If you want to do Roundy Roundy and switching - you need to find a copy o "Shift Time" From a way back MR (I have it), which suggests that other things happen while you are off-shift and other things happen - it lets you operate on a roundy
I think the best layouts have a both facilities. It may only be a largely hidden single track main that allows the loop, while the rest of the layout essentially functions like a point-to-point. The best layouts find a way to interest their owners for a long time. So, the owner needs to be realistic about what he wants and enjoys when planning such a layout. I am largely in the roundy-round camp because I like to create terrain and sweeping vistas with wooden trestles and hills with lots of trees. I like fast-paced passenger trains. I had found, though, that I really do enjoy industrial switching and classification in a yard. So, my current project is to fill the loft over our garage with a single turn helix at 35" radius and 2% grade to get some variation in terrain, but along one wall is a fairly substantial yard with a full engine servicing facility and turntable. You can have it all, but the room to do it helps. Creativity helps when you don't have so much room.
Some background to fill in the blanks. I have built a room in my basement, 9x10. I have a countertop setup. 24"x8ft I used things that I had around for a previous bathroom remodel that went a complete different direction. I have a concrete wall to the right of my setup, so attaching shelves to that would be hard. I like seeing trains go around, but still want to have a purpose. I am keeping to 50' or less cars. I am looking for older transition period from steam to diesel. I have 9 3/4 radius kato track, #4 turnouts and #6. I finally fixed the #4's last night after research for derailing issues. All I have is a coal loading facility, and a single bay diesel shop. I would love to run ttx intermodal cars but don't have the space to run the radius I need.
For me the priorities are reversed...I'm more interested in continious running, but want some switching potential. My solution has been a dog bone layout. With the necessary cross over trackage in the slender part of the dog bone, and destinations in each loop end, you can just let trains run or operate in anout and back manner. Do not let the concrete wall intimidate you...you can fasten to it using a masonary bit to drill the holes, and appropriatly sized anchors to fasten the needed support to the wall. Shelf brackets like these http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...et;202034300-_-202205511-_-N&locStoreNum=1950 are more than sufficient, and are available for various depth shelves.
a .22 cal. nail gun is also an option for mounting wood to concrete block. Good luck in your planning.
It is perhaps worth mentioning that John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid (Gory & Defeated) RR -- arguably the most famous model railroad of all time -- started out as a small, twice-around layout where the track disappeared into tunnels twice during each full circuit. The original HO layout was 6'8" x 3'7" and included an engine facility and branch line for operational interest. The G&D eventually grew into a large room filling layout incorporating the little twice-around. - Jeff
I don't think it really matters what you do as long as you are having fun doing it. Isn't that the real reason we all do this? I have included a screenshot of the layout I have finished and it is a continuous track. Mainly because it is simple, my first after a long hiatus and my kids (6, 4 & 2 year olds) helped design it.
That looks like an ideal track plan for young children. I'll bet they really enjoy it. And if they enjoy it, I know you do, too. - Jeff
Eot Guru, if you have a 9x10 room why limit yourself to a leftover from a rebuilding project? You seem to have ample space to make your dream come true, you just don't want to use it. Paul
I agree with Paul, why not use the whole room, for an "N" scale layout, its the size of a basement layout in HO. Instead of squeezing a lot into a little room, you can have an n scale empire. Your layout can be double decked, or even triple decked, a lower one off the main lower deck to house staging, built later after your main layout is up and running. Using the Armstrong planning book, your layout would be a "large" one, smaller than a "club" one, but still very reasonable. A helix or nolix (a modified helix with more visible running) is much smaller in N scale and isn't the great "blob" it is in HO, even with 18 inch radius.
I'm sure this has already been said. Operations doesn't always mean point to point. How about a dog bone that looks like a point to point? No! A feature I enjoy on mine...hours of fun. I do have a Santa Fe station and yard area that resembles the A Yard in San Bernardino, Ca. It is a dead end yard. I can run trains in and out of it but without a return loop you then end up with unrealistic operations when moving the trains out, to turn them. Just a thought.
I have ended up adding on to the layout, the wants have come up and wanting to operate and roundy round. Thanks for the help, ideas and information.
I went with a figure 8 roundy-round beacue, like you, I enjoy kicking back and watching my trains run. I also added a small yard and engine sand and fuel facility for when I get bored and decided I want the move some stock around. I played with this track plan and consulted others, and I'm currently on version 3.3, and will probably cange some more before I'm through. Do you have a track plan to share?
Roundy-round could be condidered prototypical! Back when my hometown of Middlesboro was founded in the 1890's, since Middlesboro is built in a several mile-wide bowl in the mountains, the developers came up with the Belt Line Railroad. It was to circle around the city and have braches up to coal mines in the hollows(hollers). So essentially it was a giant circlular railway! It was sold to the L&N though, but if it wasn't there may be a yard right were my house is!
no plans yet, still building my base work. I have ideas, just nothing down yet on paper. I stare at it and think. lay some track down to mimic thoughts/ideas. It seems I am getting a collection of uni track. What I don't use I will either keep or sell. I have atlas track but after using kato unitrack. I don't care for the issues of atlas track. I don't want to solder the rails together or put feeders on every section.
