Well, I've gone from no layout to (almost) two. First is a 3'x4' layout. Double main line with six sidings. All done with atlas snap track. It's a rough piece of plywood, so I put a border of duct tape on it so no slivers for my son Haven't painted or planned any landscape as he was in a rush to drive... and he's having so much fun I may just leave it as it stands. I glued the track down using a low-temp hot glue gun, putting a dab either side at each joint. Second is a 15"x52" switching layout. 22 switches made with a mixture of snap track and a few offcuts of flex track. This layout is on part of a sign from a retail store... the type that would be hung from a ceiling to mark a department... foam core, plastic outside. This one I have painted brown and would like to put some props on at some point as it's MY layout No definite plan on industries... I just like shunting here and there Track is not yet tacked down... any comments on this one before I do that?
That is the general idea... trying to make the most of the space. I'll probably just use 1 loco and a assortment of freight cars.
I hear you on the satisfaction of shunting, but without purpose (cars coming from where, to service what & being taken to?) you'll probable find yourself shunting satisfaction. As a start, I'd cut out 1/2 that track just to have a place for industries to occupy (and they don't have to be inside the track: Byron Henderson shows how your can use "fascia flats" to have space-saving inward facing industries). Then I'd think about what kind of industries / action I'd like. Many good ideas on Carl Arendt's site, as well as all over this forum. I just recommend working purpose into your layout, then you'll have both the shunting & the satisfaction.
Yeah I like the sheer f'ed-upness of that switching layout. I would add a second runaround track somewhere near the top... right now you've only got one, limits your car placement options otherwise.
On the switching layout it looks like you have a nice double mainline established with the double crossover in place, just needs trueing up a bit. Jerry
Ok, reworked the switching a lot... no double main now. Down to 14 sidings and 16 switches. 2 of the sidings will be a engine/maint shed, 3 will be storage for freight cars. Has a theoretical mainline passing through. Lines for 2 double line and 5 single line industries. I'm planning on building some cardstock industries (mainly because of cost and ease of modifying them to make them narrower to fit my layout... I plan on it looking good from a 45 deg angle )
Here's a pic of the work so far... due to dimension constraints (and a 3 y.o. son who likes to move things on me) I've soldered all the track together - so some of the sidings that are flex track will be moved around some before it gets mounted. Next step is to work out exact placement, and lay foam. I was thinking making it 2 or 3 layers thick under the mainline to make it easier to notice and then making a slight gradient on the lines running off it... has anyone done this before? Another side question (tho kind of irrelevant now for this project), is there a way to put on metal connectors without digging them into your fingertips?
I did try the smallest pliers I had... but couldn't get the connectors to slide on, they'd buckle and pop off Update: Track is all soldered, tacked down with push pins right now so I can trace the outline. Next is laying foam under track.
Finally got all the foam/cork down. Phew. Here's a pic of the layout so far... pins are stuck in the foam with wet glue still Can't wait to get the track back on!
Well, pins are out, track is on and pinnned in place. Found two crossovers that need cork under them (doh!). So not ready to glue down the track yet. It looks good to see progress tho!
Ok, now thinking 3 blocks... one for each of the two engine shed sidings... one for the rest of the track
The yellow dots show where I'd solder feeder wires if you've already glued the track down: If you haven't glued it down yet, then you can place short jumper wires like this: (look at the top of the turnout) This eliminates a lot of the under table wiring. Might seem like a lot, but it's amazing how much DC drops off over distance, and you have a lot of turnouts. As for power blocks, I'd set it up for two operators: this involves two power packs and running both through center-off, DPDT switches. This way both power packs could operate any block, and center off leaves engines on the layout without either controlling it. But if you have only one operator, I'd still have a bunch of power blocks that you can turn off, as places you can park engines. This allows you to leave engines on the layout, and I agree that having two engines (one for lower, one for upper, stationed at top-right to receive & push back cars onto the main). I'd set up power blocks like this: The two blue blocks "above" could be combined into one block, but then I'd designate one of the spurs up there as an "dead engine" block / escape. Each of the engine house tracks is a separate block, as is the engine pocket off the runaround. You can set up as many sidings as separate blocks (or just simple on / off sections) so you can leave engines on the layout in specific places. I'd play around with cars and simulate operations to see where engines end up: that's where you'll want your blocks or dead engine spots. But you can never have too many feeders, but you can find out that you easily have too few. [last advice: power your frogs, if you can. It's sooooooooo much nicer in the end!]
Thanks for that awesome reply! I knew one of the geniuses around here could answer me I haven't glued down track yet... was testing switches while I waiting for a reply I'm using 90% used equipment... saving some $... so far only 1 switch is giving trouble (moves one way with no problem, but sticks in the other direction, even when moved manually). I think I'll be isolating each siding... I've attached a copy with red lines drawn where I'll insulate... does it look right for this? One last question... how do I power frogs on atlas remote switches?
You're doing DC, yes? First off, you need to decide whether you're going to have one operator (one power pack), or two. Two power packs will mean two / three operations "zones". If just one power pack, then you're going to wiring for dead engine spots, so the second engine is cut off while the other is working. As for powering Code 80 Atlas turnouts, they have plastic frogs, so you can't easily power them Peco electrofrog turnouts can, though. But if you're using something like a Kato NW2 or larger switcher, the dead frogs shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Yes, DC. Most likely only 1 operator at a time, I doubt my 3y.o. will be interested in switching But I have DPDT center off switches handy, so I'm thinking I'll wire it for two anyway even if only hooked to a single power pack. I know I isolated a lot, but I figure better to do it now needlessly than realize I want to leave a engine on a non-isolated siding after it's all ballasted and landscaped Right now I'm looking at GP38's and the like for switching... the small ones that are decent seem too rich for my taste (or they don't have rapido couplers). Oh, and my logic in isolating the main line (the green line running across) is I'd like to be able to integrate this into a larger layout later down the line (*chuckle*). I'm planning ahead for this by having the wiring for the switches in terminal blocks underneath (in cavities carved in the foam) ready for use when needed.
