smaller one scene kind of layout is kinda nice. I’m be able to dedicated time & effort to really working on this one section (which be the entire layout) as opposed to multiple ones, ya know. It’s hard to explain. Like I won’t feel so overwhelmed by having such large layout. The long runs are great, but all the scenery work….oy!
In order to keep the design and the work simple, I don’t think I’m going to do a double deck. So my double track helix will eventually go on sale once it’s removed.
While it’s sad to see the old layout go, I’m actually kind of excited to get to work on this new smaller one.
Like it! Jamie
Certainly a lot of railfanning potential here, and you can even do a tad bit of switching to liven things up. Looks good. Can’t wait for the time-lapse video fo demolition!
I think this will work very well. As it happens, I went through pretty much the same sequence of steps as you did in coming up with my current layout. Next thing for you to consider; automated running under computer control. You need to plan for this right now – make sure you put enough sensors all over the place.
Rangachari,
That’s the plan! I have a 3 bags of Miniatronics photocell sensors I bought way back whenn for the current layout but scrapped the idea of computer control automated running because a lot of manual interaction was required (ie: staging).
With a continuous track plan now, I do plan on installing those photocell sensors in all of the blocks at ‘strategic’ locations in case I want to use them later on.
I like the new plan Shaun and like you said, you can just keep running trains or take a little break and do some switching. On question though, how are you going to access the staging tracks int he back? Is that backdrop a low one where you can reach behind?
Phil,
Yes. the front backdrop (blue line behind orange buildings) will be a low backdrop a couple inches high, probably right above eye level. So I’ll be able reach behind in case a train derails or anything.
The back backdrop will be the full height of the layout and painted as well so help blend in the gap.
BTW, I like the new look. You and I share more then just a train interest, judging by myour ever present coffee cup!